The Arizona Cardinals made a number of moves this offseason in free agency and the draft. There haven’t been many big moves. But which was the best move they made?
According to ESPN’s Bill Barnwell, it isn’t a move you would expect.
It wasn’t signing guard Isaac Seumalo or drafting running back Jeremiyah Love. It isn’t cutting Kyler Murray.
Barnwell says that the two-year deal for defensive lineman Roy Lopez to return was the best move.
Signing of DL Roy Lopez lauded
It won’t be the highest-profile deal of the offseason, but Lopez was a useful defensive tackle for two years in the desert before leaving for the Lions last offseason on a one-year pact. The Cardinals hoped to upgrade on the interior by adding Dalvin Tomlinson in 2025, but they might have been better off holding on to Lopez, who has consistently been underrated as a rotational lineman. Now, they bring him back.
Lopez is big enough to play as a nose tackle, but he’s also athletic enough to shoot gaps and even go through prominent interior linemen like Kevin Dotson for pressures. While the availability of Walter Nolen III might have a larger impact on whether the Cardinals field an above-average defense in 2026, Lopez should quietly be a useful player for 400 or so snaps again this upcoming season.
Lopez hopefully can be what the Cardinals hoped to get from Justin Jones and Bilal Nichols two years ago — solid, veteran play against the run with some pass-rushing pop.
There are bigger expectations for guys like Seumalo and Love.
Lopez is a potentially underrated addition, but it’s probably not that great if he ends up being the best.
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This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Arizona Cardinals’ best offseason move isn’t what you expect