Cardinals Really Are One Ingredient Away From Success

ARIZONA — The Arizona Cardinals' efforts along the offensive side of the ball have been noticeable, and while the future of the quarterback position in a post-Kyler Murray still very much is up for grabs, the Cardinals have to like what they've got going so far.

The Cardinals hired head coach Mike LaFleur this offseason, who very much could be the next innovative offensive mind in the NFL after spending years of understudy work with Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan.

A bad offensive line from last season was re-tooled with the signing of left guard Isaac Seumalo and right guard Chase Bisontis, who was drafted with the team's second-round pick. Left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. and center Hjalte Froholdt give the team four solidified spots along the offensive line.

The rushing attack was upgraded heavily with the additions of Tyler Allgeier (free agency) and Jeremiyah Love (No. 3 overall pick in the draft) while James Conner re-worked his contract to remain with the Cardinals this season. That's a fairly loaded room not even counting Trey Benson or Bam Knight.

The tight end room is home to one of the league's best in Trey McBride, who is fresh off a career year and has been dominant his last two seasons wearing a Cardinals uniform. Elijah Higgins and Tip Reiman both bring varying skillsets behind him to allow Arizona to operate in multi-TE sets.

Receiver is headlined by names such as Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson. Kendrick Bourne was signed via free agency this offseason to give Arizona a fun WR3 in a room that has potential in many facets.

Everything, from play-caller to offensive line, seems to be there for the Cardinals. Except quarterback.

Cardinals Missing Most Important Piece to Puzzle

Carson Beck, Arizona Cardinal — May 8, 2026; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Beck (19) during rookie minicamp at Dignity Health Arizona Cardinals Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

"If you take (Arizona’s) skill players and put them in a place with a good quarterback, they’ll win," one scout told Fox Sports's Ralph Vacchiano. "They might win a lot."

The Cardinals' quarterback room is one of great intrigue and mystery moving forward, both for 2026 and what could be beyond.

Jacoby Brissett is the projected starter moving into 2026, though a recent contract holdout muddies those waters just a tad. Even if he does get a desired pay bump or year tacked on to his current deal (which ends after this season), he's not a viable long-term solution.

Neither is veteran free agent signing Gardner Minshew. Backup Kedon Slovis, likely a practice squad presence, falls in the same category.

The massive question mark comes in the form of Cardinals third-round pick Carson Beck, who arrives to Arizona with hope of becoming a player who can start at some point this season while also providing upside for the future.

The Cardinals will soon find themselves in a position to potentially drink from a 2027 pool of college quarterbacks that is hyped to be one of the best in some time. Whether that class delivers very much remains to be seen.

"They have such a great, young core there," another scout said to Fox Sports. "But with a bad quarterback situation, you can’t expect much at all."

Arizona has all of the other facets of their offense in place, some parts still needing to prove themselves more than others. Nailing the quarterback question is one that teams (such as the Cardinals) have struggled with historically.

Yet if they can somehow find their passer of the future, whether it be Beck or another name we don't yet know, the Cardinals should be able to flip the script. Quickly.

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