Cardinals Grade Highly in Offseason Report Cards

ARIZONA -- The Arizona Cardinals are moving towards the next stage of the offseason, and the recent release of the NFL schedule provided just another stepping stone that brings us closer to the regular season.

It's been a productive offseason for Arizona under the second-year guidance of head coach Jonathan Gannon and Monti Ossenfort. The Cardinals were in major position to improve their roster, and many believe they did just that.

Bleacher Report gave the Cardinals a B- for their offseason moves.

"The Cardinals took some swings at improving Murray's supporting cast this offseason, which was critical as he looks to return to Pro Bowl form," wrote Kristopher Knox.

"Betting on Jonah Williams at left tackle is risky. He's never settled in as a dependable starter, especially in pass protection. However, taking Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. with the fourth overall pick was a slam-dunk move.

"Harrison was the top-ranked overall prospect on the Bleacher Report Scouting Department's final big board, and he should instantly give Murray an elite No. 1 perimeter target. Along with rookie running back Trey Benson, veteran running back James Conner and tight end Trey McBride, Harrison will help give Arizona a potent offense.

"The Cardinals didn't completely ignore its 25th-ranked defense from last season, though. New additions like Sean Murphy-Bunting, Mack Wilson and rookie Darius Robinson should help Gannon's defense get on the right track.

"Arizona suffered minimal losses, and the list of departures didn't feature a player who will be impossible to replace.

"With $27.8 million in cap space remaining, it's fair to wonder if the Cardinals should have done more, but the roster is better on paper than it was a year ago. Most importantly, Arizona has done a solid job of setting up Murray for success."

The Cardinals didn't overspend on any big free agents but still managed to upgrade weaknesses across the roster.

To B/R's point on the $27.8 million in cap space - they're able to roll that over to next season, so all points are not lost.

Arizona still has plenty of holes on the roster, but it was unrealistic to fill every need in just one offseason - especially with the Cardinals looking to build through the draft rather than free agency.

Time will ultimately tell how Arizona did - though the early signs look promising.