SEO Title: Arizona Cardinals 2025 Training Camp Preview: Roster Battles, Schedule and Key Storylines
SEO Description: The Arizona Cardinals open 2025 training camp on July 22 in Glendale, with Marvin Harrison Jr., Kyler Murray, a rebuilt defensive front and the running back competition among the major storylines.
The Arizona Cardinals will bring rookies and veterans to State Farm Stadium on July 22 for a training camp that could define a critical third season under general manager Monti Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon. Arizona is chasing its first winning record since 2021, and its progress will hinge on the development of young cornerstone players alongside a significant influx of veteran defensive talent.
Arizona Cardinals 2025 Training Camp Preview
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Report date: July 22 for rookies and veterans.
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Camp location: State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
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Major camp themes: Kyler Murray’s connection with Marvin Harrison Jr., a crowded rebuilt defensive front, and the division of carries between James Conner and Trey Benson.
Harrison and Murray Enter a Pivotal Second Season Together
Marvin Harrison Jr. delivered respectable production as a rookie, catching 62 passes for 885 yards and eight touchdowns after Arizona made him the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 draft. Still, expectations were higher for a prospect widely viewed as capable of immediate star-level impact.
The Cardinals will spend camp working to sharpen Harrison’s chemistry with Murray. Their ability to turn more opportunities into explosive plays and consistent production could become the central offensive storyline of Arizona’s season.
Harrison was one of two first-round selections for the Cardinals in 2024. The other, defensive lineman Darius Robinson, enters camp with his own opportunity to reset after an injury-shortened rookie year. Robinson appeared in only six games because of a calf injury, and he now must establish his place in a defensive line group that has become far more competitive.
Veteran Additions Raise Expectations for the Defense
Arizona has added experience to a defense Gannon was hired to build into a strength. The return of Calais Campbell, who began his NFL career with the Cardinals in 2008, gives the club both an accomplished interior defender and a respected veteran voice.
Campbell is entering his age-38 season, but his value extends beyond his play on the field. He joins pass rusher Josh Sweat and defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson as established veterans expected to provide leadership to a roster that previously had limited experience outside of safety Budda Baker.
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Calais Campbell returns to the franchise that drafted him in 2008.
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Josh Sweat gives Arizona another proven edge presence.
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Dalvin Tomlinson adds veteran depth and strength along the interior line.
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Walter Nolen, the No. 16 overall pick in the 2025 draft, joins the defensive line rotation.
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Cornerback Will Johnson, selected No. 47 overall in the second round, arrives with the potential to become one of the draft’s biggest values.
The early task for Gannon’s staff will be blending those newcomers with the returning starters. Robinson’s camp performance will be especially important as he competes for snaps while learning within a front that now includes several accomplished NFL veterans.
Conner and Benson Headline the Backfield Competition
James Conner remains Arizona’s lead running back after posting career highs of 236 rushing attempts and 1,094 rushing yards last season. Since arriving in Arizona in 2021, Conner has become one of the team’s most important offensive players, exceeding the role and production he had during his four seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
However, Conner enters his age-30 campaign, and training camp should provide a clearer look at whether the Cardinals intend to expand Trey Benson’s workload. Benson, a 2024 third-round pick, carried 63 times for 291 yards in an underwhelming rookie season. A stronger second camp could put him in position to claim more touches and reduce Conner’s workload.
Preseason Dates and NFC West Schedule Notes
Arizona’s preseason opens at home against Kansas City before road and home matchups against AFC West opponents and the Las Vegas Raiders.
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Week 1: Kansas City Chiefs at Cardinals, Saturday, Aug. 9, 8 p.m. ET.
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Week 2: Cardinals at Denver Broncos, Saturday, Aug. 16, 7 p.m. ET.
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Week 3: Las Vegas Raiders at Cardinals, Saturday, Aug. 23, 4:30 p.m. ET.
In the regular season, Arizona will face San Francisco and Seattle in consecutive weeks twice, during Weeks 3-4 and again in Weeks 10-11. The Cardinals do not meet the defending NFC West champion Los Angeles Rams until Week 14, with the division rivals scheduled to play again in Week 18.
