The Arizona Cardinals have not exactly been quiet since the tampering period began, though some of GM Monti Ossenfort’s early moves provide more juice to Cardinals fans than others.
It’s not as if positive moves are absent from Ossenfort’s first bout with free agency, but there has been some disappointment, to say the least. Below is a letter grade for each Cardinals signing this free agency; this article will be updated with each subsequent move.
Cardinals Sign RB Tyler Allgeier (Two Years, $12.5M)
Grade: B+
The unfortunate timing of this move’s report (just following Malik Willis’ signing with Miami) may have splattered the move with poor perception, but this is the perfect way to create some insurance behind returning veteran back James Conner, who missed most of 2025 with an injury.
Allgeier is a similar downhill-style runner to Conner with some agility, has excellent ball security, and can be a serious red zone weapon. Allgeier won’t be the starter, but he can fill in the gaps, and can take over if Conner goes down with an injury again. The Cardinals did not have this type of depth option 2025, and that hurt them.
Cardinals Sign QB Gardner Minshew II (One Year, up to $8M)
Grade: D-
The Minshew signing is an ugly symbol of Ossenfort’s failure to secure his top two quarterback options this free agency. Not only did Arizona pass on Willis due price, they could not manage to secure a deal with Rams backup Jimmy Garoppolo after those negotiations reportedly hit a “snag.” Ouch.
Minshew is nearly 30, coming off a knee injury in the back end of 2025. Perhaps if this move was made three or four years ago, he’d be a shot in the arm to a Cardinals fanbase that has been wanting for any amount of excitement or electricity. But Minshew is long-since removed from that genre of play, and has a 17-30 record as a starter.
As a backup, Minshew is serviceable enough — the only factor keeping this signing above an F grade. But beyond the flow and mustache, there no longer lies the same voltage. For $5.75 million and up to potentially $8 million, Minshew is an expensive backup option, incapable of racking up wins as a starter. And if he’s sitting behind Brissett as QB1, he stands for a much larger foundational problem in Arizona.
Cardinals Sign G Isaac Seumalo (Three years, $31.5M)
Grade: A-
Seumalo was quietly the best interior offensive lineman available on the market, and the Cardinals won a bidding war with multiple other teams for his services. He’s been one of the most underrated protectors in the league for some time, and is still proficient in the run game.
Seumalo allowed a 3.7% pressure rate (per Next Gen Stats) in 2025 — the lowest of any guard and the fourth-lowest of any offensive lineman. This is exactly what Arizona needed to replace a struggling Evan Brown.
The only factor preventing this from being an A+ signing is the fact that Seumalo is 32 years old, has dealt with some nagging injuries and has missed seven games over the past two seasons. A three-year commitment is a bit rich for a veteran of his caliber, but the Cardinals undoubtedly scored the prize of the interior OL crop this offseason.
Cardinals Return DL L.J. Collier (One year, $2.5M)
Grade: B-
Collier has been a solid depth piece for the Cardinals’ often-struggling defensive front, but he doesn’t do much in terms of moving the needle. He doesn’t fill up the box score, and has been injured for nearly half of his tenure in Arizona.
He did, however, flash a bit in 2024 — his only fully healthy season — with 3.5 sacks and four TFLs. For a cheap one-year commitment, it’s a solid move to bring back some stability and depth. But it’s not one that raises the ceiling of Arizona’s defense, and his track record of missing games could turn it into an empty $2.5 million.
Cardinals Reunite with DL Roy Lopez (Two years, $11.5M)
Grade: C
Lopez is a fan-favorite who played his high school football in the valley and a season of college football with the Arizona Wildcats. He looked to be a rising player, though his tangible results do not show up in the box score. He did seem to have a modest pop in his one-year stint with the Lions, picking up a pair of sacks, five QB hits and four TFLs.
The price is somewhat hefty for a player that does not truly produce, but he did grade out at an above-average rate in 2025, and is a solid run-stuffer. If the Cardinals are high on his ceiling, this could be a bargain, but it feels more like a move intended to bring back vibes and culture more than one that will pay dividends.
Cardinals Sign WR Kendrick Bourne (Two years, $10M)
Grade: B
The Cardinals’ wide receiver room has been young, underproductive and lacking energy. Kendrick Bourne has the capability to provide veteran experience, more size (sorry, Greg Dortch), and a big-play ability to Mike LaFleur’s offense.
Bourne is familiar with LaFleur from his days in San Francisco, and Brissett from his days in New England. He had 551 yards on just 37 receptions in 2025, and appears to be thrilled to be in Arizona. Bourne is a major upgrade from last year’s WR3 Zay Jones, measures out at 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, and can be a veteran leader in a position group full of understated young personalities.
I may be higher on this deal than some others, but there’s almost no downside if Bourne remains healthy, which is the main concern for the 30-year-old. The Cardinals are now officially in the 21st century with regard to… having three capable wideouts.
Cardinals Sign OL Matt Pryor (One year)
Grade: B+
Pryor is a versatile rotational OL with seven years of NFL experience. He hasn’t exactly been a perennial starter, but he has played in all 17 games in back-to-back seasons, and earned above-average PFF grades in both run-blocking (73.1) and pass protection (71.5). He spent time at every OL spot except center, with the most snaps coming at right guard.
As a versatile veteran, it’s a solid move. But that outlook may change once deal terms are revealed. If he’s cheap, it’s a slam dunk of OL depth.
Cardinals Re-Sign RB Bam Knight
Grade: D+
There was almost no reason to bring in a fourth running back after restructuring James Conner’s contract, signing Allgeier and retaining Trey Benson. While Bam Knight endeared himself to the coaching staff in 2025, there wasn’t enough in his 269 rushing yards and 3.3 yards per carry to justify him growing into a larger role, especially with new talent in the room.
If one of the three main backs goes down, he’s solid depth, but this move feels more unnecessary than anything else, or signifies a lack of confidence in either Conner or Benson this year — neither of which is a positive outlook.
Cardinals Sign LS Casey Kreiter
Grade: I don’t know, man, it’s a long snapper.
Casey Kreiter is a long snapper who isn’t Aaron Brewer. He has worked alongside new Cardinals ST coordinator Michael Ghobrial in New York and is a 10-year NFL veteran. That’s all I’ve got.
Cardinals Sign S Andrew Wingard (One year)
Grade: B-
Wingard is a solid safety who picked up 84 total tackles, nine passes defended and an interception for the Jacksonville Jaguars over 16 games in 2025 as a starter, though he did struggle in coverage last season. He’s a solid run defender and has generally had better success in coverage in past seasons than his 47.1 PFF grade for 2025 suggests, but he’s also nearing 30 years old.
He has a decent chance to be a plus rotational veteran for the Cardinals this year, but shouldn’t be considered a high-end starter.
Cardinals Bring Back OL ELijah Wilkinson (Two years)
Grade: D+
Wilkinson got a bit of a bad reputation in his one-year tenure with the Cardinals, though not without reason. He graded out poorly in his 10 games in Arizona, struggling in both pass protection and run blocking. But over 17 games as a starter with the Falcons in 2025, he posted a solid 62.9 PFF grade overall, with an improved 68.3 run-blocking figure.
As right tackle depth, it’s not a terrible signing, but it’s a bit much to offer him two years, especially if 2025 was more of an outlier year. The Cardinals still do not have a clear-cut starter at right tackle, which might point to them exploring draft options there.
Cardinals Sign DL Jonah Williams (One year)
Grade: C–
No, it’s not that Jonah Williams. This Jonah Williams is a rotational defensive lineman — primarily a DE — who spent 2025 with the New Orleans Saints. PFF despised his game, giving him a 41.6 overall grade, but he was able to pick up three sacks despite playing only 139 pass rush snaps.
There’s a little upside there for a one-year rotational player, but not much.
Cardinals Re-Sign WR Simi Fehoko (One year)
Grade: C
Simi Fehoko is a positive special teams contributor and a quality locker room personality. That’s essentially where his contributions end, barring significant attrition to the Cardinals’ WR group. For what is likely a very cheap one-year contract, it’s a fine-enough move for special teams and culture purposes, but we can’t expect much production out of him on the field.
Cardinals Sign KR/PR/WR Devin Duvernay (One year, $2.5 million)
Grade: B+
The Cardinals’ special teams was one of their many weaknesses, and Devin Duvernay is an All-Pro/Pro Bowl return specialist. For a cheap deal, it’s good value for a clear upgrade at that position, and there’s a chance he can contribute offensively due to his speed.
He has two career kickoff return touchdowns, averaging 11.8 yards per punt return and 25.7 kick return yards for his career. On the offensive side, he has 1,007 career receiving yards and five touchdowns.
Cardinals Sign DL Andrew Billings (One year)
Grade: C
Billings is not the type of defensive tackle the Cardinals need. In fact, he seems eerily similar to the likes of Bilal Nichols and Justin Jones, though perhaps a much cheaper alternative. Billings graded out as the fourth-worst DL in football (38.7 overall), although PFF grades aren’t everything. He wasn’t exactly an impact player in 2025, but did pick up six TFLs over 14 starts.
At 340 pounds, he may end up bei g a solid rotational piece in terms of run defense and filling space, but he does not look like a player who is going ro move the needle as of now.
Cardinals Sign LB Jack Gibbens (Two years)
Grade: B+
Gibbens is an underrated linebacker and the Cardinals needed depth in that area alongside Cody Simon and Mack Wilson Sr. Gibbens picked up 81 total tackles in 2025 with eight TFLs in 2025, while being a well-rounded player in terms of run defense, pass rushing and coverage.
It’s not a mind-blowing move, but it does allow the Cardinals to bring in a 27-year-old with upside as opposed to spending assets on a non-premium position in the draft. Ossenfort has struck gold with under-the-radar Patriots LBs in the past (Wilson), but his last free agent LB acquisition (Akeem Davis-Gaither) was a whiff. It’s a solid move on paper, but a two-year deal is a bit of an investment in a relatively unproven player.
Cardinals Sign OL Olisaemeka Udoh
Grade: C
The sheer volume of offensive linemen coming in has begun to look a little odd. There’s certainly value in depth, but this move is one that likely won’t carry much weight on the ultimate 53-man roster. It’s not that Udoh is a terrible player necessarily, but he does not grade well, and is now the third pure-depth OL Ossenfort has added this free agency. Upside? Sure. Impact? Probably not.
