Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Arizona Cardinals enter the 2026 NFL Draft with the No. 3 overall pick, fully committed to a rebuild after releasing quarterback Kyler Murray.
- New head coach Mike LaFleur must decide which veteran players are expendable and identify successors, focusing on positions that will shape the team's future.
- Key decisions loom over the team's quarterback, linebacker, safety, and running back positions, with high-profile prospects ready to step into starting roles.
The Arizona Cardinals are fully in rebuild mode. That was confirmed when the team released quarterback Kyler Murray after finishing 3-14 in 2025. New head coach Mike LaFleur inherits the No. 3 overall pick in April's NFL Draft with myriad options to kick off said rebuild. How he approaches all of the Cardinals' seven selections will hinge on what positions are considered highest priority.
That's going to include choosing which team veterans are the most expendable and sorting out succession plans. Let's evaluate which of those veterans he may circle on his list.
QB Jacoby Brissett
Arizona has two choices when it comes to the quarterback position. It can either draft a prospect now and sit them behind Brissett and backup Gardner Minshew or it can wait for 2027 and likely pick just as high amongst those prospects. If the Cardinals decline to go with a class that's expected to include Arch Manning and Dante Moore, there's really only one other prospect in 2026 that fits the bill and that's Alabama's Ty Simpson.
That selection would likely occur if Arizona trades back from No. 3 in order to acquire more draft capital. Nevertheless, Brissett is 33 years old and showed flashes of brilliance in 2025 that likely won't be sustainable long term in 2026. The Cardinals need a passer for the future and Simpson's combine performance may have convinced the team he's worth taking early.
LB Zaven Collins
After five seasons, Collins has been a strong and steady presence on Arizona's defense. His performances are not cause for concern nor reason for him to be replaced. Instead, Collins can be viewed as potential trade bait — whether at the draft or by the in-season deadline — who will return significant draft capital for the team.
If the front office has him on that kind of list, it should be looking for his replacement at No. 3 overall. Texas Tech's David Bailey or Ohio State's Arvell Reese immediately come to mind and have been frequently mocked to Arizona at that position. Either linebacker prospect would arrive in Glendale as a day one starter and be able to seamlessly transition into Collins' role if and whenever he departs the desert.
S Budda Baker
Similar to Collins, Budda Baker is a staple in the Cardinals secondary but has put in several more years of service. Entering his ninth and age 30 season, Baker really just needs a successor to ensure a smooth transition on the defensive front while the rebuild continues regardless of trade potential.
Enter Ohio State safety Caleb Downs. He'd probably not be taken as high as No. 3 but if that's the guy Arizona wants, then trading down into the pick No. 10-12 range should garner a healthy number of additional selections while ensuring his availability. Downs is a versatile prospect who can play multiple variations of the safety position. He's a potential day one starter that gives Arizona the flexibility to explore trades for Baker later on.
RB James Connor
The 30-year-old rusher re-worked the final year of his contract with the Cardinals to stick around. He's had health issues, including a foot injury that ended his 2025 campaign in Week 3, that should have Arizona's front office eyeing a successor. Free agent addition Tyler Allgeier is a touchdown sniper but not a true No. 1 back and Trey Benson — now third string — didn't prove himself to be an RB1 when given the chance last year.
This is where rolling the dice on Heisman Trophy finalist Jeremiyah Love would come in. Some would claim taking him at No. 3 overall is a reach but more and more mocks have him selected within the Top 5. Love would arrive in Glendale with the opportunity to develop behind Connor and Allgeier, likely proving himself ahead of schedule and given larger snap counts. By 2027, Connor will be gone and he can truly beat out the 25-year-old Allgeier for the RB1 roll.