Cardinals are highly doubted to go from worst to first in NFC West in 2024

In the 2023 season, the eight teams that finished last place in their respective divisions were the Cardinals, Panthers, Commanders, Bears, Patriots, Bengals, Titans and Chargers. The reasons vary as to why these teams finished last in their division, but at the end of the day, they were the worst teams in the NFL. The only team that was surprising to see on this list were the Bengals due to Joe Burrow suffering a season-ending wrist injury in Week 11 against the Baltimore Ravens. 

Each offseason leading up to the start of the new season, teams who finished in last place the year prior are examined to see if there is a chance that they can go from worst to first in their division. Trevor Sikkema from Pro Football Focus created a list of the teams who are most likely to go from worst to first in their division. Sikkema ranked the teams from #1-#8 with the first spot being the team that has the best chance to turn things around. 

When it comes to the Arizona Cardinals, Sikkema doesn’t seem to think highly of the Cardinals being able to take the NFC West in 2024. Out of the eight spots on the list, the Cardinals were placed at the sixth spot ahead of only the Panthers and Patriots. While Arizona did not get the best placement, Sikkema did bring up the fact that the San Francisco 49ers are more than likely the team to win the division. In addition, the Cardinals have a tough uphill battle with the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams as well. 

The Cardinals are going to be an exciting team to watch and should definitely get atleast 7-8 wins this season. However, Sikkema is right at this point. On paper, Arizona does not have the talent to overtake the NFC West. Luckily it doesn't matter what the team on paper looks like. The only thing that matters is what happens on the field.