The first part of our "Arizona Cardinals State of the Franchise" addressed the result of the first five games of the season and the current state of the roster, including injuries and the recent trade of Marvin Harrison Jr.
This part will address what I think has gone wrong this year and where the Cardinals can go from here:
What Has Gone Wrong
1. Offensive Line Play
The reality of football is that everything starts and ends up front and right now the Cardinals are losing the physicality game every week along the offensive line.
Part of the problem is outside of human control, injuries have taken two originals starters out of the lineup including left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. but even before injuries starting to affect things the line was not holding up its end of the bargain for the offense.
Unfortunately, it seems the Cardinals jumped the gun with the Jeremiyah Love selection. There is no doubt about his innate talent, but you can't evaluate a young running back if he's getting hit behind the line of scrimmage. Runners like Love that rely on their explosiveness and agility need creases and push from their offensive line. Instead, Love is getting blocked up and is routinely running into unblocked defenders and collapsed gaps.
Bad protection is also impacting quarterback Jacoby Brissett. He is a statue of a pocket passer, meaning he requires clean pockets to cycle through his reads. Brissett is currently second to last in the league for time to throw, averaging only 2.2 seconds before he has to get the ball out. With that subpar protections, his internal clock seems to be spazzing out and the panic has set into him in a way that we didn't see last year when he looked like the cool, calm, and collected point guard.
2. The Jacoby Brissett Reality Check
Brissett has had his moments, but ultimately he is what he has always been. The ultimate professional journeyman, but fundamentally a mid-tier player. He can be a floor raiser in a pinch, but he is not, and was never designed to be, a foundational piece of this team's future.
When the scheme and protection are pristine, he can usually execute. Asking Brissett to elevate a unit is a different question altogether. He is not the type of player that can create something out of nothing (ironically one of Kyler Murray's great strengths), he is the type of player that can be tossed into an already functioning system and keep the wheels turning.
It seems like LaFleur is having to adjust what that system is on the fly as he faces the stark realities of being the head coach of a struggling team and Brissett will not be the solution that helps him find that truth.
3. Lack of Pass Rush
This one is pretty simple. A lack of consistent, organic pressure from the Cardinals defensive front is straining every level of the defense.
When the pass rush can't effectively pressure an opposing quarterback, cornerbacks and safeties are asked to cover for extended, unreasonable lengths of time. Missed assignments and blown coverages are often the result and they aren't always necessarily the fault of the secondary.
Defenses are their own little ecosystems and when one part is pulling their weight the consequences are usually seen in other levels. The Cardinals have managed 11 sacks on the season but their pressure rate at 19.9% is the bottom third of the NFL.
Where the Team Can Go from Here
1. Mike LaFleur Needs to Weather the Storm
It is far too early to start giving up on Mike LaFleur as the head coach of the Cardinals. He stepped into a tough situation, a roster he largely had no say in, and a generally dysfunctional organization. He deserves a certain element of grace.
He has been visibly frustrated on the sidelines which can be interpreted positively. He clearly cares and wants his team to succeed. Now, whether the season spirals into a complete, unadulterated disaster or stabilizes into a gritty, developmental rebuild year comes to the leadership and resiliency of LaFleur.
The early read on this is that LaFleur has the temperament to weather the storm and keep the locker room from fracturing. Let' s hope that is the case.
2. Front Office Changes are Needed
A hard look at Monti Ossenfort’s draft history reveals a concerning trend: the incoming volume of picks hasn't translated into immediate, difference-making contributors. Four drafts deep without generating clear Pro Bowl or All-Pro foundational pillars is an indicator that the talent acquisition model needs to be reevaluated.
The recent trade of the former No. 4 overall selection, Marvin Harrison, Jr. points toward a truth about Ossenfort. His teambuilding strategy still seems like it was generally the right direction for the team from when he took over, but his talent evaluation has led to picking the right positions but the wrong players.
Someone else needs to be making the selections in 2027 as the Cardinals attempt to fulfill LaFleur's vision for the team.
3. The Clock is Ticking on Carson Beck
Rookie Carson Beck needs to start sooner rather than later.
The biggest decision the Cardinals will face this offseason will be what to do about the quarterback situation. As the most important position in the game, the entire future of the team rests on figuring out this situation.
If it was not before, it is now crystal clear that Brissett does not represent even a short term solution moving forward. Beck was a third round pick, a decently high selection that could have been used on another position of need. Clearly the team saw something in him. It is now time to see if that vision has any legs in the real world.
Beck needs to see some significant playing this season. The Cardinals needs to collect data that will influence the direction they take in the offseason and in the draft. If Beck has an arc similar to Tyler Shough in New Orleans is it possible that the team can use what will likely be another high draft pick and get an elite offensive or defensive linemen instead of being forced to use it on a quarterback?
That situation might be unlikely, but the truth is that the Cardinals needs to start evaluating Beck soon so that that sort of planning for the future of the team can start.
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