As far as the NFL calendar goes, this is just about the quietest time of year. Rosters have been formed through free agency and the draft, and training camp is still two months away.
But that downtime provides a useful opportunity to analyze where the Arizona Cardinals stand ahead of new coach Mike LaFleur’s first season.
Here, then, is a selection of answers to questions posed by you, the Cardinals’ fans.
Question: How many weeks should Carson Beck get to start this season for him to get a "fair" look? —@JPatrick_AZ
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Beck during rookie mini-camp practice on May 8, 2026, at the Dignity Health Arizona Cardinals Training Center in Tempe.
Answer: The Cardinals’ quarterback situation will be a central storyline all summer, so this is a logical place to start.
There’s no simple answer to this question, but it feels like we learn a lot about rookie quarterbacks within their first four or five games. By that point, defenses have had time to adjust and construct game plans, while quarterbacks have had time to build chemistry with their receivers. The picture begins to crystallize.
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Think about last season. Within a month of being named the starter, it was clear that Jaxson Dart and Tyler Shough had traits worth exploring further. On the flip side, Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders quickly looked far short of the threshold to be NFL starters.
So in a vacuum, I’d like to see Beck get a similar opportunity.
But there’s more context worth considering here, too. If the Cardinals are a surprise contender behind Jacoby Brissett, they’ll (rightfully) stick with him. If Beck struggles in training camp and in practice, he might show the coaching staff he’s not yet ready for that opportunity. And what if he plays well in a five-game sample but the Cardinals still get the No. 1 overall pick? The opportunity to draft a highly touted prospect might usurp whatever Beck can show.
Q: Player injuries and development aside, what are the specific changes on the defensive side with coaching and scheme that will hopefully bring about improvement? — @Generalist_Josh
A: Many of you had questions about how the defense will improve, given that defensive coordinator Nick Rallis retained his job. And it’s certainly an understandable question. I asked the same thing of general manager Monti Ossenfort last month, and his response was essentially that the Cardinals’ health and player development will be better.
That might be a frustrating answer, given that the Cardinals’ defense was historically bad over the final two months last year, but there is logic behind it. A year ago, Rallis was viewed as one of the league’s top young coordinators, thanks to his creative, versatile scheme. One bad season doesn’t necessarily mean that he has no good ideas.
Rallis has acknowledged that he learned some difficult lessons last year. There were times (the Rams home game and Panthers game come to mind) when he admitted that his game plan was far too timid. Certainly, he’s not going to run out the same playbook as last year.
But player development will be crucial, and that starts with the position coaches. The defensive line was woeful last year, so defensive line coach Winston DeLattiboudere (six years of coaching experience) was replaced by Pete Kwiatkowski (38 years of experience). Rod Wilson was hired to coach linebackers after spending seven of the past nine years with the Chiefs, so he has tangible NFL experience. Zac Etheridge brings 14 years of college coaching experience to the cornerbacks room.
Relative to the rest of the league, the Cardinals do still have a staff that lacks significant time coaching in the NFL. But it’s overhauled from last year, which should have an impact on player development and the mental mistakes that so many players made last season. The constant blown assignments in coverage, in particular, could be mitigated.
Right now, that seems like the plan: better health, better player development, better focus on details, slightly more schematic aggression. We’ll find out in September whether it was enough.
Q: Who starts at inside linebacker from what we know so far? Does (Jack) Gibbens seem primed for a backup role, or could he leapfrog Cody Simon? — @blakemurphy7
A: In 2023, Ossenfort signed Kyzir White to be a starting linebacker for a $3.3 million cap hit after playing 76.3% of snaps the year before. In 2025, he signed Akeem Davis-Gaither to be a starting linebacker for a $3.8 million cap hit after playing 47% of snaps the year before.
This year, he signed Gibbens for a $3.7 million cap hit after playing 45.2% of snaps the year before.
Like it or not, this is how Ossenfort views the position — as a spot that can be filled relatively cheaply, by signing a player who was a part-time option to a full-time role. So, entering OTAs, I would view it the opposite way. Gibbens, with four years of NFL experience, figures to be the favorite, although Simon could leapfrog him if he shows that he’s ready for a major Year 2 jump.
Q: How does this offensive line shape up? — @Monsterdemo2
A: Four spots are pretty clear: Paris Johnson Jr. at left tackle, Isaac Seumalo at left guard, Hjalte Froholdt at center, Chase Bisontis at right guard. That quartet could be above average, especially if Bisontis has a quick transition to the NFL.
Position-wise, Bisontis is the only uncertainty, as he mostly played left guard in college. But he also spent time at right tackle and played one game at right guard, so switching sides shouldn’t be overly onerous. He’s said as much repeatedly since draft day.
The big question, of course, is at right tackle. Elijah Wilkinson has the inside track, but he’s a career journeyman on a $2.9 million cap hit. It’s not impossible to envision that 2025 undrafted free agent Josh Fryar or 2024 fifth-round pick Christian Jones could push for playing time, given that both have shown flashes in their limited NFL opportunities. It’s a roster battle to watch during training camp, and it may be central to the Cardinals’ hopes of fielding an average (or better) offensive line in 2026.
Q: What letter grade would you give Cardinals’ management for its offseason efforts? — @MrEd315
A: When assessing Cardinals’ management, I’m adjusting for factors outside of their control. For example, the Cardinals’ head coach job was clearly perceived to be one of the two least desirable this cycle, along with that of the Browns. That’s because they lacked a clear path to a franchise quarterback, they have an owner with a checkered reputation around the league, and they rarely pay top dollar to build out a staff of assistant coaches.
Given those constraints, Mike LaFleur is an exciting hire — even though he struggled in his only previous stop as a playcaller. The Cardinals were never seriously in play for John Harbaugh, Kevin Stefanski or Jesse Minter, among others.
So with that context out of the way, I would give the Cardinals a C for their offseason.
The main issue is that it’s difficult to see a coherent roster-building philosophy. A lot of the individual moves make sense, but put together, the picture is murkier.
Their biggest free agent move was signing a talented but injury-prone, aging left guard, Seumalo. Their biggest draft move was, obviously, selecting a running back third overall. Those are moves that teams make when they view themselves as a contender ready to be pushed over the top.
But if the Cardinals want to contend in 2026, it’s hard to understand the plan at quarterback and right tackle. They have $20.9 million in remaining effective cap space, per Over The Cap, and could have easily pursued players such as quarterback Malik Willis and right tackle Rasheed Walker.
And if they want to rebuild, it’s hard to understand not using more resources to add young players at premium positions — the types of players who could become the spine of a future roster.
