The Arizona Cardinals’ 2026 road map has been printed out, laminated and even thrown in the passenger seat of quarterback Gardner Minshew’s RV.
But what’s the rub on Arizona’s 2026 slate of opponents?
A closer look at the teams on the docket and the biggest additions and subtractions from each:
Cardinals’ 2026 NFL schedule
WEEK 1 — at Los Angeles Chargers
Projected win total: 9.5
The Chargers are coming off back-to-back seasons of 11-6 marks, qualifying for the playoffs each year under head coach Jim Harbaugh.
Quarterback Justin Herbert leads the charge offensively, with wide receiver Ladd McConkey one of his top receiving threats.
On the other side of the football, Los Angeles is led by pass rusher Khalil Mack. Former Cardinals defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson also now calls L.A. home after spending last year with Arizona.
Key addition: Offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel
This space is usually reserved for a player, but in this case, McDaniel gets the nod.
The former Miami Dolphins head coach found a solid landing spot following his firing last year.
The wackiness could very well be off the charts this year, with McDaniel joining forces with Harbaugh.
There might not be a more entertaining head coach-coordinator duo in the league.
Biggest subtraction: OG Zion Johnson
After starting 65 of 66 games played for the Chargers since 2022, Johnson signed with the Cleveland Browns this offseason.
WEEKs 2 and 9 — vs./at Seattle Seahawks
Projected win total: 10.5
The defending Super Bowl champions are riding high after hoisting the Lombardi Trophy just a few short months ago.
The monumental win, however, has since been followed by plenty of departures.
On top of former offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak taking the Las Vegas Raiders’ head-coaching gig, Seattle watched Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III and defensive backs Tariq Woolen and Coby Bryant, among others, head elsewhere in free agency.
Despite the exits, Seattle is still up there in contention talk.
Biggest addition: RB Jadarian Price
With Walker heading elsewhere, the Seahawks spent the No. 32 overall pick on Price.
The former Notre Dame running mate of Cardinals rookie Jeremiyah Love, Price has a chance to earn snaps early on alongside Zach Charbonnet.
In 12 games with the Fighting Irish last year, Price recorded 674 yards and 11 touchdowns on 113 carries. He caught six passes for 87 yards and two more scores.
“Literally, JD was the first person that I texted,” Love said during his introductory press conference last month. “Once I got drafted and once I saw he got drafted, I got on my phone. JD was the first person that came to mind. I’ve watched JD work for three years.”
Biggest subtraction: DB Coby Bryant
As I already mentioned, there were plenty of high-level departures from Seattle this offseason.
Bryant is no exception.
Tallying at least three interceptions and six passes defensed across 26 starts the past two seasons, the veteran defensive back leaves behind a big void.
WEEK 3s and 18 — at/vs. San Francisco 49ers
Projected win total: 10.5
This marks one of Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur’s first apprentice vs. master moments.
Having worked under 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan in the past, LaFleur gets his chance to go head-to-head with a guy he credits a lot of his success to.
As for San Francisco as a whole, the window for contending is quickly closing, though getting wide receiver Mike Evans could help prop it open a little longer.
Can Shanahan finally get over that hump?
Biggest addition: DL Osa Odighizuwa
Evans was a close second here, but Odighizuwa could help solve some problems defensively for San Francisco.
A constant presence in the lineup behind 76 starts in five seasons of work, Odighizuwa gives a San Francisco defense that was dead last in sacks another impact player to place alongside Nick Bosa and Fred Warner.
Biggest subtraction: WR Jauan Jennings
The Evans addition makes the Jennings blow far less substantial, though the latter did pace the team in touchdowns with nine last season and was a top receiving threat for San Francisco the past two years.
He now gets a chance at topping those numbers in Minnesota, where former Arizona franchise quarterback Kyler Murray now resides.
WEEK 4 — at New York Giants
Projected win total: 7.5
After firing former head coach Brian Daboll midway through last year, the Giants reeled in the biggest coaching fish of the offseason in John Harbaugh.
The team instantly got some juice from the hire and are back in the primetime spotlight despite a 4-13 mark just a season ago.
Quarterback Jaxson Dart is readying himself for Year 2, same with running back and Arizona State alum Cam Skattebo.
Biggest addition: LB Tremaine Edmunds
One of the more productive linebackers in the game, Edmunds is coming off 112 tackles (three for loss), a sack, four interceptions and nine passes defensed last year for Chicago.
He’s posted no less than 102 tackles in each of his eight NFL seasons.
Biggest subtraction: DL Dexter Lawrence
Lawrence is no longer breaking out the “Sexy Dexy” in New York following an offseason trade to Cincinnati.
He heads to the Bengals after seven seasons with the Giants that included three Pro Bowl nods.
WEEK 5 — vs. Detroit Lions
Projected win total: 10.5
Seeing the Lions as the last place team in the NFC North felt all kinds of off last year — even if it was a tie with Minnesota at 9-8.
That shouldn’t be the case in 2026, with head coach Dan Campbell readying himself for his sixth season in Detroit.
He’ll get a helping hand in righting the ship from former Cardinals offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, too.
Petzing has been known to dial up a strong run game in the past and now gets running back Jahmyr Gibbs to work with.
Biggest addition: OT Blake Miller
Losing Taylor Decker and his 140 starts is a tough pill to swallow for the Lions.
They, however, may have found his heir apparent in Miller.
Taken No. 17 overall this past draft, the Clemson alum allowed eight sacks across 2,182 pass-blocking snaps, according to PFF.
Biggest subtraction: LB Alex Anzalone
Anzalone put in five seasons and 73 starts across his Lions tenure.
He’s coming off one of his best seasons as a pro, highlighted by 95 tackles, 2.5 sacks and an interception.
WEEKs 6 and 10 — at/vs. Los Angeles Rams
Another NFC West opponent, another master vs. apprentice battle for LaFleur.
Serving as Rams offensive coordinator under head coach Sean McVay before taking the Cardinals’ job, LaFleur gets another chance against a head coach he holds in high regard.
As a team, Los Angeles helps make up a deadly trio of Super Bowl contenders in the NFC West after another season of double-digit wins.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford may be getting older, but he isn’t slowing down. His MVP honors last year proved that.
Projected win total: 11.5
Biggest addition: CB Trent McDuffie
One of the biggest moves this offseason, the Rams spent four draft picks in a trade to bring in McDuffie.
He instantly boosts Los Angeles’ secondary and has two All-Pro nods in four seasons of work.
Biggest subtraction: CB Cobie Durant
The Rams’ secondary wasn’t without a premium departure in Durant.
He leaves after recording three interceptions, seven passes defensed and 40 tackles across 17 games played (15 starts) last year.
Durant had been a fixture in the Rams defense the past two seasons.
WEEK 7 — vs. Denver Broncos
Projected win total: 9.5
The Broncos were on a serious tear last year before a fractured ankle to quarterback Bo Nix ruined the team’s chances at reaching the Super Bowl.
He’s expected to be back for training camp, though will likely be slow rolled.
Healthy or not, Denver remains a problem thanks to its stout defense, a critical element to the Broncos’ 14-3 record.
Kansas City is no longer the only big threat out of the AFC West.
Biggest addition: WR Jaylen Waddle
Waddle comes over to Denver after 78 starts in five seasons with the Miami Dolphins.
He didn’t surpass the 1,000-yard mark last year, something he has done three times in his career, but the wide receiver did have 910 yards and six touchdowns on 64 catches.
He now forms a solid one-two punch for Nix with Courtland Sutton.
Biggest subtraction: Pass rusher John Franklin-Myers
Franklin-Myers registered 7.5 sacks last season, finishing third on the team.
It was his second consecutive year with at least seven sacks and 15 starts.
WEEK 8 — at Dallas Cowboys
Projected win total: 9.5
The Cowboys marked one of the Cardinals’ lone wins last season and could be one of their best chances at another one in 2026.
Still, quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receivers George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb present a powerful offensive trio. And that’s before mentioning running back Javonte Williams, who turned in a 1,200-yard season in 2026 under offensive coordinator and former Cardinals OL coach Klayton Adams.
Biggest addition: Pass rusher Rashan Gary
Gary is coming off his third-straight seasons with at least 13 starts and 7.5 sacks.
For the third-worst defense just a year ago, his addition was much needed.
Biggest subtraction: DL Osa Odighizuwa
WEEK 11 — at Kansas City Chiefs
Projected win total: 10.5
The big question here centers on where quarterback Patrick Mahomes is at health-wise.
He’ll likely be back by the time the Cardinals’ game rolls around, but how will he have held up before then?
And if you’ve forgotten, tight end Travis Kelce isn’t getting any younger.
You can never count out Kansas City, but things feel like they’re on the downswing for this era of Chiefs football.
Biggest addition: RB Kenneth Walker III
Walker landing in Kansas City is such a Chiefs move.
Coming off one of his best years as a pro and a Super Bowl MVP nod as the icing on the cake, Walker joins mastermind Andy Reid.
How they utilize Walker could be a thing of nightmares for opposing defenses.
Biggest subtraction: CB Trent McDuffie
WEEK 12 — vs. Washington Commanders
Projected win total: 7.5
Not having a healthy Jayden Daniels proved to be a big problem for the 5-12 Commanders last year. Having a defense that allowed a league-leading 384 yards per game and gave up the sixth-most points per game at 26.5.
Daniels is back healthy. The defense, however, remains to be determined.
Biggest addition: LB Sonny Styles
If the defense does take a step forward in 2026, their first-round pick likely will have something to do with it.
Styles presents an instant-impact inside linebacker who should translate well to the NFL after racking up a combined 182 tackles (17 for loss) and seven sacks in his final two seasons at Ohio State.
Biggest subtraction: C Tyler Biadasz
It’s hard to find a good center these days.
Washington is back looking for a long-term answer at the position after getting 31 starts out of Biadasz across the past two seasons.
WEEK 13 — vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Projected win total: 10.5
Will the Eagles move on from A.J. Brown? That’s been the biggest question mark surrounding the team this offseason.
Losing him would be a tough blow to the offense, especially given his four-straight seasons of at least 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns.
Philadelphia, meanwhile, is coming off its second-consecutive NFC East title.
Biggest addition: CB Tariq Woolen
The former Seahawks cornerback heads to the NFC East after four seasons in Seattle.
He hasn’t come close to his rookie year that was highlighted by a league-leading six interceptions but still gives Philadelphia another strong option in the secondary.
Biggest subtraction: S Reed Blankenship
If Brown heads elsewhere, he gets this spot. But for now, Blankenship takes the cake.
Starting 50 of 56 career games for Philadelphia across the past four seasons, the veteran safety was a critical part of the franchise.
He now heads to the Houston Texans.
WEEK 14 — BYE
Talk about a late one!
WEEK 15 — vs. New York Jets
Projected win total: 5.5
Once again, the Jets head into the season with low expectations.
Head coach Aaron Glenn gets another shot at keeping his job after a 3-14 mark. But for how long?
You know things are bad when you’re relying on quarterback Geno Smith, fresh off a lackluster one-year stop in Las Vegas, to keep things afloat.
And when will a Jets cornerback break the interception-less streak that plagued the team all of last year?
Hope is at a premium in New York.
Biggest addition: Pass rusher David Bailey
Bailey was the top pass rusher taken this past draft and for good reason.
He paced the FBS in sacks with 14.5 and the Big 12 in tackles for loss with 19.5.
The pass rusher was a serious candidate to go to the Cardinals at No. 3 overall before the Jets nabbed him.
If he can get up to speed in a hurry, look out.
Biggest subtraction: LB Quincy Williams
After five years and 73 starts, Williams heads to the Cleveland Browns.
He posted at least 106 tackles in four of the past five seasons for New York and earned an All-Pro nod in 2023.
WEEK 16 — at New Orleans Saints
Projected win total: 7.5
The Cardinals most recently got a taste of the Saints in a season-opening win last year.
The Saints have since added to their arsenal with first-rounder and ASU alum Jordyn Tyson to catch passes from second-year pro and Valley native Tyler Shough.
But just how much is he going to move the needle for a team that was in the bottom half of the league in total offense last year?
Biggest addition: LB Kaden Elliss
Elliss is an absolute maniac in all the right ways.
And after three seasons of at least 100 tackles in Atlanta, he’s back home with the team that took him in the seventh round of the 2019 draft.
Biggest subtraction: CB Alontae Taylor
The 2022 second-round pick started at least 13 games and made at least 75 tackles in each of the past three seasons for New Orleans.
WEEK 17 — vs. Las Vegas Raiders
Projected win total: 5.5
It’s a new era in Las Vegas, with Kubiak getting the head-coaching reins this offseason.
Armed with the No. 1 overall pick and former Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza and running back Ashton Jeanty, there are young pieces for Kubiak to mold.
Adding primetime center Tyler Linderbaum certainly doesn’t hurt, either.
Biggest addition: QB Fernando Mendoza
Linderbaum can easily be in this section, but it’s a league centered around quarterbacks.
Las Vegas did what just about everyone expected them to do in taking the Heisman Trophy winner.
How fast can he pick up the NFL speed?
Biggest subtraction: OL Dylan Parham (New York Jets)
Parham was a main part of the Las Vegas offensive line. He started 63 of 64 games played in four seasons with the Raiders.
He allowed six sacks last year, according to Pro Football Focus.
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