Cardinals' Week 15 Loss to Texans Brings Draft Silver Lining Amid Tough Season
GLENDALE - The scoreboard told a familiar story for the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday: another lopsided loss, this time 40-20 at the hands of the Houston Texans. But beneath the sting of a 3-11 record, there’s a silver lining-Arizona is quietly climbing the 2026 NFL Draft board.
Thanks to wins by the Washington Commanders and New Orleans Saints, the Cardinals have moved up from the No. 8 to the No. 6 spot in the projected draft order. And with three weeks left in the regular season, there’s a realistic path for Arizona to crack the top five-or even the top three-if a few things break their way.
The Draft Climb: What Needs to Happen
Arizona is currently locked in a three-way tie at 3-11 with the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets. To leapfrog into the top five, the Cardinals would need one of those two teams to find a late-season win while Arizona continues to lose out. That’s easier said than done, especially considering the Cardinals’ remaining schedule: Atlanta, Cincinnati, and the Rams.
While the Falcons and Bengals are already out of playoff contention and may be more focused on draft positioning themselves, the Rams are still playing competitive football. Arizona's final home game comes in Week 16 against Atlanta, and with head coach Jonathan Gannon potentially coaching for his future, there’s a chance he tries to rally the team for a home sendoff win. That kind of emotional edge could complicate the team’s draft trajectory.
But if Arizona continues to struggle defensively-especially giving up 40 or more points as they did in Week 15-draft positioning could take care of itself.
Who to Watch: Browns, Jets, and That Strength of Schedule
The Browns face a gauntlet to close the season: Buffalo, Pittsburgh, and Cincinnati. With the Bills and Steelers both fighting for playoff spots, Cleveland’s best shot at a win might come in Week 18 against the Bengals.
The Jets, meanwhile, might hold the key to Arizona’s draft fate. They face the 4-10 Saints in Week 16, and if New York can pull off a win in New Orleans, it could push the Cardinals into the top five. Rookie quarterback Tyler Shough gives the Saints a bit of a spark, but this matchup looks like Arizona’s best chance at outside help.
There’s also the matter of strength of schedule (SOS), which plays a major role in draft tiebreakers. The Cardinals currently sit with the second-highest SOS in the league at .571-an unfortunate stat when it comes to breaking ties for draft order.
Essentially, when teams finish with the same record, the team with the easier schedule picks earlier. So in most tiebreaker scenarios, Arizona is coming out on the short end.
Facing the 5-9 Falcons and 4-10 Bengals in the final stretch could help nudge that SOS number down a bit, but it’s unclear if it’ll be enough to swing any tiebreakers in Arizona’s favor.
Big Picture: Draft Hope in a Rebuilding Year
This season hasn’t been about wins for the Cardinals-it’s been about laying the foundation for the future. And while the weekly results have been tough to watch, the draft implications from each loss are starting to add up. With three games to go, Arizona has a real shot to land a premium pick in a draft class loaded with top-end talent.
Whether they stay at six or climb higher, the next few weeks will be pivotal-not just on the field, but in shaping the franchise’s direction heading into 2026.