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As the Arizona Cardinals charge into the blistering heat of Glendale for the 2025 NFL training camp, fans find themselves riding a wave of optimism. Franchise quarterback Kyler Murray looks sharp after a healthy offseason, second-year phenom Marvin Harrison Jr. routinely snags headlines (and passes) in spectacular fashion, and some analysts project the offense as a possible top-five unit. Yet, beneath all the positive vibes and hype, one chilling narrative has begun to overshadow even Murray’s dazzling highlights: the devastating blow to the Cardinals’ cornerback depth, and what that means for a defense fighting to keep pace in the loaded NFC West.
On the third day of practice, Arizona suffered a catastrophic loss: budding starting cornerback Starling Thomas V went down awkwardly defending a pass, writhing on the turf in pain. Within hours, reports confirmed the worst—Thomas had torn his ACL and is out for the entire 2025 season. It’s not just the loss of a rising contributor; it’s a blow that exposes what may be the single biggest roster vulnerability for head coach Jonathan Gannon’s young squad.
Tests revealed that Cardinals CB Starling Thomas, who has started 22 games the past two seasons in Arizona, tore his ACL during Friday’s practice, per source. pic.twitter.com/Qz4oIR8WFo
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 27, 2025
The panic starts with Thomas’s ascendant 2024. He fought into the starting lineup and was expected to anchor one of the boundary spots next to sophomore Denzel Burke and veteran Elijah Jones, who himself enters camp recovering from injury. Suddenly, Arizona’s already thin and youthful corner group faces a seismic shuffling at the exact moment continuity and talent are most needed.
The NFL of 2025 is a league built for aerial assaults. Arizona’s schedule is littered with superstar receivers, think Cooper Kupp, Brandon Aiyuk, Davante Adams, and Puka Nacua, who will relentlessly attack any signs of weakness. The Cardinals, coming off a season in which their secondary finished near the middle of the league in most coverage metrics, chose to double down on internal growth. The plan was to rely on ascending young corners, not big-name free agents, and develop within the system. Losing Thomas deals that plan a punishing blow, forcing rookies or untested backups onto the field far sooner than the team ever hoped.
On top of that, the Cardinals’ pass rush, while improved on paper with additions to the defensive line, remains unproven, especially when it comes to masking coverage flaws on the back end. Jonathan Gannon’s defensive system is heavily reliant on corners who can survive on “islands,” jamming at the line and recovering against the cleverest route runners. Removing a starter at this stage compounds the pressure on every other defensive back, as well as the safety tandem led by Budda Baker.
Immediately following the injury, speculation began to swirl about whether Arizona would dip into the free agent market for a veteran replacement. The problem?...
