The Arizona Cardinals’ trade deadline told a story all by itself.
Sitting at 3-6 and battered by injuries, Arizona had every reason to act like a seller. The roster had enough talent moving around the league to make a future-focused move, and the Cardinals also had a chance to load up even more draft capital for 2027. Instead, they stayed put.
That decision matters because it came with Monti Ossenfort already under a brighter spotlight than usual. Michael Bidwill brought him back for a fourth season, even after firing Jonathan Gannon, and that alone made Ossenfort’s situation one of the more closely watched in the desert. General managers don’t get judged the same way coaches do, but three seasons is still enough time for people around the team to start drawing conclusions.
Arizona’s first three years under Ossenfort have given critics plenty to work with. He inherited a stripped-down roster in 2023, and the next season briefly looked like a breakthrough was coming when the Cardinals entered their bye week atop the NFC West.
Then it unraveled. The 2025 season didn’t deliver a rebound, either, and through three years the Cardinals had won just 15 games.
That’s why the deadline became such a revealing moment. A GM who sells off pieces for future picks is usually signaling confidence that he’ll be around to see the plan through. A GM who stands pat can be sending a different message entirely: win now, worry about tomorrow later.
Ossenfort chose the second path.
That’s especially notable because Arizona reportedly had an offer of a second-round pick for Budda Baker, and Josh Sweat is headed toward a decision point next offseason, when he’ll either be looking for a new contract or a trade. His value won’t be close to what it was at the deadline, which only adds more weight to the choice not to move him.
There had been some chatter around Marvin Harrison Jr. and Jacoby Brissett that made the Cardinals look open for business, but the reality was less dramatic. Harrison hired agents for the first time in his NFL career and practically facilitated a way out, while Brissett was quickly demoted to QB3/emergency duties.
So when the deadline arrived, Arizona’s lack of movement said plenty. The Cardinals did not lean into a teardown, and they did not chase extra draft ammo. They kept the focus on the present, even if that meant leaving future assets on the table.
Now the second half becomes even more important. Maybe Ossenfort’s fate is already set.
Maybe it hinges on how competitive the Cardinals can be from here. Maybe injuries, once again, will shape how this all gets judged.
Either way, the message from the deadline was clear: winning right now is the priority in Arizona. And for a banged-up 3-6 team with a rookie head coach, that’s not exactly a comforting sign for the general manager’s future.
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Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported that there is interest in Baker, and the Cardinals now find themselves in the familiar spot of having to weigh present value against future flexibility. Whether Arizona is actually open to moving him is still unclear, and with other teams potentially circling, this is the kind of deadline storyline that can shift quickly if the right offer comes along. [Read more 🡒]
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The bigger question is which direction Arizona wants to lean, because the list of possibilities also includes a quarterback option, a reminder that the deadline can be as much about insurance as it is about ambition. The Cardinals have not played themselves out of the conversation, but they also have not earned the luxury of standing pat if they believe one addition could help stabilize the roster and keep the season from slipping further away. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Suddenly Have A QB Depth Problem Behind Carson Beck
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What makes the addition notable is the commitment that comes with it. Under NFL rules, Arizona has to keep Aguilar on the active roster for at least three weeks, so this is more than a temporary shuffle. For a team trying to stay organized at the games most important position, the Cardinals are now carrying a depth decision that will linger for a bit. [Read more 🡒]