Revenge of the Birds
The 2026 NFL season was supposed to become a playoff run. Now, the threat of double-digit losses is looming, and jobs are at stake for both players and coaches. And maybe even an executive or two.
RELATED: CARDINALS HOLD A TOP-10 PICK
Now, there are things to still shoot for.
DE Josh Sweat seems to be a shoo-in for a Pro Bowl nod. Perhaps DT Calais Campbell. Rookie CB Will Johnson might have a chance to be considered for the NFL Rookie Defensive Player of the Year award as well.
Because the Arizona Cardinals are already almost out of the playoff picture, the rest of the season will be dedicated to showing the rest of the league that these athletes deserve another roster spot as we advance, and to getting paid to play the game instead of taking real estate classes or applying for a substitute teaching position. Nothing wrong with either occupation, unless you are a giant man who was making millions for a short seven months’ worth of work and had football cards produced of their likeness.
Not many autograph requests at an open house event.
“The season that wasn’t” began to take on a new direction: to see if Arizona could obtain the Number 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft.
During this year’s off-season, it was assumed that the Cardinals would advance during the three-year plan and clip off several good years with a roster that was built to win now. But losing eight of the last nine games, it was apparent that football teams are built on paper.
Now, the Cardinals are 3-8-0. The playoffs aren’t going to happen. A last-place finish in the division is apparent, and at season’s end, many players will find new employment next year. A coach (or three), the GM, and the front office could see new faces next year as well. It always happens when teams have high hopes, and then not just fail, but bomb miserably.
Will this roster play to win in the remaining games? Of course. These are professionals. They have pride in what they do, and most never give up. They also know that men who quit become unemployed men who quit.
The Cardinals will use lots of players who aren’t starters in the back half of the schedule. It is only right. These guys sweat and work just like the first team guys do, and show up every day with a starting mentality. It only makes sense for the coaching staff to begin inserting athletes to gain valuable live game experience and begin that portion of their development. The coaches also need to know which players to retain for next year’s camp and who to allow to move along, no matter who they are.
Can Arizona fans expect to see DE Jordan Burch getting more snaps in Sweat’s place? Will we see Kedon Slovis at quarterback? More Andre Baccellia getting additional targets? What about more Kitan Crawford supplanting Budda Baker at safety?...
