TEMPE — The Arizona Cardinals have plenty of recognizable names on the roster.
There is no shortage of love for players like Marvin Harrison Jr., Kyler Murray, Trey McBride, Josh Sweat and Budda Baker. And for good reason.
For the team to reach new heights in 2025, that batch of playmakers must perform up to expectations.
They’re far from the only players critical to Arizona’s success in 2025, though, with a number of unsung heroes expected to pull their weight and then some.
Here is a look at the more under-the-radar Cardinals who can really help turn the tide this year in Arizona:
The most underrated Arizona Cardinals player is …
The title of “most underrated Cardinal” belongs to defensive lineman Dante Stills.
After beginning his rookie season as a healthy scratch in Week 1, Stills has bounced back in a big way behind 31 games played (18 starts).
He hasn’t just been a snaps filler, either, and is coming off 4.5 sacks, four tackles for loss and six QB hits in 16 games last season (10 starts).
The defensive tackle marked the lone Cardinals defender to find himself among the top 10 in run-stop win rate at his position last season at 38%.
When injuries have popped up in the room, Stills has stepped up.
“The first two years, he definitely flashed the athlete that he is, the power that he has. I’m seeing him do it more on a consistent basis. I can tell his confidence has grown,” defensive coordinator Nick Rallis said last week.
“When you see yourself continually make plays, you realize, ‘I’ve put in the work to get to this point, and I can go out there and make plays on Sunday.’ The biggest thing is consistency. I see him do it every day. … I think he is playing with his hair on fire. His motor and violence is there. He’s doing a great job.”
His place as an impact rotational piece along the defensive line is secure, even with veterans like Calais Campbell added and second-year pro Darius Robinson expected to make a jump.
CB Garrett Williams
If there’s someone who won’t be on this unsung list next season, it’s cornerback Garrett Williams, given his trajectory and 2025 expectations.
After posting Pro Football Focus’ second-best coverage grade (83.7) among qualifying cornerbacks last year, Williams serves as Arizona’s do-it-all defensive back.
That versatility could be counted on even more this year, too.
With Starling Thomas V and Sean Murphy-Bunting out for the year with their respective knee issues, the Cardinals’ main rotation of outside options appears to be Williams, Max Melton and rookie Will Johnson.
All three will get some run in nickel packages, but Williams could be utilized even more in base formation as Johnson continues to pile up reps.
It’s not just due to injuries, either, with Williams trending toward getting more outside looks based on his talent alone.
“I think he’s one of our better players. I understand the first year why we did it. The second year, I just kind of thought, we got one of our better players coming out of the game in base,” Gannon said in July. “Do we want him coming out of the game?
“That’s a reason why you’re seeing him play a little more outside right now. Not to say he’ll play outside in all the groups, because he’s a really good nickel, but when does it fit us as it relates to him and the whole defense for him to play outside. We just got to keep our eye on that.”
How can the Cardinals keep “one of their better players” and CB Garrett Williams on the field more?
It starts with more outside looks, which has been the case this training camp, says head coach Jonathan Gannon. pic.twitter.com/mMdyDr0D2f
— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) July 31, 2025
S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson
One of those other players Gannon wants to keep on the field more? Dadrion Taylor-Demerson.
The second-year pro has quickly carved out a role as Arizona’s third safety behind Baker and Jalen Thompson.
And after getting plenty of first-team looks, especially in three-safety sets, Taylor-Demerson is going to be counted on to contribute from the jump.
Getting Taylor-Demerson more involved that way could also free up Williams to patrol more of the outside.
If the Cardinals want to keep those two on the field more, that’s certainly one way to do it.
And much like some of the other second-year pros like Harrison Jr. and defensive lineman Darius Robinson, Taylor-Demerson didn’t have many off days this offseason.
Cardinals S Dadrion “Rabbit” Taylor-Demerson “didn’t get jacked up like Marv” this offseason but he did improve his mobility. pic.twitter.com/1Uu0F1Nl1h
— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) June 24, 2025
“Getting more mobile,” Rabbit said when asked what he focused his training on in June. “I didn’t get jacked up like Marv. I didn’t need to do all that. I’m already a bigger, smaller guy I would say.
“But just getting my limbs ready to get into positions this season that sometimes you don’t think you’ll be in, so being able to get my feet better and that correlates all throughout everything.”
Center Hjalte Froholdt
When wide receivers and running backs get attention, it’s typically for the good things they’re doing on the football field.
For offensive linemen, if they’re getting talked about, more times than not, it’s for the wrong reasons.
When it comes to the Cardinals’ O-line, Hjalte Froholdt might be one of the least talked about big men.
The Desert Viking has brought a steadiness to a position that was in a volatile state not that long ago.
Remember the Rodney Hudson era and how it ended?
There’s a reason Froholdt was one of the trio of Cardinals extended last season.
Consistent center play is hard to come by. And for a team determined to impose its will in the run game, it’s imperative.
His influence in the locker room cannot be understated, either.
TE Tip Reiman
It’s not hard to be overshadowed in a room that includes McBride.
But while Tip Reiman doesn’t track as a 100-catch kind of tight end, he definitely knows a thing or two about “smashing somebody’s face in.”
One of Arizona’s certified maulers, Reiman brings added physicality and energy to the offense.
When the Cardinals offensive line makes it a mission to beat you in knockdown blocks, you’re clearly doing something right.
And from the sounds of it, Reiman’s only improved his blocking prowess heading into 2025.
“Consistency with my hands and feet in the run game and in pass pro. I think in pass pro, it used to be pretty ugly,” Reiman said. “This year, I have taken some good strides on that and gotten better technically as well as technically in the run game. I made up for a lot of things these last years of my life in college and the pros just out-efforting people.
“But as people learn how I play, they’re going to develop things to combat what I do. I need to be technically better. Technical proficiency has been a really big key for me this offseason. Still a long way to go.”
For the offense to operate as it should — running it down people’s throats — Reiman is a key cog.
And don’t doubt his pass-catching abilities, either.
Just because he’s known more for his blocking than pass-catching, doesn’t mean Cardinals TE Tip Reiman takes days off from working on the latter.
After all, it is part of the job description. pic.twitter.com/E1HWdJpfnB
— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) August 25, 2025
“I stay on a normal routine of getting in a certain number of balls every day and working different angles and training my eyes to track it,” Reiman said.
“Just trying to remain a really reliable target. When the balls come, they’re seldom because of my role. My role’s the run game and pass pro. But when they do come, just being super reliable and a good target for (Murray) to get the ball away or (Jacoby Brissett) if he’s in.”
OLB Baron Browning
Arizona’s outside linebackers room got a major upgrade in the form of Sweat. Add in rookie Jordan Burch, who looks very much in the picture to contribute right away, and it’s not hard to overlook some of the returning options like Baron Browning.
A midseason trade addition last year, Browning registered a pair of sacks across eight games played.
It was the totality of his quarterback pressures that stood out, though.
According to NFL Pro, Browning ranked fifth for the season among Arizona defenders with 21 pressures.
With a full offseason, training camp and preseason in the system, that’s a solid baseline to shoot for the veteran pass rusher.
He’s going to get his chances in a unit that loves to rotate guys in.
Sweat is going to get a lot of the looks, but don’t count out Browning as a key contributor this season.
LS Aaron Brewer
Can’t have an unsung heroes list without including longtime long snapper Aaron Brewer.
Since joining the franchise in 2016, Brewer has been a mainstay in Arizona’s kick and punt operations.
That’s 132 games played for Arizona. For comparison, Baker has 122 career games under his belt.
There aren’t many that garner the type of trust Brewer gets from his coaching staff and teammates.
“Brewer is awesome. He’s a pro’s pro,” Gannon said earlier this month. “Has done it a long time at a high level. And he is not an outcast specialist. He’s a football player, great teammate. I’m glad that he’s here.”
