5 Free Agents Arizona Cardinals Can’t Afford to Lose

It is no doubt that the 2025 season was a disaster for the Arizona Cardinals. Any year that ends with 3-14 record and the firing of the head coach firmly falls in that camp.

Debates continue over what truly sunk the campaign; was it coaching, was it the slew of injuries, poor roster construction? Ask 10 different fans and you might get 10 different answers.

As the front office pivots toward 2026 though, the mission is clear: supplement young rising stars like Trey McBride, Michael Wilson, and Will Johnson while patching the holes that were exposed last season.

The flash of free agency always comes through adding big outside names, but the bedrock of a successful turnaround can often lie with what players teams are able to retain. The problem for the Cardinals this offseason is that the list of the pending free agents doesn't contain a huge quantity of star power.

Still, re-signing internal free agents can go a long way to provide veteran stability, something important for new head coach Mike LaFleur as he tries to turn things around in Arizona.

As we look ahead to a pivotal free agency period, these are the five internal free agents the Cardinals should prioritize bringing back to the desert

5. Blake Gillikin - Punter

Gillikin unfortunately missed the majority of the 2025 season, going on injured reserve in Week 6 after suffering an undisclosed back injury.

Before that, however, Gillikin was leading the leading the league with an average punt of 51.7 yards, a mark good enough to remain tied as the best with Green Bay's Daniel Whelan at year's end.

2025 was the third year with the Cardinals for the 28-year old punter and the last of a 2-year, $3.7 million deal. With relatively cheap deals, it makes sense for teams to keep around good specialists when they find them. He is still young and as long as he is fully ready to go for the upcoming season, it is an easy choice to bring Gillikin back.

4. Simi Fehoko - Wide Receiver

Fehoko didn't get the chance to record any regular season statistics, but he did appear in his attended role on special teams which would be the same role he would be brought back for in 2026.

He was a preseason darling and favorite target of Clayton Tune during those three outings. In his special teams snaps he didn't necessarily blow anyone away but he was a solid player in a unit that had a large share of troubles last season. Continuity there could be a positive for the group.

Like Gillikin, he represents a cheap re-signing that wouldn't significantly impact the available cap space and bring back a solid enough player that seems well liked by teammates, coaches, and fans. Win-win.

3. Michael Carter - RB

The Cardinals' running back room was one of the most injury decimated units in 2026 with top two options James Conner and Trey Benson going down early in the year. That left a rotation of Emari Demercado (until his own injuries), Michael Carter, and later additions like Bam Knight and Corey Kiner to fill those roles.

The 5-8, 201 lbs Carter saw the most carries in his career (92) since 2022 when he was with the New York Jets, coincidentally under the leadership of then offensive coordinator and now head coach Mike LaFleur.

It's this connection with LaFleur that makes Carter an especially interesting option to keep around for 2026. There are some serious questions about the future of Conner in Arizona and Benson has been plagued with injuries in his young career that put in doubt his consistent availability.

One of the more common free agent predictions for the Cardinals involve a signing of Breece Hall, another former LaFleur running back, in replacement of Conner. This could be an interesting reunion of two players that have had previous success with the new Cardinals head coach.

2. Starling Thomas V - CB

Another of the position rooms heavily impacted by injuries was the cornerback room, whose saga started in the offseason with both Sean Murphy-Bunting and Starling Thomas V being lost for the year before it even started, throwing rookies Will Johnson and Denzel Burke straight into the fire.

Thomas had a solid, if unspectacular 2024, starting 15 of 17 games and allowing 32 catches for 434 yards and three touchdowns. There were some heavy expectations for further improvement in 2025 before his unfortunate ACL tear in training camp.

The overall state of the cornerback position is better than a few years ago in Arizona with Johnson and Burke getting a large number of reps as rookies and having some very strong performances. There are still some question marks about Max Melton, however, and it is unclear what the availability of Garrett Williams will be to begin the season.

With good enough size and great straight-line speed, a fully healthy Thomas would be a good depth/rotational piece for this defense and one worth bringing back.

1. Calais Campbell (if he doesn't retire)

One of the only great, feel-good stories that came out of the disastrous 2025 season for the Cardinals was the return and impact of the legendary, the ageless, Calais Campbell.

At 39-years old, Campbell still ranked in the top third of all DTs in the NFL according to PFF in overall grade, pass rush, and run defense. He finished second on the team, behind Josh Sweat, for most sacks with 6.5, tackles for loss with 9, and QB hits with 16.

The production speaks for itself and would make him a solid addition to most defensive lines, irregardless of his age which only makes his level of play last season even more impressive.

It looked like there is more in the tank, but after 18 seasons in the NFL it would be reasonable for Campbell to move on to the next chapter of his life. However, if he wants to give it one more shot under a new coaching staff, it is a no-brainer for the Cardinals to work out a deal to bring him back.