2026 NFL Draft Team Needs & Predictions: Cardinals (2026)

The Arizona Cardinals sit at the center of the 2026 draft’s most complicated equation: a top-three pick, a quarterback contract decision with massive stakes, and a roster that needs help in the trenches on both sides. Whether Arizona pivots off its current QB situation or doubles down, their Round 1 move will shape not only the NFC — but also the fantasy landscape.

In this Cardinals edition, we break down: roster holes, cap/contract deadlines to watch, how the Cardinals should split their spending between veterans and rookies, and what it all means for fantasy drafts.

Pick 3: Arizona Cardinals

Team Needs: QB, RT, EDGE, LB, S

2026 Free Agents Key Losses:

S Jalen Thompson, LB Akeem Davis-Gather, QB Kyler Murray, RT Jonah Williams

2026 Free Agents

RB: Michael Carter, Emari Demercado (RFA)
WR: Greg Dortch, Zay Jones
TE: Travis Vokolek (ERFA), Pharaoh Brown
OL: Kelvin Beachum, Will Hernandez, Evan Brown
DL: Calais Campbell, P.J. Mustipher (ERFA), Bilal Nichols, Dalvin Tomlinson,
LB: Channing Tindall, J.J. Russell
CB: Darren Hall
ST: Blake Gillikin, Aaron Brewer, Joshua Karty

2027 Free Agents

QB Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew
RB: James Conner, Corey Kiner, Zonovan Knight
WR: Michael Wilson, Ihmir Smith-Marsette, Jalen Brooks, Andre Baccellia, Xavier Weaver (RFA), Tejhaun Palmer, Bryson Green
OL: Paris Johnson (CLUB), Hjalte Froholdt, Jon Gaines II, Demontrey Jacobs (RFA),
TE: Elijah Higgins
EDGE: Zaven Collins, B.J. Ojulari, Dante Stills
DL: Zach Carter, L.J. Collier, Andrew Billins
LB: Baron Browning, Mack Wilson, Eku Leota, Owen Pappoe, Jonah Williams,
CB/S: Sean Bunting, Garrett Williams, Joey Blount, Kaelen King, Jaden Davis, Kei’Trel Clark, Andrew Wingard, Starling Thomas V
ST: Chad Ryland

Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort did not originally completely rule out Kyler Murray returning as the team’s starting QB – given that he was still under contract (with a cap hit north of $50M) at the start of the offseason. New HC Mike LeFleur (and the team’s new offensive play caller) also hadn’t technically ruled out Murray as a QB option for 2026. NFL insider Dianna Russini reported there was a belief that Murray would be kept in 2026. This is a reversal from just a few months ago, when Russini reported that nobody would be surprised if the team moved on from the 28-year-old QB. Simply put, Arizona wanted to be compensated for Murray, given how many QB-needy teams there are.

And I want to be 6-foot-4 with a six-pack.

The contract complicated things because he’s still owed $36.8 million in fully guaranteed salary and bonuses for 2026, per the Athletic.

The Jets, Browns, Dolphins, Vikings, etc. emerged as potential suitors for the former No. 1 overall pick, especially if Arizona is willing to take on part of Murray’s deal to complete a trade.

But as we know now…Arizona could not find a trade partner and was forced to release Murray. He will play for someone else on the veteran minimum.

All the breadcrumbs suggested the Vikings as the premier landing spot for the short-statured quarterback. We know QBs want to go to Minnesota and play for Kevin O’Connell. Worked for all the other veterans. And that is exactly what happened.

Nevertheless, Murray is probably going to open as a Week 1 starter for the Minnesota Vikings after he signed with them after his release. Best ball drafters should take advantage of his ADP price outside the top-20 QBs.

Also, rumblings emerged that Jimmy Garoppolo could reunite with LaFleur in the desert (Jeremy Fowler).

LaFleur also mentioned that he plans on moving Marvin Harrison Jr. around the formation. They signed Kendrick Bourne to a two-year contract in free agency. Spent time with LaFleur from 2017 to 2020 in San Francisco. Also played with Jacoby Brissett in New England during the 2024 season.

Per FantasyPros’ Derek Brown: Bourne reminded fantasy gamers and the NFL of his talent with two monster games for the injury-depleted 49ers in Weeks 5 & 6 as the WR6 and WR11 in weekly scoring (PPR). Although he will be viewed as the clear-cut No. 4 option, his intel and veteran experience could make him annoying for the other pass-catchers in the Cardinals offense. It’s not Mac Jones-Bourne’s level of chemistry, but it’s nothing.

The offensive line has a ton of free agents over the next two seasons, with RT specifically the biggest immediate need (Kelvin Beachum will be 36 and is on an expired deal). OG Isaac Seumalo was signed to bolster the interior offensive line. They also signed RT Elijah Wilkinson to a two-year deal as a stop-gap option. He previously played for the Cardinals in 2023 as the team’s starting left guard. But again not a player signing that would prevent them from drafting a tackle with the third overall pick.

Charlie Campbell (Walter Football) has reported the Cardinals are high on Spencer Fano.

Defensively, the Cardinals need more pass rush juice, ranking 30th in PFF pass rush grade and 29th in pressure rate generated in 2025.

I think one of Ohio State’s top-ranked defensive players is going to make their way to Arizona at third overall. Keep this in mind.

Current Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort overlapped with Ohio State DC Matt Patricia with the New England Patriots. Ossenfort has drafted an Ohio State player in the first round in two of his three drafts as the team’s GM (four total Buckeyes drafted since 2023). OS’s former OL coach is the current Cardinals’ offensive line coach. Nick Rallis was kept as the Cardinals’ defensive coordinator after being brought on in 2023 (former Eagles LB coach).

They have interior players, but it remains to be seen how second-year DT Walter Nolen will recover from his December Achilles injury. Calais Campbell will be 40 years old in 2026. DT Dalvin Tomlinson was released (signed with the Chargers).

Then, considering all their 2027 defensive line free agents, Arizona may need to use 2026 to extend or replace core pieces early. They signed DT Roy Lopez to a two-year deal worth $10.5 million. Also signed Andrew Billings.

At linebacker, Mack Wilson and Akeem Davis-Gather were projected to be free agents at the end of the season. Wilson finished 2025 on IR after 8 games. Akeem Davis-Gaither finished as a bottom-20 graded linebacker and was already released. Last year’s fourth-round rookie LB, Cody Simon, earned a bottom-10 tackling grade per PFF.

Clearly, they could use an upgrade at off-ball linebacker. They signed Jack Gibbens to a two-year contract from the Patriots.

The secondary isn’t catastrophic, but they need to stay healthier than they were last season. Safety Jalen Thompson is also a free agent (second in defensive snaps played behind Budda Baker). He signed with Dallas in free agency.

Jacoby Brissett is under contract until 2027. Gardner Minshew will join him in the Cardinals QB1 battle. Brissett – for all intents and purposes – appears to be in the driver’s seat to start for the tanking Red Birds.

Veteran James Conner was a legitimate cut candidate – 31 years old and coming off a season-ending foot injury entering the last year of his contract – and Trey Benson hasn’t been able to stay healthy in his two seasons. However, it was later reported that Conner would return to Arizona on a reworked contract.

Given both LaFleur and Nathaniel Hackett’s ties to Breece Hall from their days with the New York Jets, the desert seemed like a sneaky landing spot if Hall doesn’t return to Gang Green. Keep in mind that one of Hall’s best seasons came with Hackett as the Jets’ OC in 2023 (Hall was fantasy’s RB2).

However, the Jets won’t cooperate and seem destined to retain Hall at all costs.

Arizona could/likely add another free agent RB or trade for one. A name to monitor…Jaylen Wright. Played at Tennessee in 2021 with the current Cardinals RB coach…Matt Merritt.

The splashy free agent move was acquiring former Falcons RB, Tyler Allgeier. Although Allgeier hasn’t played for anyone currently on the Cardinals staff, his former OC Zac Robinson was with LaFleur in Los Angeles.

I’ve always been a strong believer in Allgeier since his days at BYU. He produced over 1,000 rushing yards as a 5th-round rookie, and just fell victim to circumstances with the Falcons taking Bijan Robinson in 2023. But TA still forced his way on the field, forcing a timeshare with arguably the best RB in the NFL.

According to the Athletic, Allgeier is sixth in the NFL in rushing success rate (42 percent) and 11th in EPA per rush (0.01) among all running backs, according to TruMedia. He is also one of three running backs with more than 500 carries in the last four seasons who have not fumbled the ball. He has zero career fumbles.

In 2025, he made his biggest impact in the red zone with 8 rushing TDs. At 221 pounds and just 737 total NFL touches on his resume, the 26-year-old RB could be in line for heavy volume in 2026.

He should have no issues ascending to the top spot in Arizona under a new offensive coaching staff. Clearly, this staff/team isn’t super confident in former third-rounder, Trey Benson, after two injury-plagued seasons. The move is somewhat curious given that the team restructured Conner’s deal to keep him on the roster. It will be interesting to see whether he looks to get traded on a cheaper deal. Also shows how the new coaching staff values Conner…as they immediately forced him to take a pay cut and signed a younger free agent RB with a similar skill set.

Either way, Allgeier has been the epitome of health throughout his four-year NFL career, whereas Conner/Benson have been anything but. Worth noting that last year’s goal-line RB, Zonovan Knight, signed a one-year deal to return to Arizona.

For all the Jeremiyah Love/Sonny Styles/Caleb Downs love (and it’s warranted), Monti Ossenfort continues to show the Cardinals won’t draft non-premium positions early in the NFL Draft.

See Tyler Allgeier, Andrew Wingard, Jack Gibbens.

— Johnny Venerable (@JohnnyVenerable) March 15, 2026