Cardinals Must Answer This Question During Draft

The Arizona Cardinals' efforts on the defensive line must continue.

Feb 25, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Arizona Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

We're two weeks removed from the 2025 NFL Draft, and the Arizona Cardinals have a plethora of different options to take with the 16th overall pick.

After a busy free agency period where the Cardinals nabbed some premier names, Arizona now shifts their focus back on their youth movement.

What's the biggest question the Cardinals must answer when the lights get bright later this month?

NFL.com says that will come along the defensive line.

Cardinals' Burning Question: Can They Make DL Dominant?

"Head coach Jonathan Gannon made his name as a defensive coordinator in Philadelphia, running a unit that amassed 70 sacks in 2022. He’s obviously looking to create a similarly disruptive front with the team he’s been coaching the last two years," wrote Jeffri Chadiha.

"The Cardinals came into the offseason needing help at edge rusher and along the interior of the defensive line. They used free agency to sign former Eagles outside linebacker Josh Sweat, along with defensive linemen Calais Campbell and Dalvin Tomlinson. Expect Arizona to be just as focused on finding playmakers up front in this draft.

"The team is using three of its top-30 prospect visits on edge rushers -- Tennessee’s James Pearce Jr. and Georgia’s Jalon Walker and Mykel Williams -- which is a major indication of how critically that spot factors into its draft plans. This draft is also deep at interior D-line, so there should be a great opportunity to grab a strong prospect at that position.

"It’s not hard to see the urgency here, either. The Cardinals won’t be able to compete with all the prolific offenses in the NFC without being able to affect the quarterback consistently."

The Cardinals' defense took a step forward in 2024 mostly thanks to schematics from defensive coordinator Nick Rallis and play from the secondary.

There's been an obvious effort to beef up the front seven with recent free agent signings, and the draft is solidified enough at edge rusher and interior defensive line to dive into both pools.

Arizona's highly favored to add to both rooms early in the draft.