New Cardinals CB Projects as Biggest Bust

Bleacher Report isn't high on Arizona Cardinals CB Sean Murphy-Bunting.

Tennessee Titans cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting (0) exits the field after losing 16-15 to the New Orleans Saints at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, La., Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023. / Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.com / USA

ARIZONA -- The Arizona Cardinals made a few notable additions to their roster over the 2024 offseason, and that includes starting cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting.

Arizona previously departed from their two starting boundary corners in Marco Wilson and Antonio Hamilton from 2023, leaving space for a fresh veteran presence to assume the role as CB1 in the desert.

The Cardinals believe that's what Murphy-Bunting can be despite a down season with the Titans. Before his stop in Tennessee, Murphy-Bunting was a key part of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Super Bowl run a few seasons ago.

Recently turning 27, Murphy-Bunting will be tasked with emerging as a true starting corner once again for the Cardinals.

Will he be capable of doing so? Bleacher Report has some hesitations, predicting Murphy-Bunting to be Arizona's biggest bust of 2024:

"Last season, the Cards ranked 27th in yards allowed per pass. They needed to upgrade the secondary this spring and brought in Sean Murphy-Bunting, among others. The problem is he just surrendered 9.3 yards per target with Tennessee last year, and a shaky defense in Arizona probably won't hide his worst moments."

- B/R's David Kenyon

The Cardinals inked Murphy-Bunting to a three-year, $25.5 million deal this offseason. Arizona also drafted Max Melton with Pick 43 in the 2024 NFL Draft and returns starting slot corner Garrett Williams in a room that features six players that are either rookies or first-year players.

When it comes to Murphy-Bunting, he and the team are clearly on the same page:

"When I was upstairs talking to the coaches and everything and going over what they expect from me and what they see in me - it really just is crazy... They see something in me that I see in myself. It adds up. It resonates with me so well because everything that they preach and everything that they value - I have, and that I do," he told reporters earlier this offseason.

"I'm looking forward to just being a piece that they can use and utilize in every way and really help me reach my ceiling because that's the ultimate goal. A guy that you can rely on and say, 'he's going to handle that side of the field and we're okay there'. And that's just what it's going to be. Coming in, I work hard, I show up every day."

The Cardinals desperately need their secondary to improve from last season, and pressure is certainly on everybody in the cornerback room to take their game to the next level once training camp begins in just a couple weeks.