2025 Arizona Cardinals' Hidden Assets
photo courtesy of Clutch Points
By Walter Mitchell
With all of the injuries the Cardinals' have incurred during the team's 3-11 season thus far, the silver lining thus far has been learning that some "next up" players are a lot more talented than we may have ever known.
Examples:
QB Jacoby Brissett
iI you were told two months ago that Jacoby Brissett's jersey would be put on display at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, would you have laughed them out of the room? In case you haven't heard (per Wikipedia):
Jacoby Brissett now holds the NFL record for most completions in a single regular season game with 47, achieved for the Arizona Cardinals against the 49ers on November 16, 2025, surpassing previous records held by Drew Bledsoe and Jared Goff, and also setting records for efficiency (82.5% completion rate) with high volume (452 yards) in that game.
photo courtesy of Instagram
Jacoby Brissett's ranks among QBs since Week 6:
🏈 2459 Passing Yards (1st)
🏈307.4 Yards Per Game (1st)
🏈229 Completions (1st)
🏈15 Touchdowns (4th)
Look at how Jacoby's progression rate stacks up against his peers:
https://x.com/sfdata9ers/status/1996639453469663385?s=20
The McBride TD connection:
https://x.com/StartSitEmFF/status/1998810346786824495?s=20During a year where the Cardinals' offense has struggle mightily to run the ball and has lost James Conner and Trey Benson to season-ending injuries, Bam Knight has run hard and well for the Cardinals under the circumstances, Stats: Rushing: 81 carries for 271 yards and 4 TDs, Receiving: 13 catches on 14 targets for 100 yards.
https://x.com/SleeperAZCards/status/1996668932099657737?s=20
Absolutely phenomenal:
https://x.com/ESPNFantasy/status/1998156352137371907?s=20
https://x.com/jmay111/status/1999689851856388184?s=20
G Isaiah Adams
Versus the Bucs, often lined up against the likes of Pro Bowl DT Vita Vea, Adams scored the best OL grade of the week at 72.1.
https://x.com/KSzn2021/status/1996287214230135241?s=20
Versus the Rams and their multi-talented DL, he scored the best OL grades of the week at, get this, 81.9 overall, 83.5 in pass blocking and 78.7 in run blocking.
https://x.com/PancakesSoul/status/1998186971139911954?s=20
Would you believe that NT PJ Mustipher had the highest PFF grade versus the Rams' vaunted OL? Game grades versus the Rams: 76.6 overall (top grade on the entire defense), 75.5 run defense and 73.0 tackling. Herald this stack, shed, tackle:
https://x.com/KSzn2021/status/1998830190588473457?s=20
In his first taste of action on defense, Owen Pappoe graded 71.6 overall, 80.5 tackling and 72.1 in pass coverage. Rare to find ILBs who run like this:
https://x.com/NFL/status/1631454536299577347?s=20
For a defense that is #32 in tackling and very inconsistent in pass coverage, here is what Kitan Crawford has accomplished in 99 snaps: Overall: 81.6 Tackling: 73.7 Pass Coverage: 83.2 Here's what Kitan Crawford flashed for the Cardinals in the pre-season:
https://x.com/theo_mackie/status/1957548569482998166?s=20
2025 Arizona Cardinals' Hidden Assets (To Date):
* QB Jacoby Brissett - R3 NE 2016 --- #91
* RB Bam Knight - undrafted
* WR Michael Wilson - R3 2023 AZ --- #94
* G Isaiah Adams - R3 2024 AZ --- #71
* G Jon Gaines II - R4 2023 AZ --- #122
* NT PJ Mustipher - undrafted
* WILB Owen Pappoe - R5 2023 AZ --- #168
* S Kitan Crawford - R7 2025 AZ ---- #225
All of these players are signed for 2026, except Bam Knight who is a restricted free agent and PJ Mustipher who is an exclusive rights free agent. Knight and Musipher should be easy to re-sign.
With 4 games ahead, who might be next hidden gem?
RB Corey Kiner
G Hayden Conner
T Christian Jones
T Josh Fryar
WR Xavier Weaver
WR Jalen Brooks
WR Tejhuan Palmer
TE Josiah Deguara
DI Darius Robinson
DI Zachary Carter
OLB Jordan Burch
OLB B.J. Ojulari
ILB Cody Simon
CB Max Melton
CB Elijah Jones
CB/S Darren Hall
Which one of these players do you think will make a splash some time over the next four games?
My money is on CB Elijah Jones, if and when he ever gets his opportunity to play.
On offense, I think Jalen Brooks could start turning some heads.
Just how encouraged are you with the play of these hidden assets?
If these young OL can really improve like Adams it would be monumental because the current starters,with 2 exceptions, are underperforming and hazardous to our QBs health. It might also mean our young OL coach can develop talent. This list of “ hidden gems” could,with improvement, help MO keep his job despite the inexcusably inexperienced coaching staff he hired.
ReplyDeleteGaines would probably be the most critical win with the current offensive line situation. If we could sign another quality guard in the off season it leaves right tackle to be addressed in the draft. Offensive line development has been one of the worst areas for this team.
ReplyDeleteThanks Walter for trying to keep things positive. I am hopeful Walter Nolen can be instrumental in our DL turn-around.
ReplyDeleteIt is obvious at this point in the season the Cardinals are in full tank mode for the 2nd of the three year tenure of GM & Coaches. Many are saying the GM & Coaches will remain in 2026. I guess tanking was mandated, again. For what purpose? To gain another highly touted player (ie. MHJ, D. Robinson, W. Nolen) to only waste his development by comparison to his peers (even PJJ was wasted for his 1st year). Are we going to draft yet another QB? (I hope not - this coaching staff has done nothing to develop any of their draft selections). Do we yet trust another draft to Ossenfort? I questioned every draft Ossenfort made as a layman 'football fan' there were so many questionable moves and non-draft of superior players (e.g. Melton over DeJean & McKinstry). It just seems dubious...Another round of Free Agency acquisitions who do little to no improvement to team structure. It feels like our owner is the little dutch-boy attempting to patch up all the holes of his 'damn' of mismanagement, hiring practices, and staff development.