Arizona Cardinals Offseason Preview

This is the latest, but far from the greatest, installment of an ongoing series of offseasaon previews. Seriously, I should have just stuck the Cardinals at the bottom of the NFC South preview. But I didn’t. So here goes. The Rams and 49ers installments will run soon. That will be fun, right?

2025 Season in a Nutshell

The 2025 Cardinals were the greatest team in the history of online gambling. No team covered more revised second-half point spreads or cleared more mid-game overs. Jacoby Brissett and Trey McBride won a gazillion fantasy leagues with their meaningless last-minute touchdowns. When the Cardinals entered a fourth quarter trailing 35-10, a surge of energy and activity pulsated through sports bars across the nation. Take the Cardinals +20! Take the Over at 60 points! It’s money in the bank!

Oh, the Cardinals went 3-14. The coach got fired. And Kyler Murray and Marvin Harrison … threw each other off the side of a waterfall? Embarked on a cross-country journey to find the heart of America? No one actually knows what happened to Murray and Harrison.

Coaching Situation

Mike LaFleur replaces Jonathan Gannon as the Cardinals head coach. His primary qualification is that his name is LaFleur, so he got to tag along with all the cool coaches when they went out for postseason steak dinners.

Gannon is now Mike’s big brother Matt’s defensive coordinator in Green Bay. The term “NFL coaching fraternity” gets more literal by the year.

LaFleur hired former Aaron Rodgers footstool Nathaniel Hackett as his offensive coordinator. You cannot make this stuff up.

Quarterback Situation

Murray (foot) has a doctor’s note that excuses him from gym class indefinitely. In his introductory press conference, LaFleur could barely pretend that Murray might be in his plans.

Brissett is still under contract and may now be the NFL’s top veteran mentor-for-hire, not just because of his pointspread-warping superpowers in 2025, but also for his ancillary role in Drake Maye’s development.

State of the Roster

I was just kidding about Harrison and Murray tumbling off a waterfall together. They have actually never spoken to each other.

Marvin Harrison underwent an appendectomy in November. He’s poised to go straight from hotshot prospect to insufferable diva, skipping the intermediate step of being a useful wide receiver.

Trey McBride is a better fantasy player than real player, but he’s still a very good real player. Paris Johnson has grown into a sturdy left tackle, Hjalte Froholdt a reliable center. The rest of the offense needs upgrades and overhauls.

Walter Nolen and Will Johnson slipped in the 2025 draft because of their injury histories. Both had injury issues as rookies. Johnson got healthy just in time for a baptism under fire by Puka Nacua and Ja’Marr Chase. Big-name free agent Josh Sweat had the quietest 12-sack season in NFL history. Budda Baker’s still around, so there’s that.

The Cardinals’ 2025 identity was “blown out by halftime,” so I am not sure what else there is to say about their defense.

Cap and Draft Stuff

The Cardinals have $42 million in paper cap space. Trading Murray will clear another $23 million, but cutting him would turn his salary into a dead money hit. Expect the Cardinals to listen to offers for Murray in the we’ll-tow-your-car-away-for-you-no-questions-asked compensation range.

There aren’t any gotta-keep-him in-house free agents on the Cardinals’ to-do list, though the whole franchise might disappear in a poof of sand if Greg Dortch ever leaves.

The Cardinals pick third, 34th and 65th in the first three rounds of the 2026 draft.

One Thing the Cardinals Should Do

Draft the Best Available Athlete™ with the third pick, not Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson. The Cardinals need a talent infusion. Simpson would be a reach. If some Simpson-thirsty team calls the Cardinals, they should listen to offers to trade down.

In Summary

The Cardinals have a lot of work to do in the next few weeks: finalizing their coaching staff, placing Murray on Craigslist, and so forth. They’re an irrelevant team that just wasted three years and already seem to be behind schedule for 2026. At least expectations are low. So is interest. Wake me after Murray is traded.