The Arizona Cardinals don’t exactly inspire confidence when you zoom out to the 2027-2029 window.
That’s the verdict from ESPN’s future power rankings, which placed Arizona at No. 32, dead last in the league. The rankings weighed each team’s quarterback situation, the rest of the roster, the front office and the coaching staff, and the Cardinals came out at the bottom of the pile.
Quarterback is the biggest drag. Arizona checked in at 63 percent in that category, a number ESPN labeled as very bad. The other three areas landed in a narrow band from 70.75 to 72.75, which is only barely average.
There is some young offensive talent in place. Running back Jeremiyah Love, tight end Trey McBride and wideouts Michael Wilson and Marvin Harrison Jr. give the offense a foundation to work with. But that group can only carry the outlook so far when the quarterback spot remains such a question mark.
ESPN pointed to a couple of ways that picture could change. The Cardinals’ future gets a lot brighter if they land a top rookie quarterback in 2027 or if Carson Beck turns into a franchise-caliber passer.
On defense, the list of young building blocks is short. Walter Nolen and Will Johnson are the only young players specifically mentioned as pieces to build around, while Josh Sweat and Budda Baker are already on the older side.
So while Arizona does have a few promising names scattered across the roster, the overall case is pretty hard to make against the last-place ranking.
In Other News...
James Conner Suddenly Sits At Center Of A Cardinals Roster Crunch
With cutdown day looming on Aug. 30, James Conner has found himself in the kind of late-summer conversation running backs usually want to avoid. The veteran is one of several notable names mentioned as teams sort through a shrinking roster picture, and for Arizona the discussion is especially pointed because the backfield is suddenly tied to a broader set of decisions about experience, depth and how much room there really is for established players once the 53-man roster is set.
The speculation around Conner is part of a larger wave of veteran uncertainty across the league, with familiar names surfacing as possible release or trade candidates before final cuts. For the Cardinals, the issue is less about what Conner has already meant to the offense and more about how quickly the numbers game can change in late August, when injuries, contract considerations and roster shuffling can turn a seemingly stable spot into one of the most watched decisions on the team. [Read more 🡒]
Rondale Moore Is Giving Cardinals Fans A Reason To Reconsider Him
Rondale Moore has spent much of his Cardinals tenure trying to show he can be more than just a promising name with untapped upside, and his latest training camp comments fit right into that conversation. After two uneven NFL seasons, the wide receiver said he has kept a positive attitude through the challenges and feels good about the work he has put in this summer, giving Arizona at least a reason to look again at a player who has not always had the easiest path to proving himself.
The encouraging part for the Cardinals is not just that Moore sounds refreshed, but that he believes the camp has been productive in a way that matters for the offense. He has also talked about staying focused on his process rather than getting caught up in outside noise, which is the sort of steady mindset teams hope to see when a player is trying to carve out a bigger role. For Arizona, the question now is whether that approach turns into something more meaningful once the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Face A Jeremiyah Love Debate Fans Wont Ignore
Jeremiyah Love gave the Cardinals plenty to think about in the first half of their preseason game, handling 14 touches before the conversation shifted from usage to durability. Arizona has been trying to balance getting its rookie running back enough work to settle in with not overdoing it in a game environment that often features backup defenders and uneven protection.
Loves workload was already drawing attention when the ankle issue surfaced late in his final offensive snap, and now the bigger question is how much time he may miss as the regular season approaches. The Cardinals want him ready by Week 1, but the episode has turned a routine preseason evaluation into a test of patience, caution and how much risk the team is willing to take with one of its most closely watched young players. [Read more 🡒]