The Cardinals made a Super Bowl push in 2016, kicking some salary cap money down the road to put the finishing touches on the roster.
The decision was certainly justified. After a 13-3 season and a berth in the NFC Championship game, the personnel seemed improved when outside linebacker Chandler Jones, guard Evan Mathis and safety Tyvon Branch were added to the fold.
But a season with such high expectations never went as planned. Special teams struggles, injuries, passing game ills and some bad luck contributed to a disappointing 7-8-1 record and no playoff appearance.