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Maybe the Arizona Cardinals will wind up with gold after Will Johnson slid to them in the draft. And the selection looks better after the recent injury news at cornerback. Looking ahead, here are three Cardinals’ hidden gems you need to know on the 2025 roster.
The 2025 season could take many different directions for the Cardinals. They could flop, or they could become a serious playoff contender. Or they might get off to a good start before fading.
But the hope around the Cardinals’ camp is that a pair of Ohio State draft picks will join a second-year player to make the defense turn into a difficult challenge for opposing offenses.
The Cardinals used their fourth-round pick on Simon, who brings plenty of good qualities to the team. Included in the mix is his ability to change speeds and make it difficult for blockers to fit him up in the run game.
Simon said he wants to hit the ground running in Arizona and play early, according to azcardinals.com.
“My job is to contribute as early as possible,” Simon said. “I know the game is mental as much as physical now, so I need to be ready to help at all points. They drafted me to be able to contribute early, and I know my job is to be able to go on that field and do my job.”
And he wants to push even the veterans, hoping to make the team better overall.
“If your younger guys aren’t trying to push to be a leader, I think your younger guys maybe aren’t trying to be the best version of themselves,” Simon said. “I think that’s what the NFL is about. When you have that pressure from behind and you’re pushing the older guys up, I think that’s great for your team and can only make the team better.”
Simon said he doesn’t mind being uncomfortable during his rookie season, according to azcentral.com.
“Most growth is from uncomfortable situations and just being able to figure stuff out on your own,” Simon said. “I think there’s going to be a healthy balance of that, especially here. I’ve never been to Arizona before, but I get to figure out my new way in life.
“I feel like I’m always developing, and I never arrived and never really been a final product. I was confident in my abilities even when I wasn’t a starter, and I always prepared like I was a starter, but obviously I got my opportunity this last year, and I feel like I played pretty well with it. But I still always have something to prove.”
And he said he’s willing to take things as they come.
“It may not be what you want it to be the first couple years,” he said. “But if you just stay the course and stay the path, you’re going to get what you want. I know I did.”
**CB Denzel Burke looking...
