INDIANAPOLIS -- When the Cardinals signed Budda Baker and James Conner to contract extensions during the season, it was crucial to GM Monti Ossenfort to keep players for what they mean to the organization, for the way they prepare, lead, and then perform on game days.

Nearly as important? As free agency closes in for 2025, "those guys aren't going to market."

Free agency figures to be key for Ossenfort this offseason as the team tries to make its jump to playoff contender, but there is one move that would be about keeping someone off the market in 2026: Pro Bowl tight end Trey McBride is eligible for an extension himself as he goes into the last year of his deal.

McBride is "a guy we would love to extend to give us certainty," Ossenfort said Tuesday during his media availability at the Scouting combine. "To give us certainty of what we are dealing with from a cap perspective. Trey is a priority for us."

McBride has said repeatedly he wants to remain in Arizona, although Ossenfort emphasized there is no timeline for a deal to be done.

Like Baker and Conner, McBride has proven himself beyond his 1,000-yard season but on and off the field. A former second-round pick, McBride has proven as a draft success, meaningful during this week as the Cardinals try and find their newest draftees.

The free-agent component comes first, however. March 10 is when free-agents-to-be can officially start talking to other teams; signings can start March 12. Before then, teams are trying to re-sign their own players, and the Cardinals are the same. Ossenfort said getting certain players re-signed by next week is "a priority for us."

Among the players who played meaningful snaps for the Cardinals that need new deals: Defensive linemen L.J. Collier and Roy Lopez, offensive linemen Evan Brown, Will Hernandez and Kelvin Beachum, and linebackers Kyzir White, Dennis Gardeck and Baron Browning.

"Once we go to market, anything can happen at that point," Ossenfort said.

As for that open market, Ossenfort can't talk specifics yet, but acknowledged that coach Jonathan Gannon's connection with Eagles players can help in decision-making "maybe a little bit." "I am a fan of information," Ossenfort added. Two potential Eagles free-agents-to-be at Cardinals positions of need are defensive tackle Milton Williams and EDGE Josh Sweat.

The Cardinals can make some moves. Overthecap.com estimates the Cardinals will have about $73 million in effective cap space; spotrac.com lists it at $71M. Some of that will be eaten up when the Cardinals retain some of their own free agents.

"It gives us opportunity, it gives us flexibility, it gives us opportunities to see what the market is at certain positions," Ossenfort said. "You also have to be smart about it. You don't want to just spend to spend, either. You've got to make the right decision. You look back at teams that 'won the offseason,' is that always the case six, nine months later? I don't know. Free agency is a great roster-building tool. ... We will make smart decisions with who we think will help our team the most."

The point of free agency, besides building a roster, is to make the decisions on draft day that much easier.

"We talk about, 'When we get through free agency, can we go out and play a game?'" Ossenfort said. "What we don't want to do is go into a draft and say 'We absolutely have to draft this position.'"