As players returned to the building for the start of the voluntary strength and conditioning program on Tuesday, two players went upstairs to ink their contracts.
Kicker Joshua Karty and defensive lineman P.J. Mustipher signed one-year contracts to return to the Cardinals. Both were tendered offers as exclusive rights free agents, meaning they had fewer than three accrued seasons and could not get offers elsewhere because they were tendered.
After his first year in Arizona was spent on the practice squad, Mustipher found a home on the 53-man roster in 2025. In 15 games played, Mustipher had 32 total tackles, one tackle for loss, and a pass deflection. His 6-foot-4, 320 pound frame was used in rotation with Dalvin Tomlinson at the nose tackle position.
The Cardinals signed Roy Lopez to replace Tomlinson, yet with the uncertainty surrounding Calais Campbell's future and Walter Nolen III's injury status, Mustipher could add depth to the unit.
The Cardinals have two kickers under contract heading into Phase One of the offseason program. Kicker Chad Ryland signed his deal early in the free agency cycle. It sets up for an interesting camp battle between Karty and Ryland with new special teams coordinator Michael Ghobrial overseeing the competition.
During his rookie campaign in 2024, Karty set a Rams franchise record for most points scored by a kicker. He went 29-of-34 on field goal attempts and 32-of-36 on PATs. Karty's inconsistent 2025 season landed him on the Rams practice squad. He was signed to the Cardinals active roster prior to Week 17.
