Arizona's 2025 plan centers on a third-year push under Jonathan Gannon, led by a young offensive core and a reworked front seven. The dead-cap landscape is the story within the story: Arizona carries almost no dead cap in 2025, a sharp contrast to the NFC West rivals whose total dead-money burden sits around $225.6 million. The Cardinals’ edge—roughly $7.39 million (31st in the NFL)—offers long-term flexibility to invest in defense and playmakers, while the rest of the division faces heavier cap strains. The Eagles’ 2024 path shows that debt can coexist with postseason success, but the Cardinals’ clean slate could fuel a breakthrough if the young talent accelerates growth and the defense anchors the effort against division foes.