The Arizona Cardinals may have added another loss to the column, but in the strange math of the NFL’s rebuilding calculus, that defeat came with a silver lining. As of now, the Cardinals hold the sixth overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft - a position that could prove pivotal for a franchise still shaping its future.
Here’s where the draft order currently stands for non-playoff teams:
- New York Giants (2-12)
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-12)
- Tennessee Titans (2-12)
- Cleveland Browns (3-11)
- New York Jets (3-11)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-11)
- New Orleans Saints (4-10)
- Washington Commanders (4-10)
- Cincinnati Bengals (4-10)
- Los Angeles Rams (via Atlanta Falcons) (5-9)
- Kansas City Chiefs (6-8)
- Minnesota Vikings (6-8)
- Miami Dolphins (6-7)
- Dallas Cowboys (6-7-1)
- Baltimore Ravens (7-7)
- Carolina Panthers (7-7)
- Detroit Lions (8-6)
- New York Jets (via Indianapolis Colts) (8-6)
Now, let’s talk about what this means for Arizona.
At 3-11, the Cardinals are part of a crowded cluster of teams sitting just below the top five. They’re tied with Cleveland and the Jets, but because of strength-of-schedule tiebreakers, they land at No.
- That’s a spot that could net them a premium talent - potentially a cornerstone piece on either side of the ball.
And here’s the kicker: Arizona’s final two games are against teams that are trending in the wrong direction. The Falcons, whose pick is currently owned by the Rams, have been sliding.
And the Bengals? That situation is getting murkier by the week.
Cincinnati, also at 4-10, is facing real questions about its trajectory. There’s chatter that Joe Burrow may be heading down a road similar to Carson Palmer’s - stepping away from the team rather than continuing on a path he no longer believes in. If that’s the case, it’s a seismic development, not just for the Bengals but for the draft landscape as a whole.
For the Cardinals, this all creates an intriguing opportunity. If they manage to win one or both of their remaining games, they could slide down the draft order - but not necessarily out of range for a difference-maker. If they lose out, they could sneak into the top five depending on how the Browns and Jets finish.
Either way, they’re in a position to make a meaningful move come April.
The bottom line? Arizona is in that sweet spot where every game left on the schedule matters - not for playoff implications, but for shaping the long-term foundation of the franchise. Whether they’re eyeing a franchise QB, a dominant edge rusher, or a playmaker on the outside, the Cardinals are sitting in a position of quiet power.
The draft board is still fluid. The playoff teams will sort themselves out. But for teams like Arizona, this is where the real strategy begins.