Arizona Cardinals' 9 Biggest Winners and Losers From Roster Cut Weekend

ARIZONA — The dust has settled on the Arizona Cardinals' initial 53-man roster.

Much has been made of who did (and didn't) make the team ahead of the 2026 season. With practice squad additions trickling in, the majority of the Cardinals' roster feels set. Every healthy rookie cracked the active roster while some tough decisions saw key veterans depart the desert.

Now, we're able to break down the biggest winners and losers of Arizona's final roster cuts:

Winner: RB Bam Knight

Knight was an often overlooked body in the Cardinals' training camp running back room, though a mix of injuries and opportunity paved a path for Knight to once again showcase his talents after previously making the active 53-man roster.

Knight was one of three running backs kept by the Cardinals with James Conner on injured reserve. Not only did he make the team alongside Jeremiyah Love and Tyler Allgeier, but he's got an early opening to earn work as a change-of-pace back and special teams player.

Loser: OLB BJ Ojulari

Ojulari may not be an unexpected cut from Arizona, though he certainly fits the billing for the biggest name the Cardinals parted ways with.

Ojulari looked great prior to a knee injury suffered ahead of the 2024 season, and he hasn't been the same since. Eku Leota outperformed the former second-round pick, and Ojulari went unclaimed during the waivers process.

He's now free to sign with any team he wants, though it's clear Ojulari has a massive mountain to climb if he'll reach his previous potential.

Winner: S Wydett Williams

Talk about a range of emotions.

Williams, weeks ago, was listed in a lawsuit that would eventually allow him to return to school for another season of college football. It was a weird situation all around, though Williams doesn't have to ponder the decision to stay in the NFL or leave thanks to his spot on the team's initial 53-man roster.

Williams was a rare fifth safety on an NFL roster. For the Cardinals, especially positions such as running back and tight end keeping only three players each, it was no doubt an interesting decision for Arizona to keep a surplus of safeties.

It's possible Williams is made inactive on game days, as only 48 players will dress. However, Williams being on today's roster was a giant win — even if head coach Mike LaFleur joked about him heading back to college.

Loser: WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette

The Cardinals, surprisingly, kept seven receivers on their initial roster. It's not often that happens, though Arizona clearly liked too many guys to leave out the majority of what was an extremely competitive room.

Smith-Marsette wasn't chosen among a plethora of wideouts.

Despite having an early edge to make the roster, Smith-Marsette was lapped by Simi Fehoko and Jalen Brooks during preseason play. Smith-Marsette did land back on the Cardinals' practice squad, though it's unlikely he'll be elevated to majority of game days due to the sheer volume of guys ahead of him.

Winner: ILB Karson Sharar

Sharar perfectly fits the bill of an "unexpected" winner from this weekend. Sixth-round rookies, especially those considered undersized, don't often make a 53-man roster. When looking at the Cardinals' inside linebacker room, the odds were stacked against Sharar.

However, he was able to really make a name for himself on special teams, making multiple plays through the team's preseason schedule — ultimately unseating backup Owen Pappoe for his gig.

Sharar inclusion might not be surprising, but more so it is impressive given the circumstances.

Loser: CB Sean Murphy-Bunting

Murphy-Bunting was the other big name that departed Arizona this weekend. Entering this offseason, the Cardinals swapped him back to slot cornerback to steady the ship until Garrett Williams was healthy.

That appeared to be the only thing that mattered, as Murphy-Bunting's stock tanked after Williams was activated from PUP. Despite having the most experience in the cornerback room, Arizona sent him packing.

He cleared waivers and now rejoins his former team in Tampa Bay on the Buccaneers' practice squad. Now, he has to relearn an entirely new defense and start from the bottom of the pecking order.

Winner: OT Jayden Williams

We talked about how difficult life was for a sixth-round linebacker — but what about a seventh-round tackle?

Williams battled injuries during his college career but certainly had talent. That was clear in training camp, where he usurped the numerous veteran offensive tackles ahead of him to earn second-team tackle duties.

Williams' addition to the roster just might be the most impressive inclusion on this list next to Wydett Williams.

Loser: CB Starling Thomas

Thomas suffered a torn ACL ahead of last season and just couldn't quite bounce back in time to make the roster. When healthy, Thomas was set to be Arizona's starting cornerback in 2025.

That was derailed — significantly — and Thomas simply couldn't rescue his chances of staying on the team in a crowded but injury-prone cornerback room. He's back on the practice squad, so it's not completely over for him, though the writing was on the wall when he was playing late in action in Green Bay.

Winner: ILB Eku Leota

Leota is on his fourth team in three seasons, though perhaps he might have found a home.

The Cardinals' outside linebacker shined in a pass rush room that lacked pressure all of last season. Arizona was practically begging somebody, anybody, to make an impact opposite Josh Sweat.

It would be irresponsible to say Leota can do that, but what we can say is he was a standout performer in camp and preseason that played so well he was able to unseat Ojulari.

Sometimes spots are given. Other times players simply just match what a team is looking for. Leota, however, earned his spot.

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