Cardinals’ Secondary Summer School 2025

Are new lesson plans in the Cardinals’ pass coverage techniques a priority?

Pictured above are three significant building blocks of the Arizona Cardinals’ 2025 secondary: S Budda Baker, CB Garrett Williams and CB Max Melton.

S Budda Baker

Budda Baker heads into year 9 with 4 NFL All-Pro awards (two 1st team, two 2nd team) and 7 Pro Bowls.

Is there any safety in the NFL who runs the alley and takes down the ball carriers the way Budda Baker consistently does?

2025 Role Possibilities:

• Team Captain
• Game plan advisor
• Cover 2 safety
• Box safety versus the run and in playing the flat in zone coverage

CB Garrett Williams

It should be interesting to see what the Cardinals’ coaches’ plans are for Garrett Williams this season. Garrett is ultra versatile. He can play outside corner, slot corner and free safety —- all three positions at a very high and potentially masterful level.

The coaches’ role for Garrett Williams in 2024 was curious. They seemed to want to disguise him in different areas of the field. He is called a slot CB, yet when games were on the line, too often the coaches did not assign GW to the opponents’ top slot WR. Hard to fathom, given the alternatives, isn’t it?

2025 Role Possibilities:

• Starter at outside CB
• Primarily employed as the team’s slot CB
• Employed at times at a Cover 2 safety
• Zone coverage bandit

CB Max Melton

Max Melton started to play his best football during the Cardinals’ winning streak before the bye week. What makes him special for the Cardinals, in addition to his high upside in Cover 2 and Cover 3 zones is his man coverage ability. Dude runs a 4.39 and jumps 40.5”. Look at Max track down Ohio St, stud RB TreVeyon Henderson to save a TD. This is truly outstanding effort and speed:

2025 Role Possibilities:

• Starter at RCB
• Designated matchup man coverage “go-to guy”
• At times, playing slot CB versus teams with good dual slot WRs

So, Budda, Garrett and Max are the first three buildings block for the Cardinals’ secondary in 2025.

Then, which players in the secondary will emerge as the next three building blocks?

My hunch?

• S Dadrion Taylor Demerson —- possible starter at FS
• CB Will Johnson —- possible starter at LCB
• CB Elijah Jones —- possible starter at LCB and inserted at RCB when Max Melton is moved into the slot or used as designated man cover assignee.

In the mix:

• S Jalen Thompson —- box safety and sub package contributor
• CB Starling Thomas V—- backup to Max Melton at RCB and designated man coverage assignee.
• CB Kei’Trel Clark —- backup for Garrett Williams in the slot.
• CB Denzel Burke —- cover 2 and 3 zone CB

ROTB Question: Which three players (after Budda, Garrett and Max) do you see merging as the Cardinals’ building blocks?

**The State Farm 2nd...