5 Cardinals Bold Predictions That Will Define the 2026 Season

The Arizona Cardinals are set to begin their 2026. Let's get bold.

Arizona Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur speaks to the press during training camp at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on July 26, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

ARIZONA — The Arizona Cardinals' 2026 season is here.

After months of speculation, hypotheticals and dreaming about football, the NFL regular season is officially underway with two games already under our belt.

The Cardinals face the Los Angeles Chargers tomorrow to begin the first game of the Mike LaFleur era. There's excitement, though a daunting 2026 schedule and uncertainy across the roster making this one of the more intriguing seasons in recent franchise history.

Five bold predictions before the Cardinals begin 2026:

Nick Rallis Fired Before Bye Week

May 8, 2026; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Nick Rallis during rookie minicamp at Dignity Health Arizona Cardinals Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

I want to be clear, I'm not rooting for this to happen. Rallis is great with reporters and my personal interactions with him have been great.

However, Rallis' leash is ultra short ahead of this coming season. The Cardinals sought outside options to replace him over the offseason before being told no and forced to bring him back for a fourth season.

Rallis' defenses have largely been underwhelming, and with the Cardinals not making any legitimate upgrades to that side of the ball, the overwhelming expectation is Arizona's defense will once again be shaky.

The Cardinals have a tough schedule to begin the season. Senior defensive coach Teryl Austin is a new addition to the staff with hefty defensive coordinator experience, too.

That's not a good combination for Rallis, who will need to completely flip the script in order for Arizona's defense to stay afloat this season. Admittedly so the Cardinals have a late bye week this season (Week 14) — which could see Rallis gone beforehand if 2026 goes as expected.

Cardinals Statistically Finish With Top Ten Offense

Aug 13, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Arizona Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur watches from the sidelines against the Las Vegas Raiders in the second half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Look, all of the firepower is there for this to happen.

LaFleur enters the desert with potential to be next in line for young and innovative NFL play-calling head coaches, falling in the footsteps of the Shanahan/McVay coaching tree he hails from.

To help? He's got a revamped offensive line, an improved rushing attack featuring Jeremiyah Love, football's best tight end in Trey McBride and a star-studded receiving corps headlined by Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson among others.

Jacoby Brissett enters the season as a quarterback who isn't exactly Superman — though the Cardinals don't need Brissett to don a cape when he's under center. They simply need a passer capable of making quick progressions and can keep the offense humming with limited turnovers.

That's Brissett.

On paper, this Cardinals offense has serious potential and is maybe being overlooked by those in the national landscape. Arizona may not win many games this season, though their offense should be capable of holding their end of the bargain.

The play-caller is there. The talent is there. If health is on their side, the Cardinals can move the ball with some of the best in the league.

Cardinals Trade QB At Deadline

Aug 28, 2026; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Gardner Minshew II (15) throws a pass during the first quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Cardinals have a surplus of quarterbacks on their roster.

Brissett is the obvious Week 1 starter, though with how difficult Arizona's schedule is shaping to be, many expect the Cardinals to make a change at some point. That leaves veteran backup Gardner Minshew and rookie Carson Beck behind.

Arizona, who just drafted Beck in the third round, needs to see Beck as much as possible before making a huge decision that looms in the following offseason in terms of what direction to take their quarterback position.

Case in point, Beck needs to play and the Cardinals know that — making the two veterans ahead of him expendable.

The Cardinals will likely field calls on either Brissett/Minshew ahead of the Nov. 10 deadline, and unless Arizona's somehow in the driver's seat of the NFC West, it'd be a shock to see them not seriously engage in some sort of trade talks with a competing team looking to boost its QB room.

Arizona clears the path for Beck to play while recouping some draft capital in the same swing. Sounds like a win.

Walter Nolen Reaches 10+ Sacks, Earns All-Pro Honors

Cardinals defensive lineman Walter Nolen III (97) warms up with his teammates during training camp at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on July 30, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Outside of Josh Sweat, there's not a ton of established sack production on the Cardinals' defense.

Walter Nolen III is going to change that.

Injuries derailed his rookie campaign, though the small glimpses we saw of the former first-round pick showed just how impactful he could be. Nolen holds serious potential to not only be a dominant force within the Cardinals' defensive line — he can be a legitimate game-wrecker for offensive coordinators on a weekly basis.

With Sweat commanding attention on the edge, Nolen's quick twitch and blend of raw strength/athleticism will afford plenty of opportunities to get in the backfield.

Seven pressures and two sacks in six games last season is an exciting starting point for Nolen. With NFL experience under his belt and ten pounds shaved from cutting out junk food, we're hopping on the hype train this season.

He can be one of the best in the league. Nolen just needs to stay healthy.

Jeremiyah Love Hits 1,400+ Scrimmage Yards

Arizona Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love practices during training camp at State Farm Stadium in Glendale. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Cardinals and head coach Mike LaFleur insist they won't use a bellcow approach. That's the smart way to go about it, and Love won't by any means be a 30-rush-per-game player.

But he doesn't need to be.

Love has been everything as advertised in the small sample size we got of him in training camp and preseason. Whether it be on the ground or through the air, Love is legitimately a weapon that should and will be deployed early and often.

While the Cardinals will keep their rotation of backs fresh, Love simply is so good he may make too much noise to be ignored down the stretch of the season.

That may not lead to eye-opening touches on a weekly basis, but he projects to be so effective he doesn't need volume on his side — just for the numbers game in Arizona's backfield to tilt in his favor.

Bijan Robinson totaled 1,463 scrimmage yards in his rookie season with a considerably less talented offense around him. Funny enough, Tyler Allgeier was also in that Falcons backfield before signing here in Arizona this offseason.

Love is extremely capable of replicating that successful first season Robinson did, and if he stays healthy, the sky truly is the limit for the No. 3 overall pick.