There is a different kind of struggle for small-market teams in the NFL. Without splashy moves or transcendent stars, national media can tend to ignore certain franchises. This is no new issue for the Arizona Cardinals. Cardinals fans have become used to gross misrepresentation on the national scene.
But the newest iteration of the disrespect is outrageous.
In a recent article, Sports Illustrated ranked all 32 NFL teams after the free agency period. The teams at the top were the usual suspects: the Eagles, Bills, Lions, and Chiefs. Notably, perhaps only to Cardinals fans, was Arizona's ranking all the way down at 24th.
Arizona Cardinals deserve much better than 24th in latest power rankings
It's difficult to find the logic behind Arizona's placement in these rankings. The New England Patriots and Jacksonville Jaguars (both teams finished with just four wins in 2024) both ranked above the Cardinals, who led the NFC West for much of the season.
The Cardinals ranked last in their division, with the Rams, 49ers, and Seahawks all falling between 12th and 15th.
Connor Orr, the Sports Illustrated analyst, said that Jonathan Gannon "needs to create a team that is Kyler Murray–proof and relevant when the run game gets shut down and pulls the plug on the rest of the offense."
While Kyler Murray has had his ups and downs as a Cardinal, the statement makes him sound like a roadblock rather than a weapon in Arizona's offense.
The Arizona Cardinals offseason has been severely underrated
The Cardinals deserve a higher ranking based on their 2024 performance alone. A team just a few moments from a playoff berth does not deserve to be ranked among the league's bottom-dwellers.
But the true problem here is the lack of recognition for Monti Ossenfort's work in the offseason. The Cardinals have made identity-shifting moves to build one of the best defensive fronts in the NFC. Josh Sweat, Calais Campbell, and Dalvin Tomlinson should all be primary contributors for Jonathan Gannon's defense in 2025.
Additionally, the Cardinals locked up a star player for the future by signing tight end Trey McBride to a contract extension.
Arizona has had one of the strongest offseasons in the NFL, and they deserve to be recognized for it.
Of course, the Cardinals shouldn't quite land in top-ten territory yet. They still have more to prove before becoming a clear playoff team. But the level of talent on the current Arizona roster far surpasses the respect they receive from many national analysts.
With a few hits in the 2025 NFL Draft and a playoff push in the upcoming season, the Cardinals can finally force the world to take notice.