As the 2024 NFL season comes to a close, the Arizona Cardinals are on the outside looking in once more.
Still, they managed to double their 2023 win total, finishing 8-9, while seeing some notable improvement on both sides of the ball. Despite some inconsistency both offensively and defensively, there were plenty of noteworthy seasons by Cardinals players.
With improvement still to come, we’ll go through those noteworthy performances from the 2024 season, presenting Arizona Cardinals On SI’s off-season awards, beginning with the Defensive Rookie of the Year.
It was quite the lean year from Arizona Cardinals rookies on the defensive side of the ball. It was expected that DL Darius Robinson would be an immediate impact player, but a calf injury limited him to just six games.
While an argument could be made that S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson had the purest rookie season on defense, he was limited to just two starts, and averaged less than 17 snaps per game.
CB Max Melton
With those factors in mind, and a somewhat lackluster overall defensive rookie group, cornerback Max Melton was perhaps the most consistent defensive rookie for the Cardinals in 2024.
Melton was taken in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Rutgers. Though his PFF grade was a mere 55.5 in overall defense, Melton displayed plenty of physical and mental talent, earning a much larger opportunity than some of his fellow rookies.
Melton played 565 defensive snaps, the most among Cardinals’ rookies, but also spent quality time on special teams, utilizing his athleticism as a gunner for 212 snaps, for a total of 777.
Melton might not have been a standout corner in an All-Pro sense, but he flashed his potential in a major way on numerous occasions.
While his full-season grade might have been poor, he did put forward multiple games’ worth of solid 70+ coverage grades, and had his best day as a pro in week 17 against the Los Angeles Rams.
For that contest, he posted an 80.7 overall defensive grade, played his second-most snaps (55), and was only targeted one time, which he knocked away for a PBU.
His overall performances might have been a bit streaky, but his coverage skills are there, and his athleticism and instincts give Cardinals fans plenty to be excited about in the coming seasons.
Melton is a speedy, high-motor, aggressive defensive back, with excellent ball skills and an ability to track down receivers in the open field. While he’s been burned a few times, he’s able to find ways to disrupt plays without excessive contact.
His prowess and willingness to also play special teams aligns with head coach Jonathan Gannon’s overall philosophy, and his development from working with Gannon and defensive coordinator Nick Rallis was noticeable.
On the season, Melton allowed a 65% completion rate when targeted, but only surrendered 436 yards and zero touchdowns, despite playing a healthy chunk of snaps.
He also racked up 51 total tackles, five clean PBUs and a forced fumble.
While it might not have been an incredible season from the rookie, Melton’s involvement and clear development throughout 2024 puts him in a favorable position to break out in 2025.
He was Arizona’s most consistent rookie contributor on defense, with likely a huge amount of untapped potential and veteran-like savvy to be unlocked in the coming years.