The Arizona Cardinals have begun their offseason and have two months to re-sign players scheduled to become free agents before the new league year begins in March.
One key player and defensive captain, linebacker Kyzir White, suggested on social media that he won’t be back with the Cardinals in 2025.
He posted this on his Instagram account:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DEh9Z6yvOqi/?hl=en&img_index=1
He said thank you to the state of Arizona. This is a typical goodbye social media post.
White will be a free agent after two seasons with the Cardinals.
If you check the comments, you will see notes of support and sadness from teammates, all seeming to be well-wishing goodbyes in terms of being a teammate.
Head coach Jonathan Gannon told reporters in his season-concluding press conference on Monday that change is coming.
“Everybody knows in this building change is inevitable. That’s going to happen. The team is not going to look like this,” he said. “The team meeting today is going to be drastically different than the Tuesday after Easter when (the) offseason program starts.
“You thank them, and I’m appreciative of everybody because they did what I asked them to do. We do things our style, which isn’t for everybody, and that’s fine. It’s knowing that sometimes a lot of these guys that have made a lot of sacrifices and have laid it on the line for you as a coach to be successful, they’re not going to be here. You wish them well.”
White will turn 29 in March.
As a team captain, he played in and started all 17 games this season after his 2023 was cut short after 11 games when he tore his biceps. He had 137 total tackles, nine tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, eight quarterback hits, three pass breakups and a fumble recovery this season.
He played the last two years on a two-year, $10 million deal.
Either he knows that he will seek more money than the Cardinals will want to pay, he wants to leave or the coaches communicated they were moving in a different direction.
They have Mack Wilson under contract two more seasons and drafted Owen Pappoe two years ago. They might believe that he is ready to move into a starting role.
If White leaves, it will be a big loss. He was a tone-setter, a leader and productive.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire’s Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.