The Cardinals move up one spot in NFL.com’s new post-draft power rankings.
Are the Arizona Cardinals better now than before the 2025 NFL draft? You have to think so, as they continued to bolster a defense that was already built up from free agency.
But are they better compared to the rest of the league?
NFL.com’s Eric Edholm has post-draft power rankings and the Cardinals moved up.
They were 19th previously and now are No. 18, passing the Seattle Seahawks, who dropped two spots.
We’ll see if their approach proved right, but the Cardinals all but ignored wide receiver and the offensive line to stockpile talent on defense. Walter Nolen carries some risk as a prospect — he isn’t always the sum of his parts — but we’re potentially talking about the best 3-technique in the draft. Throw in a worthy gamble on CB Will Johnson’s long-term health in the second and an intriguing addition in the third with versatile DL Jordan Burch, and Arizona really has added to the defensive till. The 2024 Cardinals allowed 30-plus points five times and went 0-5 in those games. But I do wonder if the offense has received enough help. The Cards also had five games scoring 14 points or fewer, and they lost every one of those, as well. This has been a team on the slow rise for a few years now, but is Arizona ready to compete for 18 weeks in the NFC West?
The offense should be fine. Improvement from their young receivers should be enough, as the run game is loaded and the offensive line is solid, although right guard is a question.
Should they be ranked higher? After all, ranked 18th means they are in the bottom half of the league, ranked a little lower than how they finished last season at 8-9.
But it is the offseason and rankings don’t really matter, do they?
It is nice, though, to see recognition of improvements made in talent.
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