Budda Baker

"Last season was an injury-ravaged calamity for the Cardinals, who finished in a four-way tie for the NFL’s worst record (3-14) but had to settle for the No. 3 pick in the draft. Former franchise quarterback Kyler Murray, among the Cardinals’ many ailing players, appeared in just five games in what turned out to be his last season with the team. The Cardinals divorced themselves from Murray and head coach Jonathan Gannon in the offseason, though general manager Monti Ossenfort survived the ax. Ossenfort hired Gannon, who flopped, but he was not in place when the Cardinals drafted Murray first overall in 2019. Thanks in part to Murray’s injuries and inconsistency, the Cardinals have gone an abysmal 15-36 during the Ossenfort era. With that in mind, owner Michael Bidwill gave Ossenfort the benefit of the doubt and kept him around to select a second head coach. While previewing the Cardinals’ offseason in late February, PFR’s Sam Robinson went into great detail on their drawn-out HC search. In the end, a month and a half after Gannon’s dismissal, Ossenfort landed on former Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur. The Kyle Shanahan/Sean McVay disciple also has past experience on the 49ers’ coaching staff, giving him plenty of familiarity with the NFC West. McVay’s Rams and Shanahan’s 49ers are perennial contenders, however, while the Cardinals are mired in a four-year playoff drought that is all but guaranteed to reach five in 2026. The 39-year-old LaFleur is tasked with turning the Cardinals around, but it will not happen right away in the NFL’s least forgiving division. The Rams are considered the Lombardi Trophy favorites, the 49ers should be in the mix, and the reigning Super Bowl champion Seahawks are aiming for a repeat. While expectations are through the roof for those teams, they could not be much lower for the Cardinals. Notable losses: Andre Baccellia, WR (released) Kelvin Beachum, T Aaron Brewer, LS Evan Brown, OL (released) Pharaoh Brown, TE Calais Campbell, DL Michael Carter, RB Akeem Davis-Gaither, LB (released) Josiah Deguara, TE Emari Demercado, RB (non-tendered) Greg Dortch, WR Matt Haack, P Darren Hall, CB Will Hernandez, G Zay Jones, WR Joshua Karty, K (released) Kyler Murray, QB (post-June 1 cut) PJ Mustipher, DT (waived) Bilal Nichols, DT (released) J.J. Russell, ILB Dalvin Tomlinson, DT (released) Jalen Thompson, S Channing Tindall, ILB Jonah Williams, RT Fresh off a Heisman Trophy-winning season at Oklahoma, Murray joined the Cardinals as their second consecutive first-round quarterback. Former GM Steve Keim took Josh Rosen 10th overall in what turned out to be a loaded QB class in 2018, but it quickly became apparent the former UCLA standout was in over his head. Keim flipped Rosen to the Dolphins shortly after he drafted Murray, paving the way for the latter to take the helm without any controversy. The Rosen choice was an obvious whiff, whereas Murray had moments of excellence in the desert. In his first few seasons, Murray won Offensive Rookie of the Year, earned two original-ballot Pro Bowl nods, and led Arizona to 11 wins and a playoff berth in 2021. Arizona was on the wrong end of a 34-11 rout against the Rams in the wild-card round, but there was optimism the Cardinals were just getting started. In handing Murray a five-year, $230.5MM extension in July 2022, the Cardinals made it clear they expected to contend for a while. Murray was going to be at the center of it. That isn’t how it worked out at all. The Cardinals went right back to the league’s basement in 2022, a four-win campaign in which Murray tore his ACL in Week 14. Keim stepped down for health reasons after the season, and Bidwill fired head coach Kliff Kingsbury. The Ossenfort-Gannon reign began without a healthy Murray, who did not make his 2023 debut until Week 10. By then, the Cardinals were 1-8. As Murray knocked off the rust, they closed the year 3-5 to wrap up a second straight four-win season. The 2024 season was more encouraging. With Murray playing his third full season and looking more like the dangerous dual threat he was before the knee injury, the Cardinals improved to 8-9 and scored 21 more points than they allowed. The arrow seemed to be pointing up for Arizona going into last year. The club even came out of the gates at 2-0, but it took three straight losses by a combined five points and never recovered. The last of those defeats, a 22-21 collapse against the lowly Titans on Oct. 5, was the final time Murray took the field as a Cardinal. He suffered a mid-foot sprain and missed the rest of the season, leaving the reins to backup Jacoby Brissett. In early November, when it looked as if Murray had an outside chance to play again, Gannon indicated Brissett would remain the Cardinals’ starter. Rumors regarding a potential Cardinals-Murray offseason split began popping up a few days later. After the speculation persisted for multiple months, it became clear the Cardinals would indeed move on from Murray. One of the Cardinals’ main offseason goals was to find a trade partner for Murray. Accomplishing that would have been much more favorable to their cap outlook than releasing him. However, Ossenfort came up empty when he shopped Murray around at the Combine in February. The exec wound up waving the white flag on a trade when he released Murray at the start of the new league year in March. The 29-year-old quickly accepted a veteran minimum offer from Minnesota, where he will start and shoot for a career renaissance. Designating Murray a post-June 1 cut leveled the Cardinals with $54.3MM in dead money; they are taking on almost all of it ($47.1MM) this year. The remaining $7.2MM in 2027 will be a relatively minor burden in comparison. Perhaps the Cardinals will have a new franchise passer by then, but they are going to ride things out with Brissett in the interim. Cardinals fans may not have an especially fond view of Murray, but the opposite is true of Campbell. The former second-rounder established himself as one of the franchise’s all-time greats from 2008-16, his first nine seasons in the league. He made five Pro Bowls and tallied 56.5 sacks in that stretch, helping him earn a place on the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team. Campbell left Arizona in 2017 to sign with Jacksonville, but after dividing eight years between the Jaguars, Ravens, Falcons and Dolphins, he rejoined the Cardinals in 2025. Although it was Campbell’s age-39 season, he still had plenty to offer. While starting all 17 games and playing 45% of defensive snaps, he produced 43 tackles, 16 QB hits, nine TFLs and 6.5 sacks. Along with his prolific counting stats, the 18-year veteran impressed Pro Football Focus, which ranked him as the game’s 23rd-best interior defensive lineman out of 127 qualifiers. Campbell suggested last August that he would hang up his cleats after the season. The six-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro did mull retirement early in the offseason, but he decided on another go-around with the Ravens during the spring. Campbell may finish his career on a contending team in Baltimore, while Arizona’s already suspect defense took a hit when he exited. The good news for the Cardinals is that young linemen like 2024 first-rounder Darius Robinson and ’25 first-rounder Walter Nolen could not have had a better mentor than Campbell, a revered on- and off-field presence. In addition to waving goodbye to Campbell, the Cardinals’ defense saw another key starter in Thompson depart in free agency. Thompson began in Arizona as a fifth-round pick in the 2019 supplemental draft. The league has not held a supplemental draft since (to the chagrin of Brendan Sorsby, no doubt), but the Cardinals and Thompson benefited from it seven years ago. He eventually climbed to a full-time starting role in Arizona, where he paired with Budda Baker to make up a formidable safety duo. Although Thompson started in all 77 appearances over the past four seasons, the Cardinals allowed him to test the market. He went on to score a three-year, $36MM deal with the Cowboys. As we’ll touch on below, the Cardinals did not commit anywhere near that much money to safeties following Thompson’s exit. Free agency additions: Isaac Seumalo, LG: Three years, $31.5MM ($15MM guaranteed) Tyler Allgeier, RB: Two years, $12.25MM ($8MM guaranteed) Kendrick Bourne, WR: Two years, $10MM ($6.5MM guaranteed) Roy Lopez, DT: Two years, $10.5MM ($6MM guaranteed) Gardner Minshew, QB: One year, $5.75MM ($5.14MM guaranteed) Jack Gibbens, LB: Two years, $7.5MM ($3.75MM guaranteed) Elijah Wilkinson, T: Two years, $6.25MM ($3.08MM guaranteed) Andrew Wingard, S: One year, $3MM ($1.85MM guaranteed) Casey Kreiter, LS: One year, $1.49MM ($1.26MM guaranteed) Andrew Billings, DL: One year, $2.5MM ($700K guaranteed) Devin Duvernay, WR: One year, $1.85MM ($550K guaranteed) Oli Udoh, OL: One year, $1.4MM ($350K guaranteed) Isaiah Oliver, S: One year, $1.49MM ($287,500 guaranteed) Matt Pryor, OL: One year, $1.49MM ($187,500 guaranteed) Jonah Williams, DL: One year, $1.4MM ($187,500 guaranteed) Teagan Quitoriano, TE: One year, $1.24MM After dividing his first 10 years between the league’s two Pennsylvania teams, Seumalo became the Cardinals’ richest free agent signing in the offseason. An Eagle for seven years and a Steeler for three, Seumalo has been a full-time starter since his fourth season. Injuries have dogged the 310-pounder for a large portion of his career, though he has been effective when healthy. Over 14 starts with the Steelers last year, Seumalo played 770 left guard snaps and did not take a single penalty. Seumalo earned strong overall marks from PFF, which ranked him as the league’s 15th-best guard out of 79 qualifiers. The Seumalo pickup immediately made prior LG starter Evan Brown expendable to Arizona, which released him and saved $4.91MM in cap space. Wilkinson, previously a Cardinal from 2023-24, is back to join Seumalo as one of their new starters up front. Also a former Bronco, Bear and Falcon, Wilkinson was primarily a backup over his first eight seasons. That unexpectedly changed last year in Atlanta, where he was pressed into action after right tackle Kaleb McGary and backup Storm Norton went down with severe injuries during the summer. Along with starting every one of the Falcons’ games at right tackle in 2025, Wilkinson played all 1,096 of their offensive snaps. While PFF ranked Wilkinson’s play an underwhelming 53rd among 84 qualified tackles, he could provide some needed RT stability for Arizona if he stays healthy again in 2026. Prior starter Jonah Williams combined for 19 absences from 2024-25. Williams has gone unsigned since he became a free agent five-plus months ago. Wilkinson blocked for the 225-pound Allgeier last year, the running back’s fourth and final season in Atlanta. Allgeier rushed 210 times for 1,035 yards (4.9 per attempt) as a fifth-round rookie in 2022, but then the Falcons selected Bijan Robinson eighth overall in the ensuing draft. While Allgeier still managed 186 carries in Robinson’s rookie year, he averaged just 140 from 2024-25. Likely expecting more action in Arizona, Allgeier parlayed a career 4.3 YPC and 18 TDs into a raise with the Cardinals. He initially looked as if he would start ahead of James Conner and Trey Benson. A lot has changed in the Cardinals’ backfield since then. As we’ll touch on at length later, the Cardinals spent the No. 3 overall pick on Jeremiyah Love several weeks after signing Allgeier. That quickly put Allgeier in an almost identical situation to the one he left in Atlanta. Meanwhile, Conner is still recovering from the season-ending ankle injury he incurred last September, and Benson is in roster limbo. The Cardinals waived him with an injury designation Monday. The Murray-less Cardinals already had a prototypical veteran stopgap QB in Brissett, but they nonetheless sought another on Day 1 of the legal negotiating period. LaFleur initially targeted Jimmy Garoppolo, whom he coached in San Francisco and Los Angeles, but negotiations fell apart. Arizona then made a successful pivot to the 30-year-old Minshew, who has been up and down across a 47-start, five-team career. He is now backing up Brissett, but as we will explore below, the Minshew signing had unexpected consequences for the Cardinals. Brissett has a new target in Bourne, a 2017 UDFA who played his first four seasons in San Francisco. Bourne worked closely during that period with LaFleur, then the 49ers’ pass-game coordinator and WRs coach. With LaFleur’s help, Bourne developed into a useful complementary receiver in the pros. Returning to San Francisco last season after four years in New England, Bourne hauled in 37 passes for 551 yards (14.9) over 16 games and eight starts. Despite failing to find the end zone last season, the 6-1, 205-pounder has averaged three TDs per 17 games during his career. Depending on how often Brissett targets Love, Bourne will be the Cardinals’ fourth option in the passing game at best. All-world tight end Trey McBride and the receiver duo of Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson are firmly ahead of Bourne. In need of a nose tackle after releasing Tomlinson in early March, the Cardinals pounced on Lopez when the market opened. The 312-pound Lopez, a Tempe native who played for the Cardinals from 2023-24, started in all 16 of his appearances in Arizona two years ago. Lopez went to Detroit last season for a $4.65MM payday, which ended up a good value signing for the club. He did not make any starts, but he played 17 games and chipped in personal bests in QB hits (five) and sacks (two). PFF liked Lopez’s work, grading him 18th at his position against the run and 33rd overall. If that continues, Lopez should boost a defense that gave up the league’s eighth-most rushing yards last season. Wingard spent his first seven years in Jacksonville, where he mostly worked as a backup. But the 29-year-old enjoyed more responsibilities last season under then-rookie defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile, who deployed him as a full-time starter. While playing 16 games and leading Jaguars defensive backs with an 87.68% snap share, Wingard made 84 tackles, set a career high with nine pass breakups and pulled in one INT. He finished far below Thompson in PFF’s positional rankings (69th to 33rd), but Wingard earned the outlet’s 11th-best grade among safeties as a run defender. Notably, no team allowed fewer rushing yards than the Jaguars. In addition to helping limit opposing ground games, Wingard showed versatility in racking up 566 snaps at free safety, 276 as a box safety and 98 in the slot. Thompson spent even more time at all of those spots last season, but the Cardinals may have found a passable replacement at a much cheaper price. They will rely on Wingard and third-year man Dadrion Taylor-Demerson to fill Thompson’s void. Re-signings: Simi Fehoko, WR: One year, $1.4MM ($1.26MM guaranteed) L.J. Collier, DE: One year, $2MM ($750K guaranteed) Chad Ryland, K: One year, $1.85MM ($475K guaranteed) Blake Gillikin, P: One year, $1.91MM ($450K guaranteed) Starling Thomas, CB: One year, $1.48MM ($325K guaranteed) Zonovan Knight, RB: One year, $1.2MM ($25K guaranteed) Extensions and restructures: Revised QB Jacoby Brissett‘s deal, raising his base salary from $4.88MM to $15.5MM Agreed to two-year, $20MM extension with C Hjalte Froholdt RB James Conner, CB Sean Murphy-Bunting accepted pay cuts, freeing up $9.5MM in cap space In a move that created a headache the Cardinals did not foresee, they gave Minshew an almost fully guaranteed one-year contract to back up Brissett. It did not sit well with Brissett, who was owed significantly less guaranteed money ($1.5MM) than his subordinate. Minshew barely played last season in Kansas City, whereas Brissett started in all 12 of the Cardinals’ games after Murray went down. On a mission for a raise after the Minshew signing, Brissett stayed away from the Cardinals throughout the spring. However, during the months-long standoff, the Cardinals made Brissett aware they continued to view him as their starter. That probably gave Brissett leverage in talks, despite the fact that he went 1-11 as a starter last season. In Brissett’s defense, his production (64.9% completion rate, 23 TDs against eight INTs, 94.1 rating, etc.) suggests he deserved better than the awful record his hole-filled team mustered. Around three months into his impasse with the Cardinals, Brissett reported to mandatory minicamp in early June. Doing so prevented the team from fining Brissett, who only participated in individual drills. The two sides remained far apart in negotiations as training camp got underway in late July, but in a clear sign of progress, Brissett chose not to stage a hold-in. A couple days into camp, the Cardinals finally stopped holding out on a raise. They bumped Brissett’s salary by $10.62MM and guaranteed all $15.5MM, making it clear he is above Minshew in their QB hierarchy. Froholdt has now signed three two-year deals with the Cardinals, who added the former Patriot and Brown in 2023. The Danish-born lineman was a 17-game starter in his first season with the Cardinals, and he impressed the team enough to earn a two-year, $12MM extension heading into 2024. He remained a full-time presence at center in 2024-25 for the Cards, who awarded him a raise on Tuesday. PFF has ranked Froholdt anywhere from seventh to 19th among centers in his three years as a Cardinal. The outlet placed him a respectable 14th last year, when he led the Cardinals with a 98.77% offensive snap share. He is now in line to continue as the Cards’ No. 1 center through 2028. Arizona’s Week 1 starting running back in four straight years — after complementing Chase Edmonds to open his first Cardinals campaign — Conner saw the Cards create a deep RB group this spring via the Allgeier and Love additions. Prior to those signings, Conner agreed to stay in Arizona for a sixth season by reducing his 2026 compensation to $3MM ($2.1MM guaranteed). Entering the offseason tied to the two-year, $19MM extension he signed during the 2024 season, Conner saw his 2026 cap number drop from $9.83MM to $4.83MM via the pay cut. This came after he missed 14 games last season. The ex-Steelers third-rounder, however, had eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards in 2023 and ’24; he also scored 18 touchdowns in his 2021 Cards debut. This could end up being the 10th-year veteran’s Arizona finale, as the team grabbed the top skill-position prospect available in this year’s draft. Draft: Round 1, No. 3: Jeremiyah Love (RB, Notre Dame) (signed) Round 2, No. 34: Chase Bisontis (G, Texas A&M) (signed) Round 3, No. 65: Carson Beck (QB, Miami) (signed) Round 4, No. 104: Kaleb Proctor (DT, Southeastern Louisiana) (signed) Round 5, No. 143: Reggie Virgil (WR, Texas Tech) (signed) Round 6, No. 183: Karson Sharar (LB, Iowa) (signed) Round 7, No. 217: Jayden Williams (T, Ole Miss) (signed) This class is off to a rough start from an injury standpoint. The Cardinals received terrible news on Bisontis, a premium pick who will miss his rookie season after tearing his MCL in their second preseason game. While Bisontis was behind Isaiah Adams on the Cardinals’ unofficial right guard depth chart, it would not have been a surprise to see the rookie crack the starting lineup at some point. Assuming Bisontis’ rehab goes well, he should be the favorite to start in 2027, but that’s of little solace to the 22-year-old or his team right now. As is the case with Bisontis, Proctor will not factor in this year. The 6-2, 291-pounder tore his meniscus during OTAs. Although LaFleur was not ready to rule him out for 2026 at the time, that changed when the Cardinals put Proctor on IR in July. Proctor may not have played a major role this season, but he at least would have gotten work as a rotational piece. Love and Beck, the highest-profile members of the Cards’ draft haul, also aren’t at full strength. Fortunately for Arizona, neither injury looks like a long-term problem. Love suffered a high ankle sprain in his preseason debut, but the Cardinals are hopeful he will be ready for their season opener against the Chargers on Sept. 13. Beck got off to a promising start in the Cardinals’ Hall of Fame game matchup with the Panthers on Aug. 6, though a rib injury marred his night. After missing the Cardinals’ past two preseason games, he remains limited in practice. Relatively minor injury aside, the much-hyped Love looked the part of a top-five pick in his pro debut versus the Raiders. The former Notre Dame star accounted for 72 total yards, including 58 on the ground, on 14 touches. Love averaged over 5.0 yards per carry, a rate the Cardinals should expect him to consistently approach or reach after they made him the league’s highest-drafted back in eight years. Not only that, but Love became just the fourth RB of the 2000s to go in the top five, joining Ronnie Brown (No. 2 overall, 2005), Reggie Bush (No. 2, 2006) and Saquon Barkley (No. 2, 2018). There is no doubt the Cardinals landed an uber-prospect in Love, who was borderline unstoppable as a two-year college starter. Both Dane Brugler of The Athletic and Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com rated the 6-foot, 212-pound dual threat as the second-best player in the 2026 class. Nevertheless, it is fair to wonder if the Cardinals took the responsible path in the first round. Running back was not a glaring need for the Cardinals, whereas edge defender and right tackle stood out as a couple of obvious question marks (and still do). The Cardinals could have stayed put and drafted ex-Ohio State edge rusher/linebacker Arvell Reese, who was on their pre-draft radar, or perhaps traded down a few spots and come away with O-line help. Former Miami lineman Francis Mauigoa, a popular mock draft target for the Cardinals, probably would have been a plug-and-play RT starter in Arizona. The versatile Mauigoa instead went 10th overall to the Giants, who will use him as a starting right guard. While it is debatable whether Love was a luxury pick, it is inarguable the rebuilding Cardinals put themselves in a less-than-ideal situation with regards to contract value. The rookie wage scale, which dictates draftees’ deals, locked in a guaranteed $53.9MM for the third overall pick. Consequently, Love became the top-paid RB in the league before he ever played a down. Jahmyr Gibbs, Bijan Robinson and De’Von Achane have since signed extensions and gone by Love in total value, but the rookie easily paces the position in guarantees. Conversely, had Reese gone third overall, he would have been far down the pecking order among edge defenders. Reese instead went two picks later to the Giants, who may get more bang for their buck from both he and Mauigoa than the Cardinals will from Love. The hope in Arizona is that Love and the rest of its offensive weapons will eventually team with a franchise signal-caller. The Cardinals were not in position to find one with their first pick this year, as the off-the-board Fernando Mendoza (No. 1 overall, Raiders) was considered the only QB worthy of a top-10 selection in this class. Ty Simpson was the consensus second-ranked player available at the position, but two weeks before the draft, there were questions as to whether he would fall out of the first round. The Cardinals did their due diligence on Simpson in the lead-up to the draft. Vegas even pegged them as the favorites to choose the Alabama QB prospect, but the rival Rams stamped out that possibility when they snagged the one-year Alabama starter at No. 13. The win-now Rams drafting Simpson in the first round, let alone at No. 13, came as a shock. The Rams had an offer to move down to No. 17 in a trade with the Lions, and they still might have gotten Simpson had they accepted it. However, they reportedly rebuffed Detroit amid fears the the Cardinals would trade back into Round 1, leapfrog them and nab Simpson. The Cardinals’ second pick didn’t come until No. 34, meaning they would have had to put together an expensive package to vault into the middle of the first round. Whether or not the Cardinals coveted Simpson, his arrival in the NFC West could have long-term ramifications. If he develops properly as a backup and turns into a legitimate starter in the next couple of years, the post-Matthew Stafford Rams should continue to roll. But if GM Les Snead‘s polarizing Simpson gamble flops, the Rams would finally take steps backward. The Cardinals can only hope. Fifty-two picks after commissioner Roger Goodell called Simpson’s name, the Cardinals tabbed Beck as a worthwhile developmental passer. Beck, part of a shallow QB class, was the first signal-caller taken after Simpson. Beck began his long college career at Georgia and sat behind Stetson Bennett, another of the Rams’ current backups, on two straight national title-winning teams from 2021-22. After Bennett’s exit, Beck took charge and held the job until he suffered a season-ending elbow injury in their SEC championship game win over Texas in 2024. Shortly after undergoing surgery, Beck declared for the draft, but a change of heart and a truckload of NIL money convinced him to stay in school for another year. He transferred from Georgia to Miami, which reportedly paid him upward of $4MM, and started all 16 games in 2025. Beck & Co. made it all the way to the national championship game, but they lost a 27-21 nail-biter to Mendoza-led Indiana. The Hurricanes had a chance to tie or go ahead late, but Beck threw a game-sealing pick with 44 seconds left. All told, the 6-4, 233-pound Beck combined for 43 starts with the Bulldogs and Hurricanes from 2023-25. Even though he entered the league as a battle-tested prospect, the soon-to-be 25-year-old was never going to start for the Cardinals right away. He is unlikely to ever rise above backup or spot starter status in the pros, Brugler contends. That may end up being the case, but it would behoove the Cardinals to get a look at Beck in regular-season games this year. Odds are the team will fall out of the race somewhat early, which could set Beck up to make at least a few starts. Other: Exercised $19.07MM fifth-year option for LT Paris Johnson Jr. Cardinals, WR Michael Wilson have discussed extension; deal not imminent OLB Josh Sweat has drawn trade interest; Cardinals not planning trade Director of college scouting Ryan Gold suspended for violating NFL’s gambling policy G Isaiah Adams arrested on gun charges Signed seven UDFAs Claimed DT Cam Horsley (Titans), RB Evan Hull (Texans) off waivers Ossenfort went into his first draft in 2023 holding the third overall pick. After making two trades — one positioned the Texans to draft Will Anderson Jr.; the other enabled the Lions to grab Gibbs and Sam LaPorta — Ossenfort made his first selection at No. 6. He chose Johnson, who has been a full-time starter from the get-go. Johnson, who spent his rookie year at right tackle, moved to the blind side in 2024. The 6-6, 325-pounder has held his own there, leading the Cardinals to pick up his option for 2027, though injuries limited him to 26 of a possible 34 games over the past two seasons. Johnson suffered what proved to be a season-ending PCL sprain last year in Week 14, at which point he was leading NFC tackles in Pro Bowl fan voting. Had Johnson gotten in on the original ballot, the cost of his option would have climbed over $24MM. Instead, he missed out entirely and may have lost a chance at an extra $5MM. While $5MM is a hefty chunk of change, it is miles from what it will cost to lock up the extension-eligible Johnson on a long-term deal. Johnson raised eyebrows in June when he expressed a desire to earn $40MM per season. Considering the Commanders’ Laremy Tunsil ($30.1MM) is the lone tackle averaging at least $30MM, Johnson is highly unlikely to break into the 40s. He seems to realize as much. When discussing his future in early July, Johnson acknowledged the “tackle market usually goes up by about one million over the next guy, and that’s just what it is … But my mindset is that elite guys who are rushing the quarterback — that’s what the market is for them. And I believe it takes an equivalent-level player to shut that guy down. So I’m not going out there thinking, ‘Pay me $28MM or $28.5MM.’” The option gives the Cardinals extra time to work something out with Johnson, but they do not have the same luxury with Wilson. Another member of Ossenfort’s first draft class, the former third-rounder is now in a contract year after an eye-opening 2025 effort. Wilson combined for 75 catches, 1,113 yards and seven TDs over 29 games from 2023-24 but went off for 78 receptions, 1,006 yards and seven scores last year. The quarterback switch did wonders for Wilson. In Murray’s five starts, Wilson caught just eight of 18 targets for 82 yards. A drastic turnaround ensued under Brissett, who targeted Wilson between 10 and 18 times in five games. Wilson thrice recorded double-digit catches and 100-plus yards, including a 15-reception, 185-yard extravaganza in a Week 11 loss to the 49ers. Suffice to say, he is likely pleased Brissett settled his contract dispute with the team. Wilson’s breakout came under a different offensive staff — 2025 OC Drew Petzing and receivers coach Drew Terrell are gone — but the wideout said during the spring that he is “excited every day to come to work” with LaFleur. He later expressed interest in playing his entire career with the Cardinals, while Ossenfort said “there’s no question” he wants Wilson around for the long haul. An extension still has not materialized. Perhaps the Cardinals and Wilson will find common ground, though it is possible the team is hesitant to hand out a substantial payday to someone who may only be the third option in its passing game. The well-compensated McBride is the lead dog, and the Cardinals continue to hold out hope Harrison will turn into the superstar he was billed as coming out of Ohio State. Ossenfort used the 2024 fourth overall pick on Harrison, then regarded as a can’t-miss prospect. Harrison put up a solid 62 catches, 885 yards and eight TDs during a 17-game rookie campaign, but appendicitis, a concussion and foot/heel injuries held him to 12 games in 2025. A hobbled Harrison was unable to make a Year 2 leap. Wilson’s most productive showings happened to come when Harrison was unable to play. If Harrison stays healthy this season, and if Love contributes as a receiving back to a notable degree, Wilson may not approach the 126 targets he got last year. Those are factors Ossenfort is surely considering as he weighs an extension for Wilson. He also has to think about a potential extension for Harrison, who will be eligible next offseason. On the other side of the ball, Ossenfort has to figure out what (if anything) to do with Sweat. Gannon was the Eagles’ defensive coordinator from 2021-22, Sweat’s first two seasons as a full-time starter. Sweat earned his sole Pro Bowl nod in that span and collected 36 QB hits, 22 tackles for loss and 18.5 sacks over 32 games. Gannon then left to take the Cardinals’ HC job, but Sweat reunited with him and former Eagles LBs coach/current Cardinals DC Nick Rallis a couple years later. A few weeks after Sweat’s 2.5-sack performance in a blowout of the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX, he left the Eagles for the Cardinals’ four-year, $76MM offer. Although Arizona was a bottom-feeding team in Year 1 of Sweat’s contract, he was a rare bright spot. Sweat played a full season and registered career highs in sacks (12) and forced fumbles (four), also adding 13 tackles for loss. He finished in the top 15 in the league in those departments and 30th in pressures (47), per PFF. With the price tag for high-end pass rushers continuing to increase, Sweat’s deal looks more reasonable by the day. He will play this year on an affordable base salary of $9.78MM, all of which is guaranteed, but there are no guarantees remaining after the season. While there is an argument the Cardinals should sell high on the 29-year-old, Ossenfort has turned away suitors in recent months. If Sweat is healthy in advance of the Nov. 10 trade deadline, Ossenfort will likely continue to receive phone calls from contenders in need of a pass-rushing boost. We’ll see if he is more open-minded toward moving Sweat then. Sweat has mostly lurked in the background as trade rumors have swirled around him. He skipped voluntary OTAs and did not participate in on-field work in mandatory minicamp, leading to speculation that he wanted out. When the Cardinals reported to training camp on July 22, they placed Sweat on the active/PUP list because of a knee injury. They finally activated Sweat on Monday, which should give him ample time to gear up for Week 1. Turning to troubling off-field matters, Gold’s long-running Cardinals tenure and career in the NFL may be over. In mid-July, the league hit the 13th-year Cardinals employee with an indefinite suspension for violating its gambling policy. At the time, he was just two-plus months removed from his first draft as the Cardinals’ director of college scouting. Gold has been accused of of leaking inside info regarding the Cardinals’ draft picks and making parlay wagers on NFL and college games. He has vehemently denied wrongdoing and is appealing the suspension. Updating the situation on Aug. 21, ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss reported the Massachusetts Gaming Commission has launched an investigation into Gold’s alleged gambling activity. The Arizona Department of Gaming’s investigation is also still in progress. Gold’s appeal hearing with the league is scheduled for Sept. 23. Adams was arrested in his native Canada in July on four weapons charges. The 26-year-old is facing charges of possession of a firearm obtained by crime, possession of a restricted/prohibited firearm without a license, possession of a loaded firearm and possession of a prohibited device. The league could discipline Adams at some point, but he otherwise appears to have a firm hold on the starting RG job in the wake of Bisontis’ injury. Adams, a 2024 third-rounder, started five of 15 games as a rookie and 11 of 17 last season. Top 10 cap charges for 2026: Budda Baker, S: $19.22MM Josh Sweat, OLB: $16.39MM Jacoby Brissett, QB: $10.37MM Marvin Harrison Jr., WR: $9.65MM Jeremiyah Love, RB: $9.64MM Baron Browning, LB: $9.42MM Paris Johnson Jr., LT: $8.93MM Trey McBride, TE: $8.7MM Hjalte Froholdt, C: $6.96MM Isaac Seumalo, LG: $6.85MM Adding Love to an offense that already included McBride, Harrison and Wilson should make the Cardinals more fun to watch, but this remains a deeply flawed team that will struggle to win games. Having to face the Seahawks, Rams and 49ers six times further stacks the deck against the Cardinals, whose over/under win total (3.5) is tied with the talent-deprived Dolphins for the lowest in football. The Cardinals may be in position to pick a potential franchise QB if they end up near the top of the 2027 draft, but it is fair to wonder if Ossenfort will still be in place then. He has already overseen two seasons of at least 13 losses. Bidwill’s patience could run out if the Cardinals are similarly noncompetitive this year."

"Even if a Super Bowl isn't in the cards, these six struggling franchises have plenty of young talent and schematic changes worth cheering for this season Aug 21, 2026 at 11:54 am ET • 7 min read With the NFL season getting started in less than a month, all the prognostication and debate have centered on which teams can win the Super Bowl and how high their ceilings are. Conversely, down at the bottom of the NFL, all the hopes lie in the 2027 NFL Draft and the potential of adding players like Texas QB Arch Manning, Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith or South Carolina EDGE Dylan Stewart.However, I'm in the business of optimism, and having been through a lot of bad Jacksonville Jaguars seasons, there are hopeful things you can pull from the muck and mire of a lost season. So, using DraftKings Sportsbook Super Bowl odds, we're going to highlight the six teams with the lowest Super Bowl odds, and give out one reason for optimism and hope among what could be a lost season. Growth from a young coreNow, there's not a lot that's going well for the Cardinals, especially being in a division with the defending Super Bowl champions and the favorites to win the whole thing this season. Despite that, I do think that there's some young talent on the Cardinals' roster that's just waiting to grow and develop with another year in the NFL under their belt.Offensively, head coach/primary playcaller Mike LaFleur inherited a group that is talented but inconsistent in major spots. While the group won't have promising rookie guard Chase Bisontis for the whole season (torn MCL) and first-round RB Jeremiyah Love is currently injured (high ankle sprain), count me as someone who is. … curious about their offense going into the season. Last year, I thought the Cardinals' offense had a good foundation, but it was too static and asked their guys to just go and win on islands. Their motion rate of 43.9% was 30th in the NFL, despite being 12th in Offensive Success Rate when a player goes in motion. Now, I'm not of the belief that adding motion into every offense is some magical "Football Flex Seal" that'll make your offense shine, but it will give players such as WRs Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson a much easier chance of creating space, while giving your QB easier answers to the test. It'll especially help Harrison, who is a smooth mover and glider when defensive backs can't get their hands on him at the line of scrimmage. LaFleur using more motion and easier ways of getting his young stars the ball should help them grow in a big way, and that's exciting for 2026.Flipping it, I think the defense has talent in important spots when healthy. DT Walter Nolen III is a game wrecker with his speed and explosiveness, and CB Will Johnson had promising moments, but neither player can stay healthy for long (Nolen played in six games and Johnson played in 12). If you get healthy years from those two, combined with quality reps from EDGE Josh Sweat, CB Garrett Williams and S Budda Baker, you get a fun core that should be built around moving forward. Your hipster friend's favorite offenseThe 2026 Miami Dolphins should be a pain in the butt for backside EDGEs to defend. New offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik goes about his business differently than former playcaller Mike McDaniel, but both come from the same San Francisco tree, where forcing defenses into base defense via heavy personnel is the way to go. Where I think this can help Miami, and QB Malik Willis is leaning into the athleticism of their offensive stars, which should make for some fun moments. Left tackle Patrick Paul, left guard Kadyn Proctor, center Aaron Brewer, and RB De'Von Achane are all good athletes who fit the offense Slowik is bringing to Miami. Combine that with Willis being a run threat to backside EDGEs, and you (potentially) get cutback lanes galore. Let's see if the Dolphins are interested in running the triple option. Does this mean I think the Dolphins offense will be elite? No, I still think they have a myriad of questions in the receiving corps, and Willis is still unproven as a full-time starter, but schematically, their run game could be very fun. With all of the speed and run threats in the backfield, their offense could put a lot of nice stuff on tape, a promising sign for a team that's in year one of a rebuild. The Cleveland youth movementStop me if you've heard this before: the Browns might be bad, but their young guys are talented and can be built around. I know we've been on this ride before with Cleveland, but the biggest reason for hope on a team with one of the worst QB battles in the league is that all of their prized young guys are going to play significant reps. On offense, second-year RB Quinshon Judkins and TE Harold Fannin Jr. are the highlights, but rookie wideouts KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston have been tearing up camp for the Browns. Concepcion was the second of their first round picks (the other being LT Spencer Fano), and HC Todd Monken has found many ways to get him the ball, as well as Boston. The QB battle might look rough, but the young supporting cast should provide some fun moments.On defense, the young core of EDGE Jared Verse, DT Mason Graham, reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year LB Carson Schwesinger and S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren should provide consistent pop (even if they don't get sack production like they did last year). CB Denzel Ward should still remain one of the best CBs in the league, giving new DC Mike Rutenberg a bevy of tools in his arsenal. With Rutenberg coming from the Atlanta Falcons, I wonder if Cleveland leans more on pressure through scheme and simulated looks than on just lining up and winning. If so, you'll see a lot of youth and athleticism making plays. An offensive line that can be built aroundFor the Jets, I could've just expanded this to the entire offense (which we'll get to later), but I think their offensive line is on the verge of becoming a special unit. Which is what you should expect after spending three Day 1 or 2 picks on offensive linemen in the last three years. The trio of RT Armand Membou, LT Olu Fashanu and RG Joe Tippmann gives the Jets an athletic core on the offensive line, one that can play in both zone and gap schemes. Round that group out with Josh Myers and Dylan Parham, and you have a unit that can be very good very soon.The Jets' offense as a whole is one I'm cautiously keeping an eye on. I don't have much faith in OC Frank Reich, but the core is there for this offense not to be a bottom dweller in 2026. A receiving corps of Garrett Wilson, AD Mitchell, Mason Taylor and rookies Kenyon Sadiq and Omar Cooper Jr. could be very fun to watch, with RBs Breece Hall and Braelon Allen in the backfield. New QB Geno Smith could find his mojo after a down year, but even if he's not what he was in Seattle, having a QB who is willing to test tight windows could elevate this offense a lot. Bijan RobinsonBefore EDGE Jalon Walker tore his ACL and EDGE James Pearce Jr. got suspended for eight games, I would've put a defense that retains their defensive coordinator, Jeff Ulbrich (I do think their secondary is quietly becoming something special), but instead I'm going to go with one of the coolest players in the NFL, Bijan Robinson. Since entering the NFL, Robinson leads the NFL in touches, scrimmage yards and is sixth among all ball carriers in first downs or touchdowns per touch (min. 600 touches). The coolest part about Robinson is that he's not only able to make people miss but also run through contact at a high level. Robinson just got a big-time extension, and it was much deserved for being one of the best players in the league. I'm excited to see how HC Kevin Stefanski continues to get Robinson the ball. The offense shouldn't change much from former playcaller Zac Robinson, plenty of wide zone with boot action off of it, but there will be many more under-center looks and designed downfield targets. The depth of the Falcons' receiver room isn't anything spectacular, so I still expect Robinson to be a feature in the passing game as well. This offseason hasn't been perfect for the Falcons, but Robinson is one of the few bright spots in what could be a rocky season for Atlanta."

"The Patriots boast talent at every spot in the secondary: From Christian Gonzalez to Kevin Byard, New England's group takes the first spot. The Steelers infused more talent this offseason: Pittsburgh added Jamel Dean, Jaquan Brisker and Daylen Everette to a seasoned group in the back end. Houston ranks second: Derek Stingley Jr., Kamari Lassiter and Jalen Pitre give the Texans one of the NFL’s strongest defensive backfields. Subscribe to PFF+ Unlock every PFF grade, stat and premium tool Grades, advanced stats and premium tools (opens in new tab) Subscribe 1. New England Patriots This is a top-tier secondary that is only going to get better. The focal point, Christian Gonzalez, allowed a league-low 43.4% completion rate when targeted last season. Rookie safety Craig Woodson put together the best run-defense season of any safety with an 89.7 PFF run-defense grade. He’ll be joined by veteran three-time All-Pro Kevin Byard this season, who led the league with seven interceptions last year. This secondary brings a brilliant blend of youth and experience. New England was the only unit to log four games without a missed tackle last season. 2. Houston Texans The elite natural ability of Derek Stingley Jr. is well-documented, but the Texans also have two of the 10 highest-graded defensive backs in football last year in Kamari Lassiter and Jalen Pitre. DeMeco Ryans endorses Bill Belichick’s mantra of “do your job” — his highly touted coverage unit led the league in interceptions and was the only secondary not to register a single sack last season. 3. Denver Broncos Pat Surtain II’s PFF grade took a small dip in 2025, but opponents hardly even look in his direction given his league-best mirroring ability. With quarterbacks actively avoiding Surtain, Riley Moss became by far the most targeted cornerback in the league. However, he fended off challengers well, and ultimately led the NFL with 15 pass breakups last season, more than the entire Vikings secondary. Elsewhere, Ja’Quan McMillian finished last season with a 90.0 PFF coverage grade over his last five games, surrendering just 24 yards on 15 targets, with his performance highlighted by a season-ending overtime interception of Josh Allen. 4. Philadelphia Eagles This secondary had the highest collective PFF run-defense grade of any team last year, and Tariq Woolen now joins to establish one of the league’s strongest groups alongside Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell, who ranked second in completion percentage allowed behind Christian Gonzalez. By allowing Reed Blankenship to walk in free agency, Philadelphia has shed its largest liability from last season — his 42.8 PFF grade was the lowest of any Eagles starter. 5. Pittsburgh Steelers This secondary left a lot on the table last year, dropping 10 opportunities at interceptions, the most in the league. Joey Porter Jr.’s 44% completion percentage allowed was among the top five of starting cornerbacks last season. He has injury and contract issues to iron out, but Pittsburgh also added Jamel Dean, Jaquan Brisker and third-round pick Daylen Everette to this unit over the offseason. 6. Seattle Seahawks The Super Bowl champions were propelled by a dominant secondary throughout last season. This group of defensive backs led the league in overall PFF grade, with their leader, Devon Witherspoon, finishing as the highest-graded defensive back in football with a 90.1 overall PFF grade. Tariq Woolen is the primary offseason departure. Safety Nick Emmanwori could assert himself among the league’s best safeties if he takes a Year 2 leap. He did everything at a high level as a rookie, including getting after the quarterback. He led all defensive backs with 18 pressures. 7. Los Angeles Rams The trade for Trent McDuffie this offseason, along with the acquisition of his former Chiefs running mate Jaylen Watson, gives the Rams upside to be the best secondary in the league in 2026. It’s yet another reason why they will kick off the season as Super Bowl favorites. Safety Kamren Curl is quietly a huge piece of this operation. The ever-reliable 27-year-old played almost 100 more snaps than any other NFL defensive back last season, and led all safeties in tackles. 8. Baltimore Ravens The Ravens received the top spot in this ranking a year ago, but failed to live up to expectations. Kyle Hamilton remains the first name out of most people’s mouths when asked to name the best safety in football. At cornerback, veteran Marlon Humphrey was the only NFL player to surrender over 900 yards in coverage. Meanwhile, young understudy Nate Wiggins was one of just three players to be targeted over 100 times, although his results were a little better than Humphrey’s. 9. Jacksonville Jaguars Antonio Johnson was one of the most underrated players in football last season. He was PFF’s highest-graded safety with an overall grade of 86.8. Travis Hunter returns from injury in what appears to be a full-time starting role at cornerback. Jaguars defensive backs allowed just 10.2 yards per reception last season, second-lowest behind the Seahawks. 10. Green Bay Packers All-Pro Xavier McKinney wasn’t quite as electric in 2025, but his 91.6 PFF coverage grade since joining the Packers two years ago is the highest of any defensive back in the league. His running mate Evan Williams has established himself as a quality starter too. The 25-year-old was PFF’s fifth-highest-graded safety in run defense last season (85.6). Fellow 2024 draftee Javon Bullard allowed the lowest yards per reception (7.1) of any defensive back targeted more than 50 times last season. This unit isn’t overly strong on the perimeter, but second-round rookie Brandon Cisse could raise the standards if given a license right away. 11. Los Angeles Chargers No defensive back blitzed more than Derwin James’ 76 pass-rushing snaps last season. While James was in pursuit, the other Chargers safeties rarely looked uncomfortable. In fact, Tony Jefferson and R.J. Mickens are the only two NFL safeties to play 200-plus coverage snaps without allowing 80 yards last year. 24-year-old perimeter cornerback Tarheeb Still has earned his place in the league. The former fifth-round pick is the fourth-highest-graded cornerback in the 2024 draft class. 12. Cleveland Browns All Browns starting defensive backs from a season ago have returned, making this one of the easier squads to project for the most man-coverage-heavy unit in football. Cleveland ranked 15th on this list before last season, and 19th in PFF coverage grade over the course of the year. The addition of second-round pick Emmanuel McNeil-Warren may not make an immediate difference as he finds his way at a much higher level of football than the MAC, but his long-term potential is among the highest in the draft. 13. Buffalo Bills Christian Benford was tied for the highest PFF run-defense grade of any defensive back, but struggles in coverage dragged down his overall grade. Addition CJ Gardner-Johnson fortunately avoided a major injury when carted off in training camp and will team up with Cole Bishop, who allowed a passer rating of just 43.5 in coverage in Year 2. Maxwell Hairston remains a relative unknown at corner, having logged just 348 snaps in his rookie season. 14. Carolina Panthers Carolina’s starting cornerback duo of Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson is one of the best in football. We know all about Horn’s ability, but Jackson’s 85.8 PFF coverage grade was the second-best among cornerbacks last season, helped by his five interceptions. Carolina played the most zone coverage of any defense last season. At safety, Tre’von Moehrig was tied for the most tackles for loss or no gain among defensive backs (12). His 17 pressures were also the second-most of any safety. 15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers The most disciplined secondary in football last season, Tampa Bay’s group committed just 13 total penalties. But the Buccaneers weren’t scared to get aggressive either — their 35 pressures from defensive backs was only surpassed by the two conference champions last year. Antoine Winfield Jr. bounced back after his injury-stricken 2024 campaign, but his play was still a far cry from his elite seasons of 2021 and 2023. 16. Indianapolis Colts This is a difficult secondary to place, so I’ve dropped them right into the middle of the pack. Statistically, last season wasn’t ideal. The Indianapolis defense allowed the most explosive pass plays of 15 yards or more. That said, we’ve barely seen the Colts operate with Sauce Gardner in the lineup. Keep a close eye on rookie third-round pick AJ Haulcy, who could feature heavily at safety in his inaugural NFL season. 17. Atlanta Falcons Former third-round pick Xavier Watts would’ve been the highest-graded rookie safety in the league had it not been for Nick Emmanwori. In Year 2, Watts should form one of the league’s better safety duos alongside veteran Jessie Bates. The Terrell brothers teaming up is a brilliant story, but I would still expect to see Mike Hughes retain his starting job, having allowed a career-low 83.3 passer rating when targeted last season. 18. Cincinnati Bengals Cornerback DJ Turner II ranked top 10 in both PFF coverage grade and completion percentage allowed last season. There isn’t much turnover to speak of in this secondary aside from Bryan Cook’s addition. Cook’s run defense has improved across each of his four NFL seasons, reaching 79.7 in 2025. This could be a nice help for PFF’s second-lowest-graded secondary in run defense last season. It wasn’t just running backs Cincinnati struggled to stop. It was all ball carriers — the Bengals were the only defense to surrender over 2,500 yards after the catch. 19. Chicago Bears Not only did the Bears’ secondary snag 17 interceptions, the third-most in the NFL, but the unit also forced seven fumbles and recovered six of them. This squad has a knack for the football. Chicago enters the season with continuity at cornerback, where Jaylon Johnson and Tyrique Stevenson retain their starting roles. Safety, however, has undergone a complete overhaul, with free-agent addition Coby Bryant and first-round pick Dillon Thieneman projected to take over. 20. Dallas Cowboys The Cowboys’ secondary was the lowest-graded unit in the league last year and was responsible for a league-high 28 passing touchdowns. However, by drafting safety Caleb Downs in the first round along with the acquisitions of Cobie Durant and Jalen Thompson in free agency, the group enters 2026 revamped. These newcomers should help keep the Cowboys from having to fall upon depth option Reddy Stewart once again after he allowed 45 completions on 52 targets as a replacement player last season. 21. Detroit Lions This secondary plays fast and physically. One such drawback is that Detroit led the NFL with 34 penalties committed in the 2025 regular season. There’s no denying the Lions’ willingness to get their hands dirty, though — Detroit missed the fewest tackles of any secondary last year. Otherwise, this unit is a bit of a mess with injured starting safeties Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph both far from any return to action. In their stead, it’ll be free-agent signings Chuck Clark and Christian Izien, who combined for fewer than 600 snaps last season. 22. Minnesota Vikings Minnesota’s secondary broke up just 14 passes in all of last season, the fewest in the league. Signing James Pierre for just over $4 million per year looks like a potential bargain considering he led the entire league with an 88.9 PFF coverage grade last season. On the opposite side from him, Byron Murphy Jr. has the second-most interceptions of any cornerback since joining the Vikings in 2023, but last season’s 59.8 PFF coverage grade was a step in the wrong direction. 23. Kansas City Chiefs Mansoor Delane’s ability to replace Trent McDuffie will be the biggest talking point in Kansas City among secondary enthusiasts in 2026, but don’t lose sight of Nohl Williams. The perimeter corner was PFF’s highest-graded rookie defensive back last season. Former Dolphin Kader Kohou will likely start right away at slot corner. Meanwhile, safety Chamarri Conner has missed the most tackles of any defensive back in the league over the last two seasons. 24. San Francisco 49ers This is debatably the worst position group on an otherwise strong roster once again in 2026. It’s a fairly young and homegrown unit — all five starters return from last year, and all were drafted by the organization. While continuity will help, there just isn’t much optimism to speak of. The 49ers’ 52.3 overall PFF grade was the third-lowest of any secondary in football in 2025. 25. New Orleans Saints This squad has lost three of its top five defensive backs by snap count from last season. What you see is what you get with this secondary. There isn’t a ton to be excited about, but Kool-Aid McKinstry provides a high floor at cornerback, while Julian Blackmon and Justin Reid form a steady, if unspectacular, safety pairing. 26. Arizona Cardinals This secondary struggled last season, but its pair of rookie cornerbacks from last year — Will Johnson and Denzel Burke — should find their footing in Year 2. The entire starting unit from last year is back again, including tackling machine Budda Baker. He logged his 1,000th career tackle last season in what was his seventh NFL year with triple-digit tackles. Every member of this secondary gave up a completion percentage above 60% in coverage in 2025. 27. New York Giants Run defense was a major concern for the Giants whenever the front seven defenders were taken out of the equation. New York finished with the lowest PFF run-defense grade of any secondary last year. The Giants also committed the second-most penalties of any defensive backs group. They’re practically rolling out the same underwhelming group in 2026, with the exception of newcomer Greg Newsome II. Now on his third franchise in four years, Newsome is badly out of form. No cornerback in the league allowed more receptions in coverage between Week 14 and Jacksonville’s wild-card round exit. 28. Las Vegas Raiders The Raiders were PFF’s lowest-ranked secondary in this list from a year ago. Four mid-round picks spent on defensive backs, plus the acquisition of Taron Johnson from Buffalo, gives you an idea of how badly their secondary needed to be addressed, along with everything else on their roster. One of the few bright spots from last season was Eric Stokes, who in his fifth NFL season posted his highest PFF grade by far (75.0). 29. New York Jets Not a single interception to speak of for the Jets secondary was one of the more embarrassing facts of the 2025 season. Brandon Stephens is the league’s only defensive back to play over 2,000 coverage snaps since 2023, but he has only two turnovers to show for it, along with 15 touchdowns surrendered in coverage. New addition Minkah Fitzpatrick made 25 tackles against the run last year, which looks decent on paper, but they came almost 14 yards downfield on average. 30. Tennessee Titans Rookie safety Kevin Winston Jr. was one of the few highlights from last year. His average depth of tackle on run plays was just 3.0 yards from the line of scrimmage, the shallowest of all qualifying safeties. Coverage was a unit-wide issue, though. Opposing quarterbacks earned a 125.0 passer rating when throwing in the vicinity of the Titans’ secondary. Incoming boundary corners Cor’Dale Flott and Alontae Taylor can hardly be considered needle-movers. Taylor is the only defensive back to allow 20 passing touchdowns over the last three years. 31. Washington Commanders The Commanders’ front office has not done much to markedly improve the second-lowest-graded secondary from a year ago aside from the addition of Nick Cross. The 24-year-old did everything in Indianapolis and finished last season second among defensive backs in tackles (first on run plays) and third in pressures. Mike Sainristil returns, having allowed more touchdowns (9) than any other defender in the NFL last season. This unit was a mess in 2025, leading the league with 35 busted coverages. 32. Miami Dolphins No secondary missed more tackles than the Dolphins last year, who whiffed on 90 in total. Free-agent safety Lonnie Johnson Jr. is a budget version of Xavier McKinney in first-time head coach Jeff Hafley’s defense. A classic deep center fielder, Johnson’s average depth of target was the furthest downfield of any player last year. This unit is utterly devoid of experience, however. Excluding rookie cornerback Chris Johnson, Miami’s four projected starters — Johnson, Dante Trader Jr., Jason Marshall Jr. and JuJu Brents — averaged just 270 snaps apiece last season."