Cowboys 2025 opponent preview: X-factors for the Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals are a team that have weirdly had the Cowboys’ number.

Although the Arizona Cardinals have a young roster brimming with talented prospects, they have largely disappointed over the last few seasons. Head coach Jonathan Gannon has started his coaching career with a 12-22 record, but there is optimism that Gannon can guide the Cardinals out of a slump that has seen Arizona not win the NFC West since 2015. and not make the postseason since 2021. A large part of the issue has been the health of Kyler Murray, who has missed 18 out of 100 possible career starts. Yet, Murray may be turning a corner as he played in all 17 games in 2024.

With Murray healthy and receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. heading into his second NFL season, the Cardinals are shaping up to be better than their 8-9 mark a season ago. They also bolstered their roster by signing veterans Calais Campbell, Dalvin Tomlinson, and Josh Sweat, providing Arizona with a mix of youth and experience. That said, there are a few players that could soar in 2025 and give the Cowboys a challenge in their Week 9 meeting.

Trey Benson

James Conner is an above-average running back and has been the Cardinals’ leading rusher for the last four seasons. However, Conner tends to pick up nagging injuries. Conner has never played a full season in his eight-year career. Therefore, having a viable backup runner is essential for the Cardinals, and they certainly do. Although Trey Benson played sparingly last year, he was very efficient as a rookie. Benson ran for 291 yards on 63 carries for an average of 4.6 yards per attempt.

Benson has a thick build at 6’, 216 lbs. and has the strength to withstand contact and keep his legs churning. He also has terrific speed, as evidenced by his 4.39 forty-yard dash at the combine. Benson excels in many small areas and has yet to reach his full potential. His rookie numbers didn’t show it, but he’s also a capable receiver out of the backfield. If Benson is starting in place of Conner when they face the Cowboys, Benson has the potential to impact the game on all three downs and has the speed to take it the distance.

Michael Wilson

The Cardinals are heading into their third year under offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, and in each of their last two seasons, their leading receiver has been tight end Trey McBride. While McBride is a very good option, the Cardinals need more production outside the numbers. Marvin Harrison Jr. had a solid rookie season with 885 yards, but there’s another receiver who Arizona is counting on to continue improving and could give the Cowboys problems.

Michael Wilson isn’t necessarily an explosive athlete, but he’s got great hands to make difficult catches in traffic. He’s also very strong, so it makes it difficult to reroute him in press coverage. Although he doesn’t have top-end speed, he smoothly gets in and out of his cuts to create space between himself and the defender. Last season, Wilson was third on the Cardinals in receptions (47) and receiving yards (548). Wilson can also be a factor in the running game because of his willingness to block. Similar to Benson, he can do a lot of little things over 60 minutes of football that can contribute to wins.

Will Johnson

Will Johnson was arguably the best cornerback on the board in the draft, but because of medical concerns, he slid down to the 47th overall pick. Some teams may end up kicking themselves for letting the Michigan Wolverine defender slip through their hands. Now healthy, Johnson looks poised to earn a starting job coming out of training camp and line up on the boundary for the Cardinals. Johnson is a very polished prospect who has tremendous size with long arms. Johnson isn’t scheme dependent and is adept at playing in zone or man coverage, and is terrific at playing the football through the receiver. His instincts and burst out of his backpedal is very smooth and natural. If he gets his hands on the ball, he is likely to run it back for a score.

Despite playing in just six games last season, Johnson returned two interceptions for touchdowns. He is also a capable run defender and isn’t afraid to tackle on the perimeter on outside runs. However, scouting reports do say that because of his aggressive nature, he leaves himself open to getting caught on double moves. By the time these teams meet, Johnson could cement himself as one of the best rookies of the class. That said, he’ll have his hands full dealing with CeeDee Lamb, who is one of the most nuanced route runners in the game and can set him up with the same double moves Johnson struggles with.