The Denver Broncos will finish up their slate of NFC West games on Sunday when they head on the road to face the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals are 2-4 entering this matchup, but are coming off an impressive Week 6 win against the Los Angeles Rams. Here ia deeper look at Denver’s Week 7 opponent.
2025 Arizona Cardinals Regular Season Review
The Cardinals finished their 2025 regular season with 3-14 record and were last place in the NFC West. That led to the firing of Head Coach Jonathan Gannon after
three seasons with the team. He was replaced by Mike LaFleur.
2026 Arizona Cardinals Offseason Additions and Departures
When coaching regimes change, rosters also change. The Cardinals made a lot of moves this past off-season and are clearly trying to establish a different culture and identity.
On offense, there were two significant departures. They moved on from quarterback Kyler Murray and recently traded wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. to the Houston Texans. On defense, they parted ways with defensive linemen Dalvin Tomlinson and Bilal Nichols and linebacker Akeem-Davis Gaither.
In free agency, they signed Gardner Minshew to be Jacoby Brissett’s backup. They revamped their receiving corps adding Kendrick Bourne, Devin Duvernay, and Simi Fehoko. Tyler Allgeier was a big signing to bolster their ground game, and they added several starters to their offensive and defensive trenches.
In the 2026 NFL Draft, the Cardinals took Notre Dame standout Jeremiyah Love to help be a foundational piece of their offense. In the second round, the drafted Texas A&M guard Chase Bisontis. Unfortunately, he tore his MCL in the preseason and is out for the year. Georgia quarterback Carson Beck was their third round selection. Overall, they haven’t had a big impact from their rookie class.
Offensive X-Factor: Tight end Trey McBride
The focal point of the Cardinals passing attack is fifth-year tight end Trey McBride. He is one of the NFL’s best tight ends. I feel he is easily the biggest X-Factor for Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph and his players to try to combat on Sunday.
McBride is coming off a remarkable 2025 season where he had 126 catches, 1,239 receiving yards, and 11 touchdowns. That incredible production earned him first-team All-Pro honors. This season, he leads the NFL with 49 catches in six games. However, his decline in yards per catch is drastic, with just 361 yards on those receptions with 3 touchdowns.
For the most part, Denver’s defense has done quite well limiting the top receiving option for opposing teams through six games. In order to win on Sunday, they can’t let McBride have a big game. He will be targeted often and has a penchant for moving the chains on third down. Limit his impact and things should look good for the Broncos.
Defensive X-Factor: Defensive back Budda Baker
The Cardinals have struggled on defense this season. However, one player in particular stands out above the rest on their roster. That’s defensive back Budda Baker. Since being selected in the second-round of the 2017 NFL Draft, Baker has been a mainstay in the Cardinals’ defensive backfield.
He is an eight-time Pro Bowler and a four-time All-Pro. Some of the best seasons of his career were when Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph was calling the shots for their defense. A decade later, Baker continues to be an impact player for their defense due to his versatility.
In his tenth season, Baker already has 42 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 5 quarterback hits, and 1 interception. He is a do-it-all player that can make a huge impact in Sunday’s matchup. The Cardinals run a lot of Cover 3 looks and he has a nose for the football. Despite his size, he is quite tenacious in run support and does well executing his run fits.
In pass coverage, the veteran defensive back has taken a bit of a step back this year. While he has allowed just 13 of 25 targets in his direction to be completed (52-percent), those completions have gone for 197 yards three of those have been touchdowns. Even so, I still think he is the player Bo Nix and the offense needs to be the most cognizant about. He has had a remarkable career and has made a lot of big plays. Denver can’t let that happen on Sunday.
How the Broncos can achieve a victory over the Cardinals
Like most of Denver’s wins this season, they are going to need a great performance from their defense. The Broncos will need to dial up the heat and put pressure on Jacoby Brissett. I think Zach Allen is poised for a big game returning home to face the team who drafted him, and believe Jonathon Cooper can make a difference at edge rusher.
On offense, Denver needs Bo Nix to finally play a good game. Let’s see the aerial attack finally take flight. But in my opinion, this is a prime opportunity for their rushing offense to get going. The Cardinals are one of the worst defending the run. It’s time for Denver to run the ball with authority. That would help their offense significantly.
Hart’s Prediction: Broncos 27, Cardinals 16.
