Who will make the Cardinals' 53-man roster? Our projections ahead of cut day

It’s finally here.

The NFL preseason is over. Training camp is in the rearview mirror. The next time the Arizona Cardinals take the field, it will count.

But first, there’s the step of trimming down their 90-man training camp roster. By 1 p.m. MST on Tuesday, the Cardinals must cut that group down to just 53 players.

It’s a process that will require more difficult cuts than in Jonathan Gannon’s first two years, as the Cardinals have spent the offseason bolstering their depth.

“There’s gonna be some tough decisions,” Gannon said. “There’s no doubt. Roster’s in good shape.”

Ahead of those cuts, here is our final 53-man roster projection.

Offense

Quarterback (2)

Starter: Kyler Murray

Backup: Jacoby Brissett

The quarterback room is set. Brissett rested in the Cardinals' win over the Raiders in the preseason finale and will be Kyler Murray’s backup. Clayton Tune will be on the practice squad, unless the Cardinals find an upgrade there once other teams make their cuts. Tune averaged just 3.8 yards per attempt in preseason.

Running back (4)

Starter: James Conner

Backups: Trey Benson, Michael Carter, DeeJay Dallas

This is one of the more intriguing decisions the Cardinals face. Realistically, they have three backs vying for the final two roster spots. Last season, Emari Demercado had a key role as a trusted third-down back, both for his work in pass protection and as a receiver. But with Benson’s development in those areas, that role might not be as significant this year. Then there’s Carter, who seems to seize every opportunity he gets, as he did with a 38-yard run against the Raiders. The final piece to the puzzle is Dallas, who has a minimal role on offense but is the Cardinals' preferred return man. Any of the three could realistically be the odd man out.

Wide receiver (6)

Starters: Marvin Harrison Jr., Michael Wilson, Greg Dortch

Backups: Zay Jones, Simi Fehoko, Xavier Weaver

Fehoko, a low-cost free agent signing this spring, solidified his roster spot with an excellent preseason. After missing the opener with a minor injury, he caught touchdown passes in each of the past two weeks. The question is whether the Cardinals opt for five or six receivers. The latter seems more likely, which would keep a spot open for Weaver. He has struggled with drops but also made some impressive plays, like a diving catch against the Raiders.

Tight end (4)

Starters: Trey McBride, Tip Reiman

Backups: Elijah Higgins, Travis Vokolek

The top three tight ends — all of whom rested against the Raiders — are locks. With their tight end-heavy scheme, though, the Cardinals opted to keep four tight ends on the roster last year. If they do the same this year, Vokolek seems to have the upper hand over Josiah Deguara for the final spot.

Offensive tackle (4)

Starters: Paris Johnson Jr., Jonah Williams

Backups: Kelvin Beachum, Josh Fryar

Fryar, an undrafted free agent, made a strong impression in preseason, allowing just two pressures on 46 pass-blocking snaps. Beachum will be the Cardinals' primary backup at both tackle spots, but Fryar likely earned himself a roster spot, especially with Christian Jones sidelined by a knee injury.

Interior offensive line (5)

Starters: Evan Brown, Hjalte Froholdt, Isaiah Adams

Backups: Jon Gaines II, Nick Leverett

The main questions here are injury related. Will Hernandez has not yet practiced as he recovers from a torn ACL, so the likely outcome is that he begins the year on the PUP list, which means he can’t return to practice until after Week 4. Hayden Conner, a sixth-round rookie, is dealing with a knee injury, so the Cardinals will have to decide whether to place him on IR. Only two players can begin the season on IR with a designation to return, so Conner could be placed on season-ending IR. Then there’s Gaines, who’s been dealing with a minor thumb injury that has prevented him from snapping. Those ailments could open the door for Leverett to begin the season on the 53-man roster as insurance. The former undrafted free agent has had a nice preseason.

Defense

Interior defensive line (7)

Starters: Calais Campbell, Dalvin Tomlinson, Darius Robinson

Backups: Walter Nolen, Dante Stills, L.J. Collier, P.J. Mustipher

All eyes this week are on the status of Nolen. The first-round pick hasn’t practiced all camp with a calf injury, but he was on the side of the field during practice this week, working with trainers in that setting for the first time. The Cardinals could place him on IR but that would rule him out of practice until Oct. 1. Even if he’s not ready to practice for a few more weeks, it seems unlikely that the Cardinals would want to sacrifice any valuable practice time for such an important player.

If they do roster Nolen, it means they need to carry some extra depth on the defensive line, which could open a spot for someone such as Mustipher or Anthony Goodlow. Meanwhile, Justin Jones (knee) and Bilal Nichols (neck) do not seem as if they’ll be ready to begin the year on the roster.   

Edge rusher (5)

Starters: Josh Sweat, Baron Browning

Backups: Zaven Collins, Jordan Burch, Xavier Thomas

Burch was the star of Arizona’s preseason and entrenched himself as their fourth edge rusher. He should have a role to play from Week 1. The bigger question this week is whether the Cardinals will carry Thomas as a fifth edge rusher. A strong preseason made that more likely, at least until B.J. Ojulari returns from his torn ACL.

Inside linebacker (3)

Starters: Mack Wilson, Akeem Davis-Gaither

Backup: Cody Simon

Owen Pappoe played with the second team this week after being demoted to the third team against the Broncos, as the Cardinals try to figure out their linebacker rotation. But given that the Cardinals don’t emphasize the position, he could be a roster casualty anyway. The other three players are likely locks, even if Simon — a fourth-round rookie — had a difficult preseason.

Cornerback (6)

Starters: Max Melton, Will Johnson, Garrett Williams

Backups: Denzel Burke, Kei’Trel Clark, Elijah Jones

The intrigue here surrounds Elijah Jones. A third-round pick in 2024, he remains mired on the third-team defense but flashed encouraging signs in the last two preseason games. That could be enough for the Cardinals not to give up on a player on whom they used significant draft capital. If the Cardinals do keep Jones, it could come at the expense of Darren Hall, who’s had a strong preseason. Burke and Clark, meanwhile, are likely set to make the team as depth pieces.

Safety (4)

Starters: Budda Baker, Jalen Thompson

Backup: Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, Kitan Crawford

Crawford flashed some exciting signs in preseason, outplaying his draft stock as a seventh-round rookie. He’s also a major contributor on special teams, which should help his chances of making the cut. Joey Blount, another special teams ace, misses the cut in this projection, but the Cardinals could keep both players if they feel that their contributions are needed on fourth downs. Neither is likely to play much of a role on defense at what may be the Cardinals' strongest position.

Specialists

Kicker: Chad Ryland

Punter: Blake Gillikin

Long snapper: Aaron Brewer

The specialists room is set. With no competition on the training camp roster, these three are entrenched in their roles. It should be a strength for Arizona after Ryland impressed last season.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Cardinals 53-man roster, depth chart projection ahead of cuts