Considering they are coming off a three-win season and stuck in the hardest division in football, the Arizona Cardinals' ultimate goal for the 2026 season should already be clear: land a top pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
It's not just that they lack the talent to compete with the likes of the Seahawks, Rams, and 49ers; it's also the dire need at the quarterback position and the prospects currently projected to be a part of the 2027 class.
Last month, a way-too-early mock draft by FanSided's Cody Williams had the Cardinals projected to take Texas product Arch Manning with the No. 1 overall pick. Between Manning, Dante Moore (Oregon), and Darian Mensah (Miami), three of the top four picks were at the quarterback position.
Cardinals must come away with a top QB prospect in 2027
That tells us multiple things: the obvious importance of the position, the talented prospects headlining the class at the position, and, most importantly, the Cardinals' realistic chance of landing one of those headliners.
Despite their three-win season, the Cardinals have one of the most brutal 2026 schedules in the league, in part because they have to play their divisional rivals twice a year each. For this season in particular, that could be a blessing in disguise.
The disparity between Arizona and the rest of the NFC West is so wide that it would be in the Cardinals' best interest to zig when the rest of their rivals zag. They did that to an extent last season, but didn't have much to show for it.
Not to say No. 3 overall selection Jeremiyah Love isn't a top-tier talent in the 2026 draft class, but it's clear a three-win team has several holes to fill well beyond the running back position.
Not to mention, the underrated offseason signing of Tyler Allgeier should've been good enough, allowing Arizona to address one of several holes elsewhere.
The Cardinals may have assembled an elite fantasy football roster, but this team's flaws just so happen to come at the most important positions. They need to address the offensive line, overall defense, and quarterback.
Hopefully, this serves as a transitional season for the rebuilding Cardinals to develop while putting themselves in position to land a potentially franchise-altering prospect like Manning, Moore, or Mensah. Anything less than that should be considered a myopic failure on a season that's already lost before it begins.
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