The Arizona Cardinals received a tough blow this weekend regarding their defensive backfield. Arguably the team’s top cornerback, Starling Thomas, suffered a torn ACL during Friday’s training camp session, and he will miss the entirety of the 2025 NFL season. Which players will the team be counting on to step up in his absence?
Cardinals Will Rely On Youth To Replace Injured Cornerbacks
No cornerback played more snaps for the Cardinals in 2024 than Thomas. He started 15 of 17 games in his second season in the league, and racked up 47 tackles and had 6 passes defended. He came into camp listed at the top of the cornerback depth chart, with teammate Sean Muphy-Bunting already sidelined for the year after off-season surgery.
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 Cardinals will have to count on younger and more inexperienced players to fill the voids. Second-year man Max Melton will certainly see an increase in snaps from his 52% last year, and Garrett Williams is in just his third season in the league. Jaylon Jones was a nice free agent offseason addition, but he has played just three years in the NFL and started just one game in 2024.
There will be plenty of eyes on Will Johnson. The Cardinals used their second round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft (47th overall) on the standout from Michigan, who was the third cornerback selected in his class. Once thought of as a potential top-15 pick, Johnson fell in the draft due to concerns with his knee, so Arizona will have found some good value in the pick should he be able to stay healthy.
You feel for a guy like Starling Thomas tearing his ACL. Star battled and earned everything at the NFL level. Went from undrafted, waived to carving out a role in the Cardinals secondary. He’ll be back.
Will Johnson & Max Melton are the now the starting outside corners.
— Bo Brack (@BoBrack) July 27, 2025
With both Thomas and Murphy-Bunting out for the year, expect the rookie to be vaulted into a starting role.
The Cardinals are hoping to continue their improvements on defense as a whole. Two years ago, in head coach Jonathan Gannon’s first season, they ranked 31st in the league in terms of points allowed, but saw a significant improvement in that area last year. Arizona’s defense ranked 15th in the category in 2024, while finishing with a respectable 8-9 record despite dealing with injuries.
