The Arizona Cardinals enter the 2026 season with a dramatically reshaped offense and several questions that could define Mike LaFleur’s first year in charge. Jacoby Brissett is expected to open the season at quarterback, while changes at running back, receiver and across the coaching staff add further intrigue.
Arizona has invested heavily in new personnel while retaining several important veterans. Preseason developments have provided some early clues, but the real answers will come once the regular season begins. That is when the Cardinals can start showing whether their new pieces fit together, and whether the changes can produce a better campaign.
What Can Brissett Deliver as QB1?
Jacoby Brissett enters the final stretch before opening kickoff as Arizona’s expected Week 1 starter. He threw for 3,366 yards and 23 touchdowns in 2025, giving the Cardinals continuity after Kyler Murray’s departure. The key question now is how quickly he can adapt to Mike LaFleur’s new system.
His offseason was complicated by contract friction. Brissett skipped voluntary workouts while seeking compensation reflecting his starting status, then reported for mandatory minicamp before agreeing to a reworked deal that increased his 2026 compensation to a reported $15.5 million.
That absence reduced his early opportunities to absorb LaFleur’s offense. For followers comparing NFL totals, how quickly Brissett settles into the new system is one of several variables shaping expectations for Arizona’s offense.
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Can Minshew and Beck Strengthen the Depth?
Gardner Minshew gives Arizona experienced depth behind Brissett after signing a one-year deal in free agency. His starting experience across multiple teams gives the Cardinals a proven backup option. That experience also gives Arizona flexibility if Brissett misses time, while allowing the coaching staff to develop Beck without forcing the rookie into a larger role before he is ready.
Carson Beck is the more developmental storyline. The third-round rookie impressed in his preseason debut against Carolina, going 15-of-19 for 188 yards with one touchdown pass and no interceptions.
Beck is still adapting to the speed and complexity of the NFL, but that early performance offered an encouraging first look. For Arizona, Minshew provides short-term security while Beck’s progress gives the position a longer-term dimension.
Can Love and Allgeier Revive the Run?
Arizona made its clearest offensive investment by selecting Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love with the third overall pick. Love rushed for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns during his final college season.
He joins Tyler Allgeier, signed after four seasons in Atlanta. Allgeier rushed for 514 yards and eight touchdowns last season and previously surpassed 1,000 yards as a rookie, providing an experienced complement.
The need is obvious. Arizona struggled to establish its ground game in 2025, when Michael Carter led the team with only 333 rushing yards and the Cardinals produced 1,583 rushing yards overall.
Love is expected to become the leading option, with Allgeier part of a deeper backfield. Their effectiveness could determine whether LaFleur can create greater offensive balance and avoid consistently predictable passing situations.
Who Emerges as Arizona’s Leading Receiver?
Marvin Harrison Jr. still carries the profile of a potential leading receiver. The former fourth overall selection enters 2026 seeking greater consistency after injuries disrupted a 2025 campaign that ended with 608 receiving yards.
Michael Wilson presents a compelling alternative. He finished last season with 78 catches, 1,006 yards and seven touchdowns, earning Arizona’s internal Offensive Player of the Year recognition.
Wilson was especially productive after Harrison’s injury, recording 775 yards and six touchdowns across the final eight games. That production gives LaFleur two receivers with legitimate claims to prominent roles.
The question may ultimately be less about a formal WR1 designation than distribution. Harrison’s development and Wilson’s proven connection with Brissett could shape how defenses approach Arizona, particularly with Trey McBride commanding attention from the tight end position.
How Quickly Can LaFleur’s Scheme Click?
Mike LaFleur begins his first season as an NFL head coach after previously coordinating the Jets’ offense and working as the Rams’ offensive coordinator. Arizona has entrusted him with reshaping an attack that struggled in 2025.
Nathaniel Hackett joins him as offensive coordinator, bringing previous experience with Green Bay, Denver and New York. LaFleur has made clear that Hackett was his preferred choice for the position.
Their challenge is to create cohesion amid significant personnel changes. A new quarterback hierarchy, a revamped running back room and questions at receiver must all be incorporated into a system LaFleur has said should develop organically.
LaFleur is expected to call offensive plays, leaving Hackett to support preparation and coordination. How quickly their partnership produces a clear identity will be one of Arizona’s defining early-season questions.
Is Ossenfort’s Roster Plan Taking Shape?
General manager Monti Ossenfort enters his fourth season overseeing Arizona’s roster, and expectations have increased following records of 4-13, 8-9 and 3-14 across his first three years.
That history places additional significance on 2026. The decision to move on from Jonathan Gannon gave Ossenfort another opportunity to shape the Cardinals’ direction, this time alongside LaFleur.
External scrutiny has focused on uneven draft returns and a perceived shortage of top-end talent. Yet Ossenfort has made consequential investments, headlined by Love at No. 3 and Beck as a developmental quarterback option.
Those decisions now need to translate into progress. Arizona’s young players, revamped offense and new coaching partnership make this season an important measure of whether Ossenfort’s roster construction can produce sustainable improvement.
Kickoff Will Begin Providing the Answers
Arizona’s offseason has created genuine intrigue because nearly every major offensive question connects to another. Brissett’s performance affects the receivers, while Love and Allgeier could determine how much pressure the passing game carries. How quickly the new offense settles could also shape confidence around a team trying to move beyond consecutive losing seasons.
LaFleur and Hackett must turn those pieces into a coherent system as Ossenfort’s broader roster strategy faces another important test. The Cardinals don’t need every question answered immediately, but early progress will matter. Once opening kickoff arrives, speculation gives way to evidence about Arizona’s direction in 2026.
