With the acquisition of Hayden Conner, the Arizona Cardinals’ daring defensive makeover raises concerns while the offense is still unclear.

The Arizona Cardinals are clearly not afraid of bold moves. With the acquisition of former Texas standout Hayden Conner in the 2025 NFL Draft, the team has reinforced its commitment to a defensive overhaul that has been unfolding since the end of the 2023 season. But even as general manager Monti Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon push forward with this aggressive defensive strategy, glaring questions remain about the Cardinals’ offense—a unit still mired in ambiguity and inconsistency.

Conner, a 6-foot-5, 320-pound lineman known for his physicality and versatility, was primarily an offensive lineman in college. But the Cardinals have indicated they see a future for him on the other side of the ball. The plan? A hybrid trench weapon capable of fortifying the defensive front or moonlighting in a jumbo offensive package when needed. It’s an unusual move, one that underscores Arizona’s broader commitment to becoming tougher in the trenches—but also one that further clouds the offensive identity.

Hayden Conner wasn’t a projected early-round pick due to questions about his positional fit and average athletic testing. But he brings something the Cardinals evidently value: raw size, tenacity, and scheme flexibility. Though Conner made his mark at Texas as an offensive guard, Arizona envisions him potentially shifting into a swingman role—someone who can rotate between offensive and defensive duties, depending on game situations.

Such a dual-role concept isn’t entirely unprecedented in football history. Hall of Famers like Chuck Bednarik thrived on both sides of the ball in a different era, but in the modern NFL, specialization reigns supreme. Asking a rookie to learn two sides of the game at the professional level is a tall order. And while Gannon has defended the move, praising Conner’s “violent hands and finishing ability,” critics worry that this is more of a gadget experiment than a long-term solution.

Beyond Conner, Arizona’s 2025 draft and offseason moves indicate an unmistakable focus on defense. The team spent its top draft picks on defensive talent, headlined by a pass-rushing specialist and a rangy safety out of the SEC. Gannon, a defensive-minded coach who once helped orchestrate the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl-caliber defense, is clearly leaning into his identity.

In free agency, Arizona targeted edge depth and interior linemen, adding three players who all project as rotational defenders. There’s a clear attempt to inject more toughness and gap discipline into a defense that struggled mightily to contain the run and pressure opposing quarterbacks in 2024.

By most metrics, Arizona ranked in the bottom five in both rushing defense and sacks last season. Gannon has publicly stated that the “culture of physicality” must begin up front, and Conner, regardless of position, appears to embody that philosophy. But this laser focus on rebuilding the defense has come at the expense of offensive development.

Amid this defensive makeover, the quarterback situation remains one of the biggest wildcards for the Cardinals. Kyler Murray returned from injury in 2024 and delivered a mixed-bag season. He flashed moments of brilliance—especially when improvising outside the pocket—but struggled with accuracy and consistency within the structure of the offense.

The Cardinals passed on selecting a quarterback in a loaded 2025 draft class, despite speculation that they might move on from Murray and reset the franchise clock. Instead, they doubled down—at least temporarily—by focusing on defense and marginal offensive line help.

But Murray’s leash may be short. His contract still features a potential out after the 2025 season, and the team’s front office has remained noncommittal. Offensive coordinator Drew Petzing’s scheme, which relies on timing and play-action efficiency, hasn’t always aligned with Murray’s improvisational style. Without a solid supporting cast, the quarterback continues to face an uphill battle in proving that he is still the future in Arizona.

The Cardinals’ offensive roster is riddled with uncertainty. Wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown departed in free agency, and while Arizona drafted a mid-round pass catcher and re-signed Rondale Moore, there’s no clear WR1 on the roster. Tight end Trey McBride has emerged as a dependable safety valve, but the lack of explosive options in the receiving corps is troubling.

James Conner remains the team’s lead back, but durability and age are concerns. Rookie running back Jase McClellan, drafted in the fifth round, brings some juice but isn’t a lock to be an every-down contributor.

The offensive line, where Hayden Conner may or may not see time, also remains a concern. While the unit made strides last season in run blocking, pass protection was inconsistent. Murray was sacked 36 times in 2024—many the result of breakdowns in protection rather than his mobility.

Without a dependable wideout, a dominant offensive line, or an offensive identity, it’s hard to envision Arizona taking a major leap forward on that side of the ball.

There’s a growing sense that the Cardinals are building two separate rosters: a hardened, gritty, evolving defense, and a scattershot, underdeveloped offense trying to keep pace. That imbalance could lead to locker room tension, especially if the defense improves significantly and the offense continues to sputter.

In that case, Gannon and Ossenfort will face difficult questions: Can they continue building an elite defense while hoping the offense catches up organically? Or will they eventually have to shift focus, maybe even reconsider the quarterback position, to find offensive synergy?

While Hayden Conner’s exact on-field role is yet to be defined, his acquisition may carry more symbolic weight than tactical impact. Gannon and his staff repeatedly cited Conner’s “mental makeup” and “competitive nastiness” as key reasons for the pick.

This points to an overarching theme in Arizona’s rebuild: culture over flash. The Cardinals want to be a team that punishes opponents in the trenches, controls the line of scrimmage, and wears opponents down. Conner—versatile, raw, but mean—could be a prototype for this philosophy.

However, culture alone doesn’t win football games. Scheme execution, quarterback play, and playmakers ultimately decide outcomes in today’s NFL. Until the Cardinals address those areas, their identity crisis on offense will continue to cast a long shadow over even the most well-intentioned defensive rebuild.

Complicating matters is the unforgiving nature of the NFC West. The 49ers remain Super Bowl contenders with one of the most complete rosters in the league. The Rams, rejuvenated by a new youth movement around Matthew Stafford, are trending upward. Even the Seahawks, despite uncertainty at quarterback, have a stronger offensive nucleus than Arizona.

In a division where each team boasts explosive offensive talent and sturdy defensive fronts, Arizona risks falling into the dreaded category of “rebuilding forever” unless their offense catches up.

Jonathan Gannon is entering a pivotal stretch in his tenure. Year one was a learning experience. Year two brought incremental improvement. Year three—2025—is expected to yield more tangible results. The acquisition of Conner and the defensive draft class suggests Gannon has influence over the roster-building process, and Ossenfort appears aligned with the coach’s vision.

But ownership and fans will demand results soon. The NFL is a league of urgency. Rebuilding timelines shrink with each loss, and while the Cardinals have shown patience, it’s unclear how long that grace period will last if the offense fails to show life.

There’s still time to address the offensive void. The Cardinals have remaining cap flexibility and could target veteran wide receivers or trade candidates. Free agents like Hunter Renfrow or Michael Thomas could add experience. Arizona may also look to the post-June 1 cut market for reinforcements.

Another potential X-factor is second-year wideout Michael Wilson. If he takes a leap forward, he could emerge as a go-to target. And if McBride continues his ascent, Arizona could build an attack through tight ends and backs, limiting reliance on traditional wideouts.

Yet, without a dynamic perimeter threat or a clear offensive vision, those are optimistic projections at best.

The Arizona Cardinals are taking an unorthodox path. With the acquisition of Hayden Conner and the full-scale defensive investment, the team is doubling down on physicality and culture. It’s a commendable strategy in theory—but one that risks unbalancing the roster if not met with offensive clarity.

If the offense can’t score points, the defense—no matter how tough or well-coached—will wear down. If Kyler Murray falters or fails to mesh with the system, Arizona’s rebuild could reset once again.

In Hayden Conner, the Cardinals hope they’ve added more than a lineman—they hope they’ve added a tone-setter, a symbol of the identity they wish to forge. But unless the offense finds its footing soon, Arizona’s daring defensive makeover could come at the cost of long-term balance and success.