Ranking Every QB Cardinals Will Face in 2025

The schedule for the Arizona Cardinals in 2025 is made up of some of the worst teams from last season and gives them one of the most favorable schedules in terms of winning percentage.

The schedule-makers still decided to make things difficult on them, however, by stacking their schedule in a non-favorable way. It will force Arizona to play games one at a time rather than being able to circle certain matchups.

One aspect the Cardinals must respect the most is the caliber of quarterback they will face. This season will give the Cardinals a taste of some of the best quarterbacks in the league, along with perhaps the worst situations we will see all year.

It will make for one of the more intriguing seasons Arizona's defense will encounter when it comes to quarterback play.

Ranking each quarterback the Cardinals will face in 2025:

1. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

There should be no debate whatsoever that Burrow is the toughest quarterback the Cardinals will face in 2025. Burrow has led the Bengals to several deep playoff runs and has proven to be no worse than a top-five quarterback across the league. Cincinnati is bringing back all of Burrow's weapons next season and beyond to give the team an offense that few can match.

Arizona will face many challenges this season, and taking on Burrow will be near or at the top of that list. There is no stopping Joe Burrow; only hope of containing him.

2. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams

Stafford has been in the NFC West for several years now and is intimately familiar with the Cardinals. He's long been one of the most prolific passers in the league and just acquired a future Hall of Fame receiver in Davante Adams. He will pair with Puka Nacua to give the Rams a dynamic duo at receiver.

Barring any unforeseen and massive drop off from Stafford this year, we should expect to see him continue to play at a high level with some of the best receivers he's ever played with. Watching the Cardinals mash up with two elite receivers while dueling with an all-time great passer will be something interesting to watch.

3. Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers

2024 was not kind to Love between injuries and inconsistency. However, we have seen excellent football from the now third-year starter with an offense set to be one of the league's best once again. Love is a classic gunslinger quarterback who isn't afraid to chuck the ball around the yard. He has a host of several receivers who do different things well, including Jayden Reed, Christian Watson, and rookie first-round pick Matthew Golden.

With Josh Jacobs powering the run game, this offense will be hard to stop. The problem Arizona will run into with the Packers is no single player commands the offense regarding target share. It makes playing against such a great quarterback that much more difficult, and it will likely become a long day for that defense.

4. Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Baker, Baker, the touchdown maker! It's been a sight to see the former number one overall pick re-create his career in Tampa Bay. Mayfield has become an above-average quarterback at worst, but has shown flashes back to his days leading the Oklahoma Sooners en route to a Heisman Trophy win.

He has a list of pass-catching options, ranging from future Hall of Famer Mike Evans to superstar Chris Godwin, to second-year man Jalen McMillan and rookie first-rounder Emeka Egbuka. Both running backs, Bucky Irving and Rachaad White, are top-tier pass catchers, and Cade Otten is a touchdown machine at tight end.

All the weapons in the world, paired with the gunslinger quarterback, are a dangerous combination to take on.

5. CJ Stroud, Houston Texans

Stroud came back down to earth after a rookie of the year season, but he still played good football. Although it feels like the Texans worked against Stroud by severely downgrading their offensive line, he will have several new weapons to employ through the passing game, including the Iowa State duo of Jayden Higgins and Jalen Noel. Don't forget about star in the making, Nico Collins.

As long as Houston can keep Stroud upright, he'll be able to deliver strikes through his weapons all over the field. This is a game to test how good the Cardinals' pass rush has become, because if they can get after Stroud, they can control the outcome of this game.

6. Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers

Mr. Irrelevant just got a fat new contract, and he'll be looking to prove he was worth the investment. It's going to be quite an interesting season for the 49ers after so many changes were brought on this team. Long-time starting receiver Deebo Samuel is gone, the offensive line saw minimal improvement, and the defense is littered with new names.

Purdy will be tasked with leading this team to the playoffs after a fourth-place finish in the division last year. Although Samuel is gone, George Kittle is still around to be his top option. If the rest of the offense can find some health consistency, Purdy has the tools around him to succeed.

7. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

Say what you want about Prescott, but he's an above-average quarterback at worst. He also has the luxury of playing with one of the game's best receivers in CeeDee Lamb, plus Dallas made a trade for big-play receiver George Pickens. With those two capable of making anything happen at any given time, Dallas could host a dynamic offense than in recent years, and certainly one we're more accustomed to.

Arizona has done historically well against Dallas in recent years, but that doesn't mean they can suddenly overlook Prescott. If he's healthy and dialed in, he's just as much of a threat as anyone else on the schedule.

8. Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks

I'm definitely a fan of Darnold and hope that he can turn his career around permanently. But it's important to acknowledge his career season came under offensive guru Kevin O'Connell, and could be the sole factor in the production.

He'll be looking to prove himself with the Seahawks, who have a new look receiving corps trading DK Metcalf and moving on from veteran Tyler Lockett. Jaxon Smith-Njigba returns as the top receiver in the room, and Cooper Kupp was added to make sure the offense had at least one more player to give the ball to.

The success of the Seahawks' season likely comes down to Darnold, and we don't know if last year was a one-off or a sign of things to come.

9. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars

The former number one overall pick and one of the most coveted prospects in league history has struggled to put everything together in the pros. In his defense, the Jaguars have made minimal effort to set him up for success.

He's already been given a fat contract extension, but he still faces a big-time prove-it year. With a new head coach and Liam Coen available and a cast of fresh weapons to utilize, perhaps this is the year everything comes together for Lawrence.

Until we see it happen on a consistent and annual basis, he remains an average quarterback. This game could be feast or famine for the Cards' defense, depending on where Lawrence is at.

10. Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers

Young has shown substantial growth under Dave Canales, but it's not like that was a dramatically high bar. Still, we have to give credit or credit is due, and Young has shown more confidence and progression from year one to two.

Carolina has continued to invest and has more past catchers for him to utilize after taking Tetairoa McMillan in the first round. It's a big season for Young as he enters his third year in the league, and things won't be easy for him.

As the Cardinals have had the number on the Cowboys, the Panthers have had such for the Cardinals. If Young continues to grow as expected, we can't rule out a jump in his second year with Canales. Young is in the "prove me wrong" stage, but Arizona still must be ready.

11. Michael Penix, Atlanta Falcons

We saw precious little from Penix as a rookie after sitting and watching behind Kirk Cousins. When he did find the field, as expected, he looked like he was still grasping the speed of the pros.

Bijan Robinson will literally and figuratively carry the offense while Penix distributes the ball to rising star Drake London and a solid cast of sidekicks, including Darnell Mooney. Atlanta once again has high expectations for this season and will need Penix to step up. Although this game is later in the year, it's a good benchmarked game for both him and the Cardinals' defense to see who has improved the most since last year.

12. Cam Ward, Tennessee Titans

The number one overall pick, who hasn't even taken a snap in the pros yet, is not dead last on this ranking. Ward is yet another gunslinger on the schedule to test the Cardinals' secondary.

Unfortunately, for him, the offense provides next to nothing for him to utilize as a rookie and find major success. He has an established number one receiver with Calvin Ridley and an underrated running back duo with Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears, but that's where it ends. It could be a long season for Ward, and facing a motivated Cardinals defense early in the year won't do him any favors.

13. Anthony Richardson, Indianapolis Colts

Whether it's Richardson or Daniel Jones is irrelevant, because it's one of the worst quarterback situations in the entire league… But not quite number one. Richardson is on his last legs as he's struggled to adapt to the pros, stay healthy, and utilize the seemingly endless amount of wealth and talent on offense at his disposal.

Jones has performed no better throughout his career, and it's unlikely a change from New York to Indianapolis will make much of a difference. Perhaps this could be a trap game for Arizona's defense, but this should be the second easiest matchup against a quarterback they will see this year.

14. Tyler Shough, New Orleans Saints

The only worse quarterback situation than what the Colts have is whatever is going on in the Big Easy. Even if Derek Carr were healthy and did not retire, the Saints would still be in quarterback hell. But he's gone, and all that is left is Jake Haener, Spencer Rattler, and rookie Tyler Shough.

The latter of those three appears to be the very early favorite to start, but no matter who it is, there can be no expectations fair to place on them other than being dreadful. It's three unproven quarterbacks with precious little to utilize on offense. They could/should be one of, if not the worst, teams in the league.

The Cardinals open the season against the Saints, and there's no excuse not to rush them completely.