How the Cardinals can become the next worst-to-first franchise in 2026

Arizona Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill didn’t mince his words when talking about a quick turnaround for the franchise the day former head coach Jonathan Gannon was fired.

“We want to win. … When I look at what other teams have done, and frankly historically we’ve done a quick turnaround in our not-too-distant past,” Bidwill said. “I am looking forward to that and I hope it’s going to be in the first year, not in the second year.”

It’s one thing to say. It’s another to actually do it.

Last season, two NFL teams with new head coaches accomplished the worst-to-first feat in the Chicago Bears and New England Patriots.

And if first-year head coach Mike LaFleur and the Cardinals are going to be that next team to join the group, it’s going to come down to plenty of factors:

How the Cardinals become the next worst-to-first franchise

Mike LaFleur’s offense lives up to expectations

If there’s one thing to say about the LaFleur-led Cardinals, it’s that the offense could seriously make some noise in Year 1 thanks to a blend of offensive mastery and the playmakers littered along the formation.

Trey McBride and Michael Wilson looked poised to continue their impressive play after a pair of career seasons in 2025.

Marvin Harrison Jr. has bounced back from some early drops this training camp and is trending toward his own career year given how the scheme fits his skillset and his increased separation.

Quarterback Jacoby Brissett, meanwhile, has plenty of familiarity with most of Arizona’s playmakers and is viewed as one of the franchise’s biggest leaders on the roster.

I haven’t even touched on the run game, either.

Rookie running back Jeremiyah Love appears to be headed toward a Week 1 start after nursing a high ankle sprain for most of the preseason.

At full strength, he has the potential to be one of the next great NFL running backs. And given where he was drafted, he needs to be just that.

Tyler Allgeier brings a legit second option who has already shown he can thrive splitting touches out of the backfield with a dynamic rusher.

Blend all those names together with LaFleur’s mindset and opposing defenses could be in for a long game week in and week out.

Since 2021, at least seven of the top 10 scoring offenses have made the playoffs. That’s a big ask for a first-year head coach calling plays for the first time in a while but should be the goal for what Arizona wants to accomplish.

And given the question marks defensively, the Cardinals are going to need to do just that to climb out of the NFC West basement.

Walter Nolen III stays upright

One of those big defensive question marks falls on second-year pro Walter Nolen III.

He has already proven he can be a game changer when he’s on the field, racking up two sacks, five tackles for loss, two passes defensed, five QB hits and a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown in six games last year.

Like he put it last week, there’s just a different vibe when “the heartbeat of the defense” is getting it done in the trenches. No lies told there.

He just needs to stay healthy.

Cardinals coaches, players and fans were all teased by his potential last year.

This time around, though, Nolen entered training camp with a different mindset after trimming down and getting into better shape.

Some of the pounds have come off, but he’s still “sneakily a freak of nature” as teammate Andrew Billings said last week. That’s great news for a franchise who was gashed on the ground last year.

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Calais Campbell isn’t walking through that door, Darius Robinson has yet to pop and with no other consistent pass-rushing option not named Josh Sweat, additional production and pressure must come from somewhere if this team wants to claw its way back to relevancy.

LaFleur called Aaron Donald the best defensive back the Los Angeles Rams had the past decade given the pure disruption in the trenches and the impact interior destruction has on the overall offensive operation. He’s not shy about bringing up the importance of the trenches.

Nolen has a long way to go to reach Donald’s stature, but as long as the Cardinals defender is active, he has the potential to bring a similar feeling to Arizona’s defense.

A pass rusher (not named Josh Sweat) emerges

As we’ve already seen, Sweat can’t be the only pass-rushing threat from snap to snap if the Cardinals want to be successful. Just take a look at where Arizona finished last year in total sacks (30th with 30).

And even with Campbell adding in 6.5 sacks and nine tackles for loss, that didn’t take away from the deficiencies off the edge.

Nolen could very well put up those numbers if he stays healthy. But who else steps up?

Zaven Collins is going to get first crack a lot of the time thanks to his ability to cover. He set a career high with 10 QB hits but had just 1.5 sacks last year. He’s just not getting the quarterback down at a consistent enough clip.

Baron Browning, on the other hand, hasn’t had more than two sacks since 2023. Jordan Burch has the athleticism but has yet to start an NFL game.

Eku Leota has already talked about how his role is more focused as a special teamer than defender.

The role is there for the taking, but it’s unclear who exactly is going to seize the opportunity after none of the above had more than two sacks last year.

More production has to come from the outside linebackers room if Arizona is going to complete the one-year turnaround, regardless of how good Sweat is.

Cardinals get better returns on 2024 investment

General manager Monti Ossenfort’s 2024 NFL Draft haul has been far from stellar.

Of the 12 drafted, only six still appear to be in Arizona’s plans. That does not include third-rounder Trey Benson, who was waived/injured before reverting back to the Cardinals’ injured reserve after no other teams took a flier on him this preseason.

Heading into Week 1, though, two are dealing with injuries. Third-round pick Isaiah Adams hasn’t practiced lately due to a knee injury. Another third-rounder in Tip Reiman is starting the season on the reserve/physically unable to perform list and will miss at least the first four games.

From there, that just leaves four active roster members:

– Marvin Harrison Jr.
– Darius Robinson
– Max Melton
– Dadrion “Rabbit” Taylor-Demerson

Taylor-Demerson looked destined to take over the starting safety spot opposite Budda Baker with Jalen Thompson off to Dallas but lost out on that role with the emergence of veteran Andrew Wingard.

Taylor-Demerson, however, will still play a big role defensively, especially in three-safety sets.

Melton is likely the next man up at CB2 after going back and forth with 2025 fifth-round pick Denzel Burke.

But it’s Harrison and Robinson who really need to flex their first-round status in Year 3.

Harrison appears to be on that trajectory after a pair of inconsistent seasons. Staying healthy will go a long way, something he couldn’t do last year.

Having the right system and new voice on that side of the ball could really help in that realm, too.

As for Robinson, he’s got to show something more than being a rotational piece. He took a step late last year before standing out in training camp but couldn’t continue that trend in the preseason.

The No. 27 overall pick hasn’t had more than a sack in his two NFL seasons. His four tackles for loss and two QB hits last year are career highs.

If the defense is going to take steps forward, getting more out of the late first-round pick is critical. And if Robinson can’t be that guy, his days feel numbered in Arizona.

NFC Best takes a step back

It can’t all be on the Cardinals when it comes to flipping the narrative.

There is no division better than the NFC West. Three of the four teams at points last year were No. 1 seeds. None were named the Cardinals.

The Seattle Seahawks went the distance as Super Bowl champions last year, with the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams each earning playoff berths.

The Cardinals ended the season 3-14 and fired former head coach Jonathan Gannon soon after. There is a stark contrast between Arizona and the rest of the division.

Heading into this season, the trio are among the top six teams in The Athletic’s NFL power rankings released Tuesday. Arizona sits 31st.

At some point, though, something’s got to give. Right?

Of the trio of juggernauts, San Francisco seems the most susceptible for a falloff in 2026. Substation jokes aside, the 49ers seem to have an annual injury bug infestation.

Just how sustainable is their success if that continues into 2026?

The Rams just keep adding infinity stones to the defense. First, it was Myles Garrett before Aaron Donald decided to unretire for a legitimate chance at another ring.

Los Angeles isn’t getting any younger, though. Can quarterback Matthew Stafford keep it up after a dominant MVP season?

Interestingly enough, both of those teams have seemingly overshadowed the defending champs in Seattle. The Seahawks lost some key pieces this offseason, including former offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.

Are they in for a post-Super Bowl slump in 2026?

It’s on the Cardinals to get their house in order after failing to make the playoffs since 2021. But getting over that threshold isn’t going to happen unless others around them falter.

Of the all the factors at play against the Cardinals, this one is the toughest to overcome. Seeing one team have a down season is one thing. But all three? That is asking for a lot.

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