Cardinals ranked last in NFC West’s latest power rankings

Schwab on where he sees the Cardinals in 2025:

“While there are reasons to believe the Cardinals might improve again, their upside seems fairly limited. Does it really look like a 10-win team on paper? The Cardinals’ win total at BetMGM is 8.5, and that feels right. It’s the type of team that will be in the playoff hunt into December, but ultimately go into Week 18 with an 8-8 record. The defense will be better but not great, the offense will have some exciting moments but not enough to get it into the top 10, and the sum will be a team that is competitive just about every week but not enough to scare the 49ers or Rams in the NFC West race.”

The NFC West is one of the hardest divisions in football, and there is no shame in finishing behind some of the best teams of the past decades. However, the Cardinals have been the little brother of the division for too long, with general manager Monti Ossenfort spending over $100 million in free agency to improve the roster.

Ossenfort signed Pro Bowler edge Josh Sweat to a four-year, $76.4 million, then grabbed defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson for $29 million over two years. The third-year Cardinals GM used six of the team’s seven draft picks on defensive players, including premier talent like Walter Nolen and Will Johnson. The defense got a complete make over, but Schwab gave Arizona a “B” for its offseason move.

The lack of improvements to the offense has Schwab worry about whether quarterback Kyler Murray can carry the load. Schwab classified Murray as “fine over his career, but rarely much more.” The 27-year-old’s zero career playoff win makes the sentiment hard to argue. However, the offensive pieces of Pro Bowl tight end Trey McBride and the likely arrival of second-year wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. gives the offense hope.

Despite the question on the air attack, Arizona’s offense has consistently been one of the premier rushing teams in the NFL. Under head coach Jonathan Gannon, the Cardinals have been 5th and 6th in rushing yards per game the past two seasons. Running Back James Conner has been the workhorse to keep the offense moving. Conner is 30 years old, which for a running back is a death sentence, but his ground and pound game might be kind to him this late in his career.

The NFC West has plenty of question marks, with the all teams losing vital pieces to the roster’s identity. Despite the Super Bowl pedigree of the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers, the Cardinals shouldn’t have to bend the knee to its division rivals next season.

Arizona has the 27th easiest schedule next season and should use that to its advantage to make the playoffs for the first time in four years and possibility its first division title since 2015.