The Cardinals open their 2026 season with a road trip that asks a lot right away. Week 1 brings a matchup with the Chargers, a team that went 11-6-0 last year under Jim Harbaugh and showed it with a playoff berth. Arizona, meanwhile, is still sorting out a roster that has been heavily reshaped since Mike LaFleur was hired as head coach.
That makes the first test a revealing one. The Cardinals are expected to start with three new offensive line starters, and the front five has to function as one unit instead of a collection of parts.
That challenge only gets steeper against a Chargers defense that ranked #5 overall last season, allowing just 285.2 combined yards per game. Los Angeles was also #5 against the pass and #8 against the run.
For Arizona, the clearest path starts on the ground. LaFleur wants a run-first foundation with a short passing game and multiple tight ends mixed in, and that’s a big reason the Cardinals spent the third overall pick on a running back instead of one of the elite pass rushers available. Last season, though, Arizona was stuck at #31 in rushing with just 93.1 yards per game, and the offense finished #22 in red-zone scoring at 54.1%.
That has to change, even if it won’t happen all at once. The Cardinals need their rushing game to do enough to steady the offense and help manage the clock.
Tyler Allgeier is expected to handle most of the carries, while rookie Jeremiyah Love should get his share if his ankle is fully healthy, though not a full workload. The line will be under immediate scrutiny too, with RG Isaish Adams already ruled out, rookie RG Chase Bisontis on IR, Jon Gaines stepping in after a strong camp and preseason, and LG Isaac Seumalo still a question mark.
The other major issue is keeping the Chargers’ pass rush from taking over. Los Angeles can come at an offense from multiple angles, with Tuli Tuipulotu working as an EDGE rusher and Khalil Mack back in California. Mack, the 2016 “NFL Defensive Player of the Year,” returned from a dislocated elbow that sent him to IR last year and finished the 2025 season with 11 starts, 32 total tackles, 5.5 sacks, 11 QB hits, 11 hurries, and 23 pressures.
Tuipulotu brings the burst that makes life miserable for tackles. The former USC standout piled up 21 sacks in college, including 13.5 in his final season, along with 22 tackles for loss.
He was a unanimous All-American, a two-time All-Pac-12 selection, and the “Polynesian College Football Player of the Year.” In 2025, he added 13.0 sacks and now has 26 in three NFL seasons, plus 39 tackles for loss, 52 QB hits, and 73 pressures.
He was limited in practice on Thursday, but is expected to play.
That means a lot will fall on RT Elijah Wilkinson and LT Paris Johnson, especially in the Wilkinson-Tuipulotu matchup. Can Johnson contain him? Stay tuned.
On the other side of the ball, Arizona has to make Justin Herbert uncomfortable and force the Chargers out of their rhythm. Herbert is dangerous when he can settle in, work through his reads, and let the short game open up. If he gets time to set his feet, he can attack tight windows and push the ball deep.
That puts extra pressure on the Cardinals’ secondary, especially with Garrett Williams’ status unclear. If Williams is limited or unavailable, Max Melton would move into the default outside role with Will Johnson, while Denzel Burke would shift into the slot.
The coaching staff has complete trust in all four players, but the Cardinals still need them to hold up against a receiver group led by Ladd McConkey and also featuring Quentin Johnston and Tre’ Harris. Rookie wideout Brenan Thompson, a fourth-round pick, is expected to see a decent number of snaps as well.
In Other News...
Cardinals Are Handling Carson Beck Like He Still Matters Big Time
The Cardinals may have already settled the top of their quarterback depth chart for 2026, but they are still treating Carson Beck like a player worth investing in. Head coach Mike LaFleur said the team has been splitting scout-team work between Beck and backup Gardner Minshew, a deliberate move designed to keep the rookie getting meaningful reps as he continues to develop behind Jacoby Brissett.
That approach lines up with what Arizona saw from Beck in his preseason appearance, when he flashed enough promise before a rib injury slowed him down. For a third-string quarterback, that kind of attention usually says plenty about how a staff views the long-term picture, and the Cardinals seem intent on keeping Beck's confidence and progress moving in the right direction even if he is not part of the immediate plan. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Linked To A Blue-Chip WR Scenario Fans Will Debate
Jeremiah Smith is already showing up as one of the most talked-about names in early 2027 mock draft chatter, and for good reason. The Ohio State wide receiver has been framed as a blue-chip prospect with the kind of talent that can reshape an offense, which is why hes landing in some wildly different projections depending on who is doing the guessing.
For Cardinals fans, the intrigue is obvious because CBS Sports has floated Arizona as a possible landing spot, where Smith would be viewed as a fit alongside the teams current receiver group. Bleacher Report sees a different path, sending him to Miami instead, and that split is exactly what makes this kind of early forecast worth watching: the player is drawing real buzz, but the final answer is still a long way off. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Could Face A Brutal Brissett Decision If Losses Keep Mounting
Jacoby Brissett arrived in Arizona as more than a placeholder, and the Cardinals have treated him that way. He was named the starting quarterback, voted a team captain and rewarded with a significant raise, all signs that the organization wanted stability while it sorted out the rest of the position room. For now, the plan is straightforward: lean on Brissett, keep the offense steady and see whether the veteran can help bridge the gap while the franchise keeps an eye on its younger options.
But the longer the losses pile up, the more the conversation could shift from short-term stability to long-term evaluation. ESPNs Jeremy Fowler has floated Brissett as a possible midseason trade candidate if Arizona struggles, a scenario that would open the door for the Cardinals to take a closer look at Carson Beck. It is still only speculation, and it depends on both team results and Brissetts play, but it also highlights how quickly a quarterback plan can change in the NFL when a season starts drifting off course. [Read more 🡒]