One of the bigger losses that the Cardinals saw in free agency was when safety Jalen Thompson signed with the Dallas Cowboys on a three-year, $33 million contract. The lucrative contract ended his seven-year tenure in Arizona, and more importantly, exposed another need on the defense.
In 2025, Thompson slotted in nicely next to Budda Baker, appearing in 15 games. In that time, Thompson posted 95 tackles, a sack, and six passes defended. An incredibly solid campaign in what was a contract year for the 27-year-old.
Production like that isn’t easily replaceable, and took a hot minute for general manager Monti Ossenfort to find his safety for 2026.