There's a reason why the Arizona Cardinals were the last team to hire a new head coach in this year's cycle. The team's roster needs more work than any of their peers. New head man Mike LaFleur has a ton of work to do in order to get his new team anywhere near playoff contention.
Interestingly, the Cardinals were also the last team to hire a coach when they appointed Jonathan Gannon back in 2023. Clearly, that decision did not work out for the franchise. That does not mean LaFleur is doomed to fail just like his predecessor.
The Cardinals do not get an extra point for taking their time to name a new head coach. Their slow process was a product of their messy situation than any sort of methodical process. LaFleur still has a real chance to turn the ship around though. Here's why the former Rams' offensive coordinator can get his new team headed in the right direction.
Mike LaFleur can bring the Rams offense to the Cardinals
The Cardinals offensive depth chart needs triage this offseason, but it's not entirely devoid of talent. Bringing a coherent offensive system to Arizona is one of the biggest benefits of hiring LaFleur.
Questions swirl around whether or not Kyler Murray is going to retain his grip on the starting quarterback job. That's a big question LaFluer will need to answer immediately. If he doesn't want to work with Murray, he should not waste time to make the sea change at the game's most important position.
The good news for Cardinals fans is that LaFleur can use what he's learned from Sean McVay to drastically upgrade the team's quarterback play. The Rams offensive staff excels at putting quarterbacks in position to succeed. Matthew Stafford isn't the only signal-caller who has benefited from the team's comfortable offensive ecosystem. Jared Goff resurrected his career under McVay. Los Angeles even managed to build a functional offensive system around backup John Wolford for stretches of time due to McVay's offensive genius.
The Rams' decision to trade Goff could also be a signal of what LaFleur might prefer to do with Murray. His massive salary may make a trade impossible, but it does lend credence to the idea that LaFleur won't shy away from making a big call about his team's quarterback.
Mike LaFleur can help boost the Cardinals' pass-catching corps
The Rams ability to get the most out of their wide receiver talent should convey to Arizona. LaFleur will miss working with a superstar like Puka Nacua, but he's got some intriguing young options to work with on his new roster.
Marvin Harrison Jr. is one wideout who should be salivating at the idea of operating in LaFleur's system. He has not turned into the superstar many projected him to be out of Ohio State, but it's important to remember that he'll just be playing his age-24 season in 2026. Deploying him in the Cooper Kupp role would be a good first step for LaFleur to get the former first-rounder's career back on the right track.
Superstar tight end Trey McBride is another offensive player who could be a big winner in LaFleur's new offense. The Rams never shy away from working to exploit mismatches. McBride can torment opponents with his unique combination of size and speed from the tight end position. Expect him to function even more like a big slot after LaFleur gets his hands on Arizona's playbook.
LaFleur can help the Cardinals on defense too
A good deal of the Rams' success in recent seasons has been a product of their front's ability to produce prodigious pressure. The Cardinals do not possess the personnel to do that right now, but LaFleur understands the benefits of having a dominant defensive line. That should help drive some of the Cardinals' personnel decisions.
Finding a blue-chip edge rusher should be a big priority for the Cardinals in the draft. The roster has a lot of needs to fill via the draft, but LaFleur needs to pound the table for his new team to fill premium voids with their premium picks. High-quality edge rushers are hard to come by in free agency and are expensive to retain. Arizona needs to find one in the draft and LaFleur can tell his front office just how impactful that can be.
Cardinals fans need to be patient with their new head coach
Mike LaFleur has all of the characteristics needed to succeed in Arizona, but he cannot turn the ship around overnight. The roster needs a major overhaul before it's going to be ready to compete for a playoff berth. The priority for LaFleur in his first season should be getting the team back on solid footing. If he flirts with a .500 record in 2026 he might deserve Coach of the Year consideration.