There’s been no shortage of tanking jokes made about the Arizona Cardinals on social media, though NFL executives aren’t laughing when talking about Arizona’s plans.
The Cardinals fired head coach Jonathan Gannon and parted ways with franchise quarterback Kyler Murray moving into the 2026 offseason. Arguments were made for both to stay or go, though decision-makers in general manager Monti Ossenfort and owner Michael Bidwill believed a fresh start was needed on both ends.
As a result, the Cardinals now find themselves with first-time head coach Mike LaFleur and no viable plan at quarterback for the future. 2026 isn’t exactly expected to be a playoff year for the Cardinals, and fans know that.
So do other general managers.
NFL insider Jason La Canfora spoke with people across the league on Arizona’s current squad, and one GM told La Canfora he believes it’s obvious as to what the Cardinals are doing.
“They’re tanking, bro,” the general manager told La Canfora. “They aren’t even hiding it.”
One agent told La Canfora: “It’s all about 2027 for Arizona. It’s between them and the Jets (for the top pick). They want LaFleur to have his pick of anyone he wants.”
Are Cardinals Actually Tanking?
We covered this previously, but to catch everyone up: No.
While some joke about teams tanking every year for better draft position, it’s a pretty serious matter in the eyes of the NFL.
So much so that the Miami Dolphins were stripped of a first and third-round pick on top of their owner being fined and suspended for intentionally losing for better draft position a few years back.
At its core, tanking is tough to do on the field. Players and coaches simply have too much on the line to intentionally perform poorly, as it jeopardizes their immediate and long-term future in the league.
Now, do certain teams throw in the towel at later points in the year? Absolutely. Do front offices hope for better draft position? It’s hard to imagine they don’t, especially if they know they’re not going to be competitive.
Yet there’s a distinct difference between organizing for the future and tanking, and it’s tough to imagine Ossenfort intentionally piecing together a non-competitive roster ahead of 2026 for draft picks he might not even be making in the ensuing offseason.
We should also be reminded many national insiders believed Gannon was returning before he got the axe. There’s no good read on the inner-workings of this organization.
The idea might be conceivable if Ossenfort’s seat was considered safe, but after winning just 15 games over three seasons, it’s hard to believe his job security is close to being solidified entering Year 4.
Another poor season should only turn the temperature on that seat up, especially with plenty of money and draft capital at Ossenfort’s disposal this year.
