Cardinals Embracing 'Misfit Toys' Identity

The Arizona Cardinals went through the first stage of Free Agency Frenzy without adding a big name. Instead, they doubled down on the philosophy they established last year.

The first day of the so-called "legal tampering period" has come and gone and the Arizona Cardinals walked away with four new players, all on the defensive side of the football.

• Defensive Lineman Justin Jones
• Defensive Lineman Bilal Nichols
• Linebacker Mack Wilson
• Cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting

Each of these players signed three-year deals worth varying amounts of cash, but they all had one thing in common: they are players who don't relish in the limelight but feast behind the scenes.

Jones has found himself a niche role as a quality pass rusher at 300+ pounds and has accumulated 10.5 sacks over the last three seasons.

Nichols has found more success as a big man inside and has had no fewer than 40 tackles in each of the last four seasons.

Wilson has played varying roles with both the Browns and the Patriots in his career thus far, but he's a willing defender who has his eyes set solely on benefitting the team.

Murphy-Bunting has quietly been a stud corner since entering the league in 2019 and was a crucial player to the Buccaneers Super Bowl title in 2020.

Each of these four found themselves on the free agency market for one reason or another, but Monti Ossenfort and Jonathan Gannon see their intrinsic value beyond a simple box score.

We saw it last year with the Cardinals adding players that many were unfamiliar with. They opted not to make huge splashes in terms of big-name players. Kyzir White was perhaps the most notable name brought in and outside of Eagles fans who saw White play under Gannon in their Super Bowl run in 2022, precious few knew anything about him.

And yet he was a terrific player for the Cardinals before injury.

We saw last year from this Cardinals' defense that they can play above their perceived talent level. Gannon has brought his team mentality with him from Philly to the desert and it was evident that the players bought into him from day one.

"Shots. Explosives. Explosives. You can run."

These are the words that come to mind when I think of Gannon, and I am no doubt in a large group of those who feel the same way. But it doesn't matter how goofy or awkward Gannon may come across to us; what matters is how the players see him and they hold him in high esteem.

You could see an attitude change from this team in the first year of Gannon. Guys took notice, and now they want to be a part of that change. They want to be a part of something special in the building.

Rather than reinvent the wheel, Gannon and Ossenfort again identified their types of players and brought them in.

That type of player? A guy who is overlooked but does his job well. Call them a misfit toy if you will. 

These aren't the big names that everyone wanted and clamored about. They didn't bring in Christian Wilkins or Brian Burns. Instead, they got players who play with high character and motivation. They use the fact that nobody knows who they are to perform at a high level.

There won't be many who will be dying for the jersey of a player nobody is familiar with. That's fine by them. They're not here to sell jerseys... they're here to play football.

And that's what makes them such a good fit for this rag-team Cardinals team. Gannon's Cardinals don't have an interest in beating you in traditional ways. Instead, they speak softly and carry a big stick. 

There were several games the Cardinals had no business being in last year, and yet they got wins or close losses. They managed this by playing with pride. They played with an edge and with grit that not everybody identifies with.

And that's the point. Gannon and Ossenfort don't want guys who win solely off talent. Rather, they want the starving dogs who are eager to show the world why they should remember their names.

They did it in 2023. They were in many games no one believed they could win and won more games than people thought. It's a mindset.

With these four players added, the Cards have committed to their mindset once again for 2024. It's a roster of guys whom many don't know of, and that's just fine by them.

They're here to play and lead by example.

So, no. The Cardinals didn't add the next top jersey-seller in the league. And they won't apologize for it, either. 

What the Cardinals did add were players who fit their mantra and who will come in and deliver.

We haven't seen them play a down yet, but I still stand here and believe that these are the moves that continue to build a strong foundation for a winning team down the road.