On paper, the Arizona Cardinals won't be viewed as the most desirable head coaching opening of the 2026 cycle.
It's a smaller market, the quarterback situation is unresolved, and the roster has endured year-over-year volatility. Yet, when viewed through the lens of offensive innovation and player development, Arizona presents a scenario that should legitimately interest former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel.
One of the more unique offensive minds in the game today, McDaniel’s appeal has always been rooted in maximizing speed, spacing, and matchup stress. In Miami, that vision was powered by elite perimeter talent and schematic aggression that consistently put defenders in conflict. While Arizona doesn't offer a Tyreek Hill clone, it does present something equally intriguing: a young, ascending core of offensive playmakers that can be molded into a system-specific advantage.
The centerpiece is Trey McBride, who has already established himself as one of the NFL’s premier flex weapons at just 26 years old. His ability to win from multiple alignments, threaten the seam, and generate yards after the catch would give McDaniel a movable chess piece similar to how he leveraged tight ends and slot weapons in previous stops, and pairing McBride with Marvin Harrison Jr. creates a high-end foundation. Harrison, entering Year 3 in 2026, profiles as a true alpha receiver — polished, explosive, and capable of dictating coverage structures on his own.
In McDaniel’s offense, that gravity matters.
Beyond the headliners, Arizona’s depth is quietly compelling. Michael Wilson took a significant step forward in 2025 despite instability at quarterback, showing he can win at all three levels and operate as a reliable secondary option. James Conner, while not a long-term bell cow, remains a physical and instinctive runner who fits well in wide-zone and misdirection-heavy run concepts as well — both staples of McDaniel’s offensive philosophy.
Up front, Paris Johnson Jr. anchors the unit. Already viewed as one of the league’s better young tackles, Johnson gives Arizona a foundational piece to protect whichever quarterback ultimately becomes the answer. And that's the golden question of the offseason as spring slowly nears.
Kyler Murray’s future is uncertain, and Jacoby Brissett, who handled much of the workload in 2025, is not viewed internally as a long-term solution. But for a coach like McDaniel, that ambiguity can be opportunity rather than deterrent -- especially if paired with alignment with the front office.
That alignment has to come from GM Monti Ossenfort, whose willingness to invest in offensive talent and collaborate philosophically could be decisive. If Arizona is unable to land a top-tier candidate such as Jim Harbaugh, pivoting to McDaniel offers a different but equally strategic vision: building an offense-first identity around elite skill talent and creative structure.
The market may be labeled unattractive, the roster, however, is not. For McDaniel, Arizona represents a chance to reset, retool, and build something distinctive -- this time with a young core already in place, and the freedom to define the future under center.