It is without question that the Arizona Cardinals play in the toughest division in football: the NFC West. A division that fielded three playoff teams, and one that became a Super Bowl Champion, all three have something that Arizona couldn’t stop.
We are talking about an established pass rush; the Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, and San Francisco 49ers were all strong on that front. The Cardinals couldn’t stop it, and it was because they were lacking the protection that Kyler Murray and Jacoby Brissett needed to succeed at that level.
The Cardinals' offensive line consisted of Paris Johnson Jr., who anchored the unit, and a bunch of aging veterans that didn’t seem to be the long-term future at the position.
Luckily for Arizona, this is the year to fix the unit, which they already have in place. The team inked former Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers guard Isaac Seumalo to a three-year, $31.5 million contract. It is safe to say that the team won’t end there.
The Cardinals hold the No. 3 overall pick in the draft, and the offensive line class is pretty deep at the front, with two incredibly solid prospects headlining it.
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Miami’s Francis Mauigoa and Utah’s Spencer Fano are the top prospects available, and it would be a massive mistake for general manager Monti Ossenfort to pass up on either of the two.
2026 is going to be a rebuild year, and in all likelihood, the Cardinals will be taking anyways. However, that is no excuse for not protecting Jacoby Brissett or Gardner Minshew.
This is the year for Arizona to draft a generational offensive lineman, and they can pair them up with Paris Johnson Jr. on the other side of the line.
Offensive line is by far the most important need heading into the draft, and the Cardinals need to come through on that.