Cardinals Free Agency Mailbag: It's Time to Go Big or Go Home

The Arizona Cardinals are just days removed from free agency with plenty of possibilities, especially with the pending release of Kyler Murray close to becoming reality.

What will the Cardinals do in free agency? What should they do? What's even in the realm of possibility?

You had questions. We tried to answer. Thank you everybody for participating in this mailbag.

And to quote the legendary Notorious B.I.G. — mo money, mo problems.

Shadrick: How confident are you if we get in a bidding war for Malik Willis they’ll win it?

That's a great question, Shadrick. If the Cardinals pursue that route I'm confident they can keep themselves in the race.

As of now, quarterback-needy teams such as the Jets ($73.8 million) and Steelers ($46.2 million) rank ahead of the Cardinals ($39.6 million) in terms of cap space. Whether New York or Pittsburgh will actually get into a potential bidding war for Willis remains to be seen as most of the chatter around the former Packers passer belongs to the Cardinals and Dolphins.

Arizona can for sure be in the race, though how willing is general manager Monti Ossenfort to play ball in terms of guaranteed money, average salary, years, etc.? That will largely determine where Willis lands.

Sorry, I'm avoiding the question. If the Cardinals really want Willis, I think they can land him.

Mando: How aggressive do you expect Monti to be in what could be his final year?

Mando, we're gonna learn really quickly what Ossenfort's job security looks like.

If he throws $30 million to Malik Willis, that tells me he feels the pressure to win here and now. Of course, there's pressure to win every season, but after Jonathan Gannon was fired and Ossenfort was retained for a fourth season, the heat sure turns up doesn't it?

We saw Ossenfort get aggressive last offseason in free agency. I'd expect that to continue. The Cardinals though they had a competitive roster last year. Most of that roster hasn't gone anywhere, and the urge to add talent should be there this time around, too.

Michael: When does the pain end Donnie?

Michael, we should have picked a different hobby like gardening. Sports is the best and the worst at the same time.

Ed: If you had to pinpoint one story, what’s the Cardinals' top story right now at this point of the offseason?

Always appreciate your questions Ed! The obvious one is Kyler Murray and the fallout from his departure.

But I'm not looking at that short-term. I want to look at the bigger picture, because how they move forward could impact future years down the line.

Bypassing quarterback help will see them gamble on a prospect in 2027 or beyond while trying to find an immediate replacement could stall their progress and set them back even further at football's most important position.

With so much unknown, it doesn't feel like there's a right answer. Thankfully I'm not making decisions and have the power of hindsight behind a screen!

Prabhu: What would be the updated cap after Kyler Murray's release?

Despite the scary numbers out there, it's not as complicated as most will lead on.

We've yet to see if it's a Pre or Post-June 1 cut, which does change things a bit. If it's pre, the Cardinals lose $2 million this offseason. If it's post, Arizona gains $5 million.

That's due to the dead cap hit and how the Cardinals want to approach it. If they want to ingest all of it this year, they'll take the full $54.7 million this offseason, which outweighs his projected $52 million cap hit had he been on the team.

If they want to stretch it out over two years, they'll only take on $47 million, which gives them the extra $5 million this year.

They're at $37.6 million if Murray is a Pre-June 1 cut. Add an extra $7 million to that if he's post-June 1.

Chris: What is the biggest need outside of QB that we need to address in free agency?

Chris, this is a major year to add to the offensive line.

Outside of left tackle and center, Arizona can use upgrades at the other three positions. Success, no matter how much the game evolves and advances, will always be predicated on if teams can win in the trenches.

The Cardinals were dominated on both sides of the ball last year, and if they're going to do anything under new head coach Mike LaFleur, upgrading the offensive line isn't a negotiable. It's mandatory.

Defensive line and edge rusher are also needs for me. Sneaky position to watch? Slot receiver, as the Cardinals are losing both Zay Jones and Greg Dortch.

Jared: Do you think Monti can fill the needs of RT and pass rush in free agency to where he can afford the luxury of taking Jeremiyah Love at 3rd overall?

Jared, I think if the Cardinals had a dynamite offensive line, I'd be more open to Love at third overall.

To me, justying Love at third would require suitable upgrades at RT and either guard spot on top of addressing edge rusher. With how Ossenfort has historically attacked team-building, he's again going to lean into the draft for his heavy lifting.

So in that thinking, not quite. If Love was coming out next year I think this conversation could be different depending on how the line performed.

I'd much rather fix the run game with the people blocking first, then address the ball-carrier.

The Cardinals simply aren't in a position to make a luxury pick.

TXCardinals: What lessons do you think Cards can learn from hits (Josh Sweat, Mack Wilson, Fro) and misses (most other signings lol) the past 3 free agency periods?

Free agency is always a crapshoot in terms of fit, price, etc., so it's hard to say if any lessons can be learned.

I think Ossenfort operates under the "teams who win free agency don't normally win the season" and that's mostly true. How often do we see organizations splurge year after year with little success?

I think Ossenfort hit on Sweat last offseason as his biggest fish through the first three years but it's tough to get an overall gauge on his moves considering 2023/24 were absolute rebuild years. His 2024 class particularly was extremely forgettable as a whole.

I think if anything, you can try to find a sweet spot on production and value. The Cardinals have seemingly only aimed for one or the other with volatile success.

James: Have you heard any rumours around other players we may be connected with? Aside from Malik Willis

Jimmy Garoppolo seems to be getting some buzz, and given the potential cost and heavy working experience under LaFleur, I would not be in the least bit surprised to see that come to fruition.

Outside of that, I can't say there's a lot of smoke on potential signings. The Cardinals typically do a good job of keeping their lips sealed and with so much focus on what they'll do at quarterback, the lull makes sense.