Projecting the Cardinals’ Week 1 Starters After the NFL Draft

Here's what the Arizona Cardinals' lineup should look like when Week 1 rolls around.

Jan 4, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (85) runs after the catch against the Los Angeles Rams during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Arizona Cardinals' 2026 draft class is complete, and after a busy free agent period, most of the team's period of acquisition is done.

The Cardinals could very well add a few more stragglers before training camp, though Arizona has their roster and impact players fairly set in place. And while there's a few position battles to watch through the course of the offseason, it does feel somewhat easy to project the Cardinals' starting lineup come Week 1.

Before we dive into it, these projects are what we believe the Cardinals will do, not what personally we would opt for.

Projecting Cardinals' Starters on Offense

Jan 4, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) looks to throw downfield against the Los Angeles Rams during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

QB: Jacoby Brissett
RB: Jeremiyah Love
WR: Michael Wilson, Marvin Harrison Jr., Kendrick Bourne
TE: Trey McBride
LT: Paris Johnson Jr.
LG: Isaac Seumalo
C: Hjalte Froholdt
RG: Chase Bisontis
RT: Elijah Wilkinson

The Cardinals indeed drafted Carson Beck in the third round, though as long as Brissett's contract dispute is resolved (which it should be barring a wild sequence of events) he'll be the leader in the clubhouse, and rightfully so. Brissett put up career-high numbers last year and will take the early throne while Beck sits and learns — though there may be a pathway for Beck to start late in the season.

Any of Love, Tyler Allgeier and James Conner could be dubbed "the starter" though the reality is all three should be used in various roles and capacities under new head coach Mike LaFleur. So there won't be a clear-cut starter. However, you don't spend the third overall pick on a running back without plans on using him often, and even though it's early in the season, Love still is a strong candidate to see starting carries.

Wide receiver feels fairly set at the top, as Wilson and Harrison are set to be boundary guys while Bourne does project to be the team's slot receiver in 11 personnel. With that said, LaFleur's offense doesn't have stagnant positions, meaning the trio will often be spread across various spots depending on what LaFleur wants to do offensively. Expect plenty of movement and less defined positions in the room.

Trey McBride. That's the analysis for tight end.

The offensive line is concrete on the left side, with Johnson/Seumalo/Froholdt offering a solid trio. The right side is mostly up for grabs, and while there's a few different possibilities, it does feel as if Bisontis/Wilkinson will be the guard-tackle duo in Week 1. It wouldn't be shocking to see Isaiah Adams start immediately, though Bisontis is talented enough to win the job, even as a second-round pick. Wilkinson started at right tackle for Atlanta last season and projects best to start there.

Projecting Cardinals' Starters on Defense

Dec 21, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) against the Atlanta Falcons at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

DL: Walter Nolen, Roy Lopez, Darius Robinson
OLB: Josh Sweat, Zaven Collins
ILB: Mack Wilson Sr., Jack Gibbens
CB: Will Johnson, Denzel Burke
SAF: Budda Baker, Dadrion Taylor-Demerson

Nolen should be healthy by Week 1 following his season-ending injury in 2025, and he'll be the anchor for a Cardinals defensive line that could honestly see any combination of others enter the mix. Much like the running back situation, defensive coordinator Nick Rallis deploys numerous defensive lineman, so earning a "starter" label here doesn't mean much. With that said, Lopez is impactful and Arizona still doesn't want to give up on Robinson.

Sweat's spot at outside linebacker is obvious after a career season, though the mix of guys opposite of him in Arizona's base 3-4 defense is just a tad unknown. Collins is the best bet thanks to his ability to anchor the run while the Cardinals will rotate Baron Browning and Jordan Burch during obvious passing situations.

Inside linebacker could get tricky with Wilson anchoring one of two spots. The second starting spot comes to Gibbens/Cody Simon, who many think could emerge as a full time starter after being thrown into the fire immediately last season. However, Gibbens' experience as a glue guy on New England's AFC title roster and his ability in pass coverage should bode well for his chances of starting.

Cornerback feels completely open thanks to injuries. Johnson should be a Day 1 starter while Garrett Williams will likely not be ready to return to action in Week 1, leaving the door open for the impressive Denzel Burke to anchor other boundary duties. However, Starling Thomas should be healthy once again while the veteran Sean Murphy-Bunting is back in the mix. There's plenty of names that can make this a tough call, and understandably so.

The safety position can get interesting, but it's not highly expected to be one to watch. Baker needs no introduction while the rising Taylor-Demerson appears poised to become a starter after Jalen Thompson's departure. Free agent signing Andrew Wingard should make this interesting after he started for Jacksonville last year, though this is Rabbit's job to lose.