Cardinals Ranked 30th in NFL Power Rankings as Rebuild Continues

The Arizona Cardinals face a monumental task. Last season they went 3-14 and lost 14 of their final 15 games, landing them at 30th in the NFL offseason power rankings. New head coach Mike LaFleur—hired after three seasons as the Los Angeles Rams’ offensive coordinator—takes over a franchise burdened by history.

Arizona carries the longest championship drought in professional football. The Cardinals’ last title came in 1947, a 78-season gap. Since 1978, only one of the franchise’s 13 full-time head coaches has finished with a winning record: Bruce Arians. That track record haunts any new regime.

The quarterback situation captures the dysfunction. Kyler Murray didn’t work out over seven seasons, producing only a one-and-done playoff appearance. Arizona absorbed a $53.8 million cap hit to cut him. Now Jacoby Brissett, 33 heading into 2026, takes over as QB1. He won just one of 13 starts last season, though he did throw for 3,366 yards, 23 touchdowns and 8 interceptions.

The offense has some bright spots. Trey McBride caught 126 passes for 1,239 yards. Marvin Harrison Jr. has accumulated 1,493 yards in two seasons, but only two 100-yard games in his career. Michael Wilson went for 1,006 yards last season with three 100-yard performances and a 99-yard outing. The Cardinals drafted running back Jeremiyah Love third overall and selected quarterback Carson Beck 65th in the third round. They also signed guard Isaac Seumalo to a three-year, $31.5 million deal.

Defense is the real problem. Arizona’s defense ranked 32nd in success rate allowed last season. Not a single projected defensive starter graded higher than 33rd by Pro Football Focus. The top three corners and top two safeties all graded 57th or worse at their positions. The Cardinals lost safety Jalen Thompson and defensive lineman Dalvin Thompson in free agency, further gutting an already-thin unit.

The numbers tell a story of a team crumbling when it matters. Arizona went 2-8 in one-score games and 0-5 in games decided by a field goal or less. They were outscored 146-88 in the fourth quarter and overtime combined. They became the first team in NFL history to lose three straight games despite leading by at least seven points in the fourth quarter. In one brutal loss, running back Emari Demercado dropped the ball before crossing the goal line in a 22-21 defeat to the Titans.

Beyond the field, structural problems pile up. In the NFLPA’s 2025 report card, the Cardinals ranked dead last among all 32 teams. Arizona had the most adjusted games lost due to injury in the NFL last season by a wide margin. The Cardinals have lost 13 or more games in three of the past four seasons. They have won just three division titles since the end of the 1975 season.

The schedule offers no breaks. Arizona faces the toughest slate in the league by a wide margin—they faced the toughest schedule last season by DVOA as well. They are projected to be underdogs in all 17 games, including eight as double-digit underdogs.

LaFleur inherits a franchise at its lowest point. Turning this around requires more than better coaching and roster moves. It requires erasing 78 years of failure.