It goes without saying that the NFC is far less superior that the AFC. Looking at the quarterbacks alone, the AFC is loaded with lots of talent which makes it the toughest conference. Within the NFC, there is not a ton of firepower making it a conference where you can make an argument for one or two teams to win the NFC. Teams like the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, and the now rising Detroit Lions all can build a case as to why they can win the conference.
With the Arizona Cardinals, despite showing that they can compete in their four wins from last season, there is no expectation for them to win the conference, let alone the NFC West. However, we all know that the NFL has become a league where there is so much pressure to win now and unless everything goes wrong for an organization that is out of the coach's control, then that is where rumors start of bringing in someone new to take over.
Luckily for Jonathan Gannon and his coaching staff, they were not expected to go far in 2023 because of the ACL injury with Kyler Murray and the release of wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. In their four wins last year, three of them were against playoff teams. Going into 2024, the Cardinals get a fresh start with over $55 million in cap space as well as 13 draft picks (six in the top 100).
In order to become contenders to win the NFC West, Monti Ossenfort will need to build up the Cardinals which could include trades with players in the league. While the Cardinals should focus on development, if a player is available via trade who can bring a great impact for Arizona, Ossenfort needs to see what the situation would be like and determine if it is a great fit.