Cardinals’ contract extensions can’t stop at James Conner

Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort continues to make good on those who embody what the new regime wants out of its players.

It started this past training camp with Zaven Collins’ two-year contract extension. The pass rusher has done everything head coach Jonathan Gannon and defensive coordinator Nick Rallis have asked of him, the biggest being his move from MIKE backer to the edge.

Arizona followed suit with another two-year contract extension for starting center and glue guy Hjalte Froholdt soon after.

But even more significant was the two-year extension struck between the Cardinals and running back James Conner this past Saturday.

Conner, who was headed toward free agency, has been everything Arizona has wanted and more. A true blueprint of Gannon’s Cardinals who impacts the franchise just as much off the field as he does on it.

Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon shares his excitement for James Conner’s extension on @BurnsAndGambo.

“He’s everything that we’re about.” pic.twitter.com/yWepQXhpyu

— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) December 2, 2024

“I wish you could see the smile on my face over the phone,” Gannon told Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo on Monday. “I’m so appreciative of (owner Michael Bidwill) and Monti getting that done. The leader that he is, the teammate that he is, the player that he is, the person that he is, really excited to have him in the fold here for the future.

“He’s everything we’re about. That’s one of the cooler parts of the job as a coach is to see guys get rewarded for who they are. I’m very appreciative of James and who he is and I’m glad he got rewarded.”

Now, do Budda.

For as much as Conner is that dude on offense, the same can and has been said about veteran safety Budda Baker on defense.

The safety continues to be the definition of consistent. He’s already up to 100 tackles on the year (for the fifth time in his career) and brings elite leadership to the locker room.

He’s the ultimate chess piece for Rallis thanks to his versatility and knack for playing hard-nosed football.

And Arizona is going to have money to spend this offseason, currently projected to have the second-most cap space in 2025 with $113.4 million, per OverTheCap.

There’s obviously going to be more years attached to any Baker deal, but having the added wiggle room right out the gate is a luxury Arizona should utilize.

The contract extensions don’t end at Budda

While we’re on the topic of contract extensions, I’ve got two more that seem like no-brainers given what they bring to the field and locker room.

The first one is MIKE backer Kyzir White. Ever since signing his two-year contract with the franchise in 2023, White has brought the necessary violence and football IQ required for the position.

You know you’re doing something right when your defensive coordinator names his kid after you.

Then there’s defensive lineman and Arizona native Roy Lopez. Much like Froholdt, Lopez has been a glue guy within the defensive line room and has been a consistent presence in the middle of the trenches.

He’s been one of Ossenfort’s sneakiest pickups, having logged 16 starts across 25 games since coming aboard in 2023.

Honorable mentions

It’s unclear when pass rusher Dennis Gardeck or offensive lineman Will Hernandez will be back to full strength after going down with season-ending knee injuries.

Had they been healthy entering the offseason, they would be two names alongside Baker, White and Lopez as current Cardinals that have played themselves into a contract extension.

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