Projecting the Cardinals' Week 1 Starting Lineup Right Now

The Arizona Cardinals are likely to roll out these starters.

Aug 13, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett (7) throws a pass during the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Brytus-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

ARIZONA — The Arizona Cardinals have one preseason game standing in the way between them and the regular season.

By this time next week, Arizona's preseason will have settled and the roster will have been trimmed to 53 players. From there, head coach Mike LaFleur will have to decide on his starting lineup.

Right now, here's what that looks like:

Offense

Arizona Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love (4) practices during training camp at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on July 26, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

QB: Jacoby Brissett
RB: Jeremiyah Love/Tyler Allgeier
WR: Marvin Harrison Jr.
WR: Michael Wilson
SLOT: Kendrick Bourne
TE: Trey McBride
LT: Paris Johnson Jr.
LG: Isaac Seumalo
C: Hjalte Froholdt
RG: Isaiah Adams
RT: Elijah Wilkinson

The offense, for the most part, feels fairly set in terms of starters.

There's no doubting Brissett will be the Week 1 starter. As of now, he's best suited to run the Cardinals' offense and his $15 million guaranteed insists he'll have to lose starting duties later in the season. The likes of Gardner Minshew and Carson Beck will have to wait.

The running back room has seperated itself into different tiers, the first includes Love and Allgeier as a 1A/1B tandem. Both backs will be used, and while Love will likely have more touches than his counterpart, there's still going to be instances where Allgeier will get the nod on the first snap. It will all depend on package and personnel, so we wouldn't suggested diving too deep into who carries the starting label.

Receiver depth has been firmly established for the Cardinals, with Harrison and Wilson operating as boundary receivers while Bourne will mold into more of the slot guy. These roles, while concrete in terms of depth chart, aren't quite settled in terms of actual placement on the field. LaFleur will utilize his wideouts across different spots depending on the goal of the play.

Trey McBride. That's the tight end analysis.

Starters along the offensive line are fairly set, as right guard was essentially the only spot where a job was potentially up for grabs. However, after Chase Bisontis' injury, the Cardinals' starting right guard spot appears to be solely for Adams. All other four spots have been set for months now.

Defense

Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker (3) practices during training camp at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on July 26, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

DL: Darius Robinson
DL: Walter Nolen III
DL: Roy Lopez
OLB: Josh Sweat
OLB: Zaven Collins
ILB: Mack Wilson Sr.
ILB: Jack Gibbens/Cody Simon
CB: Will Johnson
SLOT: Garrett Williams
CB: Denzel Burke
S: Budda Baker
S: Andrew Wingard

The Cardinals' defensive line rotates heavily, so similar to the running back spot, we wouldn't put too much stock into who is a "starter" though Nolen very obviously will be out there every week. Robinson's stock continues to fall while Lopez is at the top of a bullpen-style DL room.

The same, to certain extends, can be said about the outside linebacker's room. Josh Sweat – whenever healthy — is the obvious top edge rusher while Zaven Collins will most likely get starts due to his first-round status and ability to play the run, though Baron Browning is the team's top rotational guy for obvious pass-rushing scenarios.

Inside linebacker is manned by Mack Wilson Sr. and what will surely be a committee approach between Simon and Gibbens. Both have different skillsets that will be deployed by defensive coordinator Nick Rallis. Gibbens is more equipped to handle pass coverage duties.

Johnson is a solid starting cornerback, and the team's recent elevation of Williams from PUP gives them their starting slot defender back into the mix. The third spot is believed to be a close race with numerous guys, though Burke's prior experience starting last year gives him the edge at this point in time.

Baker is a cornerstone for the team, though perhaps one of the biggest storylines resides in the arrival of Wingard and his ability to claim the starting title from Dadrion Taylor-Demerson. Wingard has impressed everybody in the Cardinals' building since his arrival.