Monti

Ossenfort

According to Schefter, the Cardinals would like to deal their No. 3 pick in exchange for more draft picks. There’s some hope that a team would be interested in moving up to the 1.03 round to take Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love, who is widely regarded as the best player in the draft and a lock to go in the top-10. Schefter writes in his most recent article that Love going to the Commanders at No. 7 overall “would seem to be his floor.” After going 3-14 last season and releasing Kyler Murray earlier this offseason, the Cardinals are in rebuild mode. They currently hold just seven draft picks, but with multiple positions to address and a potentially strong 2027 QB class incoming, it’s no surprise they want to acquire extra picks as they look to build a contender.

In a video report from earlier today, Venerable outlined a potential trade in which the Saints acquire the No. 3 overall pick from the Cardinals in exchange for the Nos. 8, 42 and 73 overall picks. He notes “no 2027 draft capital is exchanged with New Orleans,” and told viewers, “I think that’s the preference for these teams — in fact, I know it.” Per Venerable, the Cardinals “are looking to do their damage” in the draft this year, rather than next year. It sounds like Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort needs to leave the draft with meaningful personnel upgrades. Venerable notes that the Cardinals recently hosted Miami OT Francis Mauigoa (back) for a top-30 visit. He would be in play for them in this scenario. Yesterday, Venerable reported that the Cardinals have discussed a potential trade back with the Chiefs as well. He believes both the Saints and Chiefs are targeting either Texas Tech EDGE David Bailey or Ohio State LB Arvell Reese.

The Chiefs would be targeting the top available pass rusher in a trade up, while the Cardinals will again look to accumulate more picks for their rebuild in a trade down. Several teams have been rumored to be looking to trade down, so it’s possible the return is more underwhelming than it would normally be. The Cardinals would be able to slide to the back end of the main tier of prospects in a trade down, and given that they feel like they have the murkiest roster in the NFL at the moment, trading down makes a lot of sense if they don’t have true conviction in any of these players becoming a star.

Schultz adds that if the Cardinals were to keep the pick, their preferred player remains “the biggest mystery” among teams slated to pick in the top five. They have been linked to Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love and recently hosted Alabama QB Ty Simpson for a top-30 visit. Pass rushers like Ohio State LB Arvell Reese and Texas Tech EDGE David Bailey are also in play. If Simpson is the target, trading back a bit while ideally adding a future first-round pick could be their plan.

Despite lukewarm reports over the weekend that Gannon might be safe, the Cardinals decided to move on from the 43-year-old coach after three seasons, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Arizona was 15-36 under Gannon in three years, including an 8-9 campaign in 2024. This year, the Cardinals finished the season with nine consecutive losses and losses in 14 of its last 15 games, making the situation untenable. GM Monti Ossenfort will lead the search for a new coach and is in for a busy offseason with the Cardinals also likely to move on from quarterback Kyler Murray.

Jonathan Gannon, notably, is described as being “on shakier ground” in Breer’s answer to a mailbag question about the future of the Cardinals. Ossenfort remaining the GM could mean there’s little chance of Kyler Murray returning to the team in 2026, as he drafted Jacoby Brissett with the Patriots and brought him on board in Arizona this past offseason. Gannon’s Cardinals have lost 12 of their last 13 games to fall from 2-0 to 3-12 ahead of Week 17’s clash with the similarly disappointing Bengals.

With over $76 million in cap space, we would expect nothing less. Arizona has more cap space in 2025 than all but three teams. The Cardinals’ offense was solid in 2024 but failed to reach its full potential. Having drafted offensive players with their first pick in three consecutive drafts, you would expect more than a 12-place finish in scoring. As Ossenfort noted, the team also has a few key extensions to make. Trey McBride just posted a breakout season of 111 receptions for 1,146 yards and only has one year left on his rookie contract. Keeping him around long-term will be one of the front office’s top priorities heading into the offseason.

Speaking on Wednesday, Ossenfort said of the Cardinals’ willingness to wheel and deal, “There will be a big neon sign that says ‘open’ and I don’t like it blinking, it messes with my eyes, but we’re always going to be listening.” The Cardinals are in a unique position with the No. 4 overall pick, as they’re the only team picking in the top four that doesn’t need a quarterback in a class that features four QBs that could go in the top five. Quarterback-needy teams who are picking behind the Cardinals could be willing to send away multiple high-value picks to move up and select a quarterback, meaning the Cardinals could have several offers worth listening to. We’ll see if anything materializes in the coming days, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see a team like the Giants or Vikings make a push for the No. 4 pick.

They don’t have quite the same leverage as the Bears do, but it’s certainly possible that the Cardinals look to trade down. A team could leapfrog the QB-hungry Colts (if the Colts don’t trade up themselves) and select someone in the event that the Bears keep the pick or that the top of the draft is into many of the top quarterbacks rather than just Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud. The Cardinals could potentially wind up with Jalen Carter or Will Anderson at No. 3 overall if they stay put.

The Cardinals have not requested an interview with any of the coaches participating in the Super Bowl, but this report leaves the door open for them to do so after the final game of the season concludes. Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy, Eagles OC Shane Steichen, and Eagles DC Jonathan Gannon have all had requests for head coaching interviews during the post-season. Steichen has been invited to and completed multiple interviews already and is the most likely target of the Cardinals if they are eying a Super Bowl coach. Giants OC Mike Kafka and Bengals DC Lou Anarumo are reportedly still in the running for the gig as well.