Will they or won’t they? That is the big question when it comes to the Arizona Cardinals drafting a quarterback in 2026.
But importantly, should they?
Arizona Sports hosts try their best to answer it:
Ron Wolfley, co-host of Wolf & Luke: I don’t want the Cardinals to draft a QB in 2026, but I am fascinated by the possibility. Although the Cardinals would have to move up into the end of the first round, the MEANING of drafting a QB late in the first is beyond juicy.
If they do draft a QB high, head coach Mike LaFleur is the reason why they are doing it. And that means LaFleur saw something in one of these prospects (Simpson) that others may not have seen. He will be forever tied to the table that he stood on in 2026 to get the guy that he coveted.
Monti Ossenfort would never force a QB on LaFleur, knowing that his head coach needs to buy into the next franchise QB for the Cardinals body, soul and spirit. Be assured, the next QB for the Cardinals will have LaFleur’s fingerprints all over it.
Which makes you wonder, is Ty Simpson that guy…coach?
John Gambadoro, co-host of Burns & Gambo: I would NOT draft a QB in 2026 and punt until next season with what is expected to be a great draft class. There is just too much concern over Ty Simpson and my fear would be that if they do draft him it may prevent them from taking a QB next year.
Vince Marotta, co-host of Bickley & Marotta: Personally, I’m not all that enamored with the idea of the Cardinals trading back into the first round of the draft to select Ty Simpson. By all means, I think they could/should draft a quarterback in the middle rounds (fourth or fifth round) and roll the dice on someone like Cole Payton, Cade Klubnik or Carson Beck. If they catch lightning in a bottle, great. If not, it’s a position they’re more likely to address high in the draft in 2027.
Luke Lapinski, co-host of Wolf & Luke: I wouldn’t. At least not early. Monti’s future as the general manager of this team is tied to getting the quarterback position right more than anything else — whether that’s this week or one year from now.
The QB class in the 2027 draft is so loaded that you have to consider that. Sure, things are going to change over the course of the college football season, but there are already so many familiar names at the top of next year’s list — Arch Manning, Dante Moore, Julian Sayin, Jayden Maiava, etc. — that it’s a pretty safe bet there are going to be some good options for the Cardinals in the 1st round. A few of those guys might drop off over the next 12 months, but a couple of other names will probably emerge, too. And most of them already have as much starting experience at the college level as Ty Simpson.
The one caveat is if Mike LaFleur and Monti Ossenfort are just completely aligned (it worked for the Suns), that Simpson is their guy. I’m not sure how anyone can really be 100 percent sure of that after just 15 college starts, but if they feel strongly about it, you can’t really fault them for trying to solve this problem right now. They just can’t make that decision out of desperation because it’s a huge commitment. The Super Bowl isn’t in play right now anyway, so the most important thing is getting the right quarterback of the future. And if you take Simpson in the 1st round this Thursday, you essentially take yourself out of the mix for a high-end QB in 2027. So you’d better be sure.
That said, I don’t hate the idea of taking a flier on someone like Drew Allar or Carson Beck in the 4th round or something. Those guys were viewed as potential 1st rounders back in August, and now you can get them at a huge discount. Maybe you find a diamond in the rough. If not, it’s a late-round pick, so you can just move on.
Dave Burns, co-host of Burns & Gambo: Yes, the Cardinals should get a quarterback, but the answer isn’t Ty Simpson. Too short. Too inexperienced. Too good of an asset to spend on a player that you might be looking to replace a year from now. Garrett Nussmeier in the 4th? Fine. Cole Payton in the 5th? Cool. But Ty Simpson feels like settling to me.
Tyler Drake, Cardinals beat reporter, Cardinals Corner co-host: As Darth Sidious put it, “Do it!” But not in the way many are expecting.
Just about every national analyst has connected Simpson to the Cardinals in the first or second round at some point or another this draft. The chatter only grew with Dan Orlovsky and Chase Daniel adding to the hype in recent weeks.
Is that really the best use of a Day 1 or early Day 2 pick? Head coach Mike LaFleur has already gone on record saying 6-foot-4, 235-pound Jacoby Brissett looks the part for what he envisions an NFL quarterback being. That’s quite the difference compared to the 6-foot-1, 211-pound Simpson. Remember, Arizona isn’t that far removed from having to work around another signal caller’s shorter dimensions.
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There are other roster needs to address that high up in the draft order, namely offensive tackle and pass rusher.
But taking a late-round flier on a quarterback prospect, I can get onboard with. Someone like Penn State’s Drew Allar. The signal caller has plenty of experience and has the build LaFleur is looking for at 6-foot-5 and 228 pounds.
This doesn’t make Allar the Week 1 starter by any means — I think that is still Brissett — but gives Arizona an extra lottery ticket in the franchise quarterback sweepstakes. Worst-case scenario, Allar doesn’t push the envelope enough and the Cardinals get in on what is expected to be a fruitful 2027 QB class.
Kellan Olson, Arizona Sports at Night: To speak on Ty Simpson before I make my serious joke, there is a reason for the Cardinals to trade up from No. 34 and into the first round. It’s not for him. Offensive tackle and edge are deep in the 1st but drop-off right around the 30s, so if Arizona moved up a handful of spots, it could secure a right tackle or edge if one or the other isn’t addressed earlier.
Anyway, I 100% believe they should spend a late-round pick on Diego Pavia and start him for the majority of the year. No other QB possibility for 2026 would have such a guaranteed combination of entertainment and losing. Imagine that family in Old Town.
Mitch Vareldzis, Arizona Sports at Night: In our previous roundtable question, I posited that the Cardinals would trade back from No. 3 overall and in part take Simpson at No. 20. But this question is whether they should or not.
I think they should NOT go the QB route this draft. Not in the first round, nor the second, etc.
I am OK with risking this season for the bright and shiny QB prospects potentially in next year’s draft. Arch Manning, anyone? Manning to Harrison 2.0 anyone? Even beyond Manning, Dante Moore with an extra year of experience is just as juicy to me.
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