Arizona Cardinals: Trade Rumors and a Rough Offseason Heading into 2026

What’s Happening with the Cardinals?

Imagine your favorite building-block tower isn’t finished yet. The Arizona Cardinals (a team in the NFL, which is the big U.S. football league) are going into the 2026 season like that unfinished tower. They are in “rebuilding mode,” which is just a fancy way of saying they’re starting over and trying to get better for the future.

Even though they’re rebuilding, this season still matters a lot. The choices they make now will affect the team for many years—like picking which blocks to keep and which to swap out.

Because of this, the Cardinals might be super busy at the NFL trade deadline. Think of the trade deadline like a last call to swap players with other teams for the season. A writer named Nick Brinkerhoff from USA Today recently listed three Cardinals players who might get traded.

Important Point: The Cardinals are expected to rebuild, but their decisions now shape the team’s future. They could trade several players before the deadline.

Three Arizona Cardinals Were Named Trade Deadline Candidates

Here are the three players who might be on the move:

1. Jacoby Brissett (Quarterback)

• A quarterback is the player who usually throws the ball and leads the team’s offense.
• At first, Brissett was supposed to be the starter (the main quarterback).
• But he stepped away and asked for a new contract, so now he’s competing with Gardner Minshew and Carson Beck.
• Since the team might pick a new quarterback in next year’s draft (a yearly event where teams choose new players), Brissett may not stay long.
• Brinkerhoff says: The Cardinals probably won’t make the playoffs (the postseason tournament) this year. They already have Minshew and drafted Beck, so they’ll want to see what the young guys can do. Brissett could be traded, especially if another team has injuries and needs a quarterback.

2. James Conner (Running Back)

• A running back is a player who mostly runs with the ball.
• The Cardinals drafted Jeremiyah Love and signed Tyler Allgeier, so now there are a lot of running backs.
• That makes the room “crowded,” like too many kids in one bedroom.
• Conner’s name has been in trade rumors since Love was drafted. Brinkerhoff says that probably won’t change.

3. Budda Baker (Safety)

• A safety is a defensive player who helps stop the other team from scoring.
• Baker is 30 years old (older for football) and very talented.
• The Cardinals’ time to compete is still far away, so they might trade him to get draft picks (choices in future drafts) and let him join a team that can win a ring (a championship) sooner.

Important Point: Trading these players could help the Cardinals collect future draft picks while letting veterans join better teams.

Arizona Cardinals Earn Disappointing Offseason Grade

The offseason is the time before the season when teams sign and draft players. It’s not over yet, but many experts aren’t happy with the Cardinals’ choices.

• Seth Walder from ESPN gave them a “D” grade (like a bad school grade).
• He liked that they finally moved on from Kyler Murray (a former quarterback).
• But he didn’t like that they drafted Jeremiyah Love with the No. 3 overall pick.
• Walder says Love is great, but taking any running back that high ignores “positional value.” That means running backs don’t help a team as much as other positions, and they’re expensive even as beginners.
• He also says they missed a chance to pick a star at a harder-to-find position like offensive tackle (the big players who protect the quarterback).

Only time will tell if the Cardinals’ offseason was good or bad. But one thing is clear: they still have work to do to become a contender again.

Summary

• The Arizona Cardinals are rebuilding for the 2026 season.
• They may trade Jacoby Brissett, James Conner, and Budda Baker before the deadline.
• An ESPN expert gave their offseason a “D” because they picked a running back too early in the draft.
• Their future success depends on the choices they make now.

FAQ

Q1: What does “rebuilding mode” mean for a football team?
A: It means the team is starting over with younger players and planning for future success instead of trying to win right now.

Q2: What is the NFL trade deadline?
A: It’s the final date in the season when teams can swap players with each other. After that, no more trades until next year.

Q3: Why might the Cardinals trade Budda Baker?
A: Because he’s a great player but the team won’t be good soon, so they can get draft picks and he can join a team that wins now.

Q4: Why did the Cardinals get a bad offseason grade?
A: An expert thought they wasted a high draft pick on a running back instead of a more valuable position.