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By Anne Erickson
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The Arizona Cardinals have a tall task. They're trying to come back from a 3-14 season. It's not a random showing, either. The Cardinals have been struggling for years. Many years.
So, they're desperate to make a comeback in 2026. They can, but it's going to be tough. Nothing comes easy in the NFL, especially for a team that can't seem to rebuild.
Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report points out the harsh reality, at least in his opinion, that there are a lot of worst-case scenarios for the Cardinals. In a piece about the best- and worst-case scenarios for all of the NFL teams, he talks about Arizona.
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"Unfortunately, there are plenty of paths to a worst-case season for the Arizona defense. [Josh] Sweat has very little help getting after opposing quarterbacks," he says. "[Mack] Wilson and [Cody] Simon are one of the weaker linebacker duos in the game. Arizona's cornerbacks are young. And while the team signed Andrew Wingard to replace [Jalen] Thompson, he's an average safety at best. It's not hard to imagine this defense being as bad as the 2025 iteration—if not worse."
My Take: How Bad Could It Get for the Cardinals?
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So, how bad could it get for the Cardinals? That's a loaded question. They're coming off a really weak year and haven't made the kind of changes that will likely move them forward.
But, the good thing is that there's nowhere to go but up. As Davenport points out, they ranked No. 27 in defense last season. They've got to be better than that, and it's not a hard stat to beat.
More sports news: Celtics Get a Glowing Review for NBA Draft Picks — And They Deserve It
Also, when expectations are low, it's easy to beat expectations. Really, the Cardinals' fanbase has to be a little patient. Things will turn around but probably not yet.
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