The Arizona Cardinals are said to be the New York Jets with palm trees.
Of course, that is meant to be mean. But when your roster doesn’t win and remains on the sidelines while each year’s playoffs get
rolling, insults are going to be a part of life.
Cardinals’ fans are cynical. They know their team isn’t good and won’t go anywhere anytime soon. They expect defeat and failure. They don’t trust the system and know that sooner or later, whatever is going on will end in sneering and disparaging treatment of their own loyalty and fandom.
RELATED: DO YOU AGREE WITH MOVING ON FROM GANNON?
And they wish things could be different. And frustrated that it isn’t.
Yet.
Now that head coach Jonathan Gannon has been given the pink slip as head coach of the Cardinals, the search begins for the next guy to take control. Will he be an offensive guy or a defensive mind? Can the franchise turn around and become an annual playoff-caliber roster?
Seven NFL clubs have fired their head coaches this season. Several media outlets have ranked these teams and rated which franchise is the best job on the market, to the worst.
Yahoo! Sports – Frank Schwab
#7: Cardinals
“The Cardinals lost 14 of their last 15 games. Injuries impacted their season, but not that much. It was simply a bad football team. And what’s the main selling point? General manager Monti Ossenfort will stay, and in this era of GMs and coaches coming in a package deal, that might not be a positive.
Kyler Murray’s time with Arizona seems to be over, and even if he returns, that’s not a great thing either. There’s no quarterback, the team’s best player is a tight end, the defense was bottom six in points and yards allowed, and the franchise has just one playoff appearance (a one-and-done loss) since the 2015 season. Maybe the possibility of drafting a quarterback third overall will be appealing, but it’s not like this is a great quarterback class. Arizona has been a dead-end job for many years, and there’s not much reason to believe that will change soon.”
USA Today – Nate Davis
#7: Cardinals
“Unclear as it was whether deposed Gannon would move forward with Kyler Murray, it’s equally unclear if another coaching staff would embrace a player who tends to freelance and hasn’t done much to craft a rep as the locker room CEO most successful NFL quarterbacks are. Murray is guaranteed $36.8 million in 2026, and cutting him would incur a cap hit of nearly $55 million – though that’s hardly prohibitive in this era of the ballooning salary scale. A decision on his future could be further accelerated given nearly $20 million more will be guaranteed to Murray in 2027 if he remains on the roster on March 15. The two-time Pro Bowler and top pick of the 2019 draft is also only 28 and might yet fetch something on the trade market – especially if the Cards are willing to eat some money to facilitate a transaction.
But moving on from him – if that winds up being the eventual course of action – isn’t as daunting a prospect on the field given career backup and occasional bridge QB Jacoby Brissett remains under contract after operating the offense at a much higher efficiency level than Murray did in 2025.
Roster
The makings of a really good passing game are in place (though a more balanced offense would likely benefit the greater good). Trey McBride has emerged as the league’s best receiving tight end, WR Michael Wilson was a revelation late in the season, and Paris Johnson is a top-shelf left tackle. WR Marvin Harrison Jr. continues to be something of a disappointment – especially relative to draft mates like Nabers, Brian Thomas Jr. and even Ladd McConkey. First-round DL Walter Nolen III only appeared in six games before suffering a season-ending knee injury. Elsewhere, OLBs Josh Sweat and Zaven Collins had solid seasons. Otherwise, there’s a lot of work to be done here on both sides of the ball.
Salary cap
Similar to the Giants, GM Monti Ossenfort has some spending power with a projected $21 million budget. While that’s much more than some teams have, it’s a lot less than those that are shaping up as the significant free agent power brokers in 2026. Murray’s situation also seems bound to have further impact here.
2026 NFL draft
Ossenfort has a full complement of picks, including No. 3 overall – though that would likely force him to reach for a quarterback this year if that’s the way the franchise wants to go. Like the three other 3-14 teams from the 2025 season, the Cards will rotate near the top of every round.
Outlook
It appeared like they were building toward a positive crescendo under Gannon. But Murray’s health – and whatever else is going on there – a torrent of other injuries and simple bad luck (in the form of eight losses by one score) caused the bottom to fall out over the past few months. Arizona’s issues are further amplified by its membership in the NFC West, which currently serves as the home of three of the league’s very best teams. The road back to relevance here seems to remain long and winding.”
NBC New York – Logan Reardon
#7: Cardinals
“The good: If you take the Cardinals job, you’re likely to get a decent runway. Since 1996, seven of Arizona’s eight coaches have gotten at least three full seasons on the job (Steve Wilks being the exception). The team also has some intriguing young pieces — Trey McBride is arguably the best tight end in the NFL, and Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson are a strong receiver duo.
The bad: The Kyler Murray experiment is likely over, and with that will come a glut of dead cap and questions at quarterback. Arizona has the third pick in a draft that likely has two top quarterbacks, so they might be out of luck there. Then there’s the division factor, where the Seahawks, 49ers and Rams were arguably the top three teams in the NFC this season. It’ll be a tough road ahead for this franchise.
Ideal candidate: Vance Joseph. Let’s throw a dart here and see if it hits. The Denver Broncos defensive coordinator has helped run one of the league’s best units in 2025. The 53-year-old Joseph is a former Cardinals coordinator (2019-23) and has been coaching in the NFL since 2005. He was previously the Broncos’ head coach in 2017 and 2018, going 11-21.
NFL.com – Judy Battista
#5: Cardinals
“Jonathan Gannon was fired after three seasons — they lost 14 of their last 15 this season — setting off another period of transition for the Cardinals. Kyler Murray is still there and owed $36.8 million next season, although a change at quarterback appears on the horizon, whether the team is able to trade him or release him. Having Murray out of the picture could enhance the job — a new coach would be able to select his own quarterback. Colts defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, who was a candidate for Arizona before Gannon was hired, could again be in the mix, particularly because the Cardinals’ defense never got better under Gannon, a defensive coach himself. There is some talent on the roster, including tight end Trey McBride and receiver Marv Harrison among others, so a turnaround is possible even in the NFC West, which is the NFL’s most difficult division. Despite the churn at head coach here, Michael Bidwill is not viewed as an impatient owner, but candidates have to have a plan at quarterback.”
SB Nation – James Dator and Mark Schofield
#5: Cardinals
“Arizona absolutely feels like the middle-of-the-road option here.
On the plus side, the Cardinals have the third-overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, along with the second pick in the second around, so talent is on the way.
Arizona also has $9 million in effective cap space for next season, so things could be worse there. This is also a roster that dealt with significant injuries on both sides of the football, most notably running back James Conner’s season-ending foot injury. But his was not the only injury Arizona needed to navigate in 2025, not by a long shot. When the Cardinals took the field for their Week 16 game against the Atlanta Falcons, only four Week 1 starters on the offensive side of the ball were available.
By that point in the season, the Cardinals had used a league-high 80 players.
But the biggest question is the quarterback one: Where does Arizona go from here with Kyler Murray? There is every expectation that Murray has played his last down for the Cardinals, but how feasible is it for the organization to move their former starting quarterback? And who can Arizona replace him with? Is this going to be Jacoby Brissett’s team for 2026, as they look to the 2027 NFL Draft?
Of note is the fact that if Arizona simply releases Murray prior to June 1, they would incur a dead cap hit of $57.8 million, according to Spotrac.
That issue drops Arizona down a bit in these rankings.
APP Sports
#2: Cardinals
“The Cardinals do have some good things going for them. But their biggest question is at quarterback. Kyler Murray doesn’t seem to have a future in Arizona. The third pick in the NFL draft is at least attractive, but still, a new coach will need time to figure things out.”
Bleacher Report – Kristopher Knox
#7: Cardinals
“If there’s one situation less desirable for a head coach than Cleveland’s, it’s Arizona’s.
There are several reasons why the Cardinals may struggle to land their preferred coaching candidate this offseason. The biggest might be the fact that Arizona is retaining general manager Monti Ossenfort, who will “spearhead” the coaching search, per Adam Schefter.
Ossenfort and Gannon were both hired in 2023, yet only one of them is paying the price for going 15-36 since then. Yes, Gannon is responsible for yielding nine straight losses to end the 2025 season, but Ossenfort is responsible for assembling a roster that felt more like a collection of players than a cohesive unit this past season.
While Arizona does hold the third overall pick in April’s draft, it could still miss out on landing a top QB prospect, which is another part of the overall problem.
The Cardinals have to figure out what to do with Kyler Murray this offseason. It certainly feels like Arizona is ready to move off of Murray, who has flashed playmaking ability but has lacked consistency and never won anything of note.
Arizona may not find a taker for Murray and his $53.3 million cap hit, so cutting him might be the only option. At least the Cardinals have a viable bridge quarterback in Jacoby Brissett.
The Cardinals also have $44.2 million in projected 2026 cap space. However, that doesn’t quite offset an awkward front-office setup, the lack of a long-term QB plan, and one of the worst rosters in the league.
Arizona’s next head coach will also be joining a division that just sent its three other teams to the postseason.”
FOX Sports – Ben Arthur
#7: Cardinals
“Kyler Murray’s time in the desert might be over, so the Cardinals could be in the market for a quarterback in a bad offseason to be pursuing one. But Arizona owns all of its original 2026 draft picks, including the No. 3 overall selection, and is projected to have $21.2 million in salary cap space, which ranks 18th in the league, according to Over The Cap.
Cardinals at a Glance
- 2025 Record: 3-14
- Projected 2026 Cap Space: $21.2M (18th in NFL)
- Top 2026 Draft Pick: No. 3 overall”
ESPN – Bill Barnwell
#2: Cardinals
“Are the Cardinals better than their record? Absolutely. They are 2-7 in games decided by seven points or fewer. They were a first down away from beating the 49ers, conspired against themselves to blow a lead through some of the most inexplicable play you’ll ever see against the Titans, failed in a goal-to-go sequence down four points to the Colts, blew a lead in the final two minutes against the Packers, and lost in overtime to the Jaguars.
I’d still argue that there’s a fair amount to like in Arizona. The Cardinals do have plenty of promising talent on defense, where Josh Sweat has been excellent and young players like Walter Nolen, Will Johnson, and Garrett Williams have had moments where they’ve looked to be potential standouts, Trey McBride has been spectacular, and though Marvin Harrison and Paris Johnson haven’t necessarily lived up to their draft position, they should settle in as above-average starters at key positions. GM Monti Ossenfort has done a good job of adding draft capital, and though there’s work to be done on the interior of the offensive line and at linebacker, there’s unquestionably young talent.
The problem, of course, is deciding what to do at quarterback. Murray seemed to wear out his welcome with the coaching staff this year before going on injured reserve, and though he’s under contract for 2026 and beyond, the Cardinals should be able to land something in return if they decide to trade the 2019 first overall pick. Arizona is currently sitting with the third pick in next year’s draft; if there’s a young quarterback that a potential coach likes in the class, the Cardinals should be in a position to compete for that signal-caller. This roster might look very fun with, say, Fernanco Mendoza, throwing to McBride and Harrison on a rookie deal.”
MetroSports – Josh Rojas
#2: Cardinals
“I think the Cardinals are really talented. There are a lot of pieces to work with here. They have some questions to answer. Number one, the quarterback situation. Kyler’s probably gone and will see if the new coach wants him around. They also need running back help or just their own guys healthy. Their receiver core improved. Their offensive tackle situation isn’t particularly great, nor are both guards. The defense is solid, but will need to add some pass rushers to complement Josh Sweat. This team has some holes, but surrounding these smaller holes, there’s a lot of young, exciting talent to love on this team, assuming they can stay healthy.”
