Cardinals Roster Tiers, Part 2: Players Ready for the Next Step

Welcome to the second of a seven-part series where we break down the entire Arizona Cardinals' pre-training camp roster into different tiers ahead of next week's start date. If you missed part one where we previewed roster hopefuls, you can click here.

We continue today by evaluating the sixth tier of Arizona's roster: Players looking to develop into something bigger.

Obviously, every player wants to improve — though this tier features a crop of young players with potential to take on larger roles. You'll find a mix of first, second and third-year Cardinals grouped here. Each carry potential to emerge with the challenge of proving themselves on the field.

As a reminder, the players themselves within the tier are not ranked.

Cardinals Roster Tiers, Part 2: Players Ready for the Next Step

Arizona Cardinals DL Darius Robinso — Cardinals defensive lineman Darius Robinson speaks during a press conference at the Cardinals training facility in Tempe on July 7, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Players in this tier: Darius Robinson, Chase Bisontis, Max Melton, BJ Ojulari, Carson Beck, Jordan Burch, Elijah Jones, Kaleb Proctor, Reggie Virgil, Hayden Conner, Josh Fryar, Xavier Weaver, Tejhaun Palmer

You'll find a collection of some of Arizona's rookie class on this list, featuring their draft picks taken in the second through the fifth round. Jeremiyah Love slightly finds himself in another tier and Karson Sharar and Jayden Williams were on yesterday's building block.

Between Bisontis, Beck, Proctor and Virgil, there's plenty to be excited about between each prospect — though each carries varying levels of expectations to immediately contribute despite the real possibility none of the four might start early in 2026.

Bisontis figures to have the best opportunity to win a starting job right away, and quite frankly he's expected to beat out Isaiah Adams when camp rolls around. We just need to see it first from the rookie guard.

Weaver and Palmer are both on this list after offering some sort of potential ahead of next season, though it's not much. Although we didn't rank the players within each tier, they're definitely on the lower end of this spectrum alongside Hayden Conner and Elijah Jones.

The real headlines belong to Robinson, Melton and Ojulari. All three have failed to live up to the hype in some way whether it be injuries, poor play, or both. It's too early to give up on everybody just yet, though there's a serious make-it-or-break-it attitude around them.

Burch had a promising preseason before underdelivering in 2025's regular season. The rookie wall was indeed hit, though the coveted second-year leap would be so massive for a Cardinals outside linebackers room that needs somebody to emerge outside of Josh Sweat.

Come back tomorrow, where we'll establish Arizona's steady and reliable starters.

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