Arizona Cardinals regular season play is just five days from now.
The Cardinals‘ 2026 season kicks off on Sunday afternoon against the Los Angeles Chargers. This is the debut for head coach Mike LaFleur with the franchise, which makes this a crucial time to make a positive first impression.
Arizona’s initial depth chart is now in fold ahead of the contest, with a small handful of surprises coming along with it. Read more about the said surprises below.
Jeremiyah Love is Currently Cardinals’ RB2
One of the biggest shock decisions of the reveal is that Tyler Allgeier is the starting running back on paper.
While Love is unlikely to take the first snap of the season, being part of the depth chart is a strong sign that he will play on Sunday. Expect the Love/Allgeier pairing to be more of a 1A/1B situation. The snap count is ultimately what will matter most here.
While Love is the back with more talent, don’t expect the Notre Dame product to take more than 20 touches.
Arizona’s EDGE Battle is Intriguing
Second-year Cardinal Josh Sweat is firmly in the fold as the starting EDGE on one side of the line.
The result of this is leaving an open starting role on the other side, which is up for grabs between Zaven Collins and Baron Browning. The two players are listed as interchangeable.
Snap count matters more in comparison to who actually starts, but this battle is worth monitoring. Browning might be more suited to serve as a complimentary pass rusher alongside Sweat. On the other hand, Collins is likely to be a steadier hand in run support and in aiding in coverage.
Through all of this, time will ultimately tell who becomes the player that takes a majority of snaps. Defensive coordinator Nick Rallis has a choice to make, and both are worthy options.
What is Garrett Williams’ Trajectory in 2026?
Arizona is heading into the season with Garrett Williams in tow. The talented third-round pick in 2023 is working to return to full form from an achilles injury.
Williams is seemingly slating to be active in week one, although he is currently CB2 behind Denzel Burke at the moment. Burke is coming off of a strong rookie season out of Ohio State, which gifts him a built-in advantage over Williams at the moment. Despite this, nothing is finalized on the depth chart.
There’s still a definite chance that Williams works his way back into the front-line of the rotation, as his 2024 season is still one of the strongest in recent memory for a slot corner.
One of the Cardinals’ greatest strengths as a roster rests in the secondary, with Williams serving as a prime example of the depth of the group. Expect the Syracuse alum to ease into a role as the season goes on, with the ultimate pay-off to come by midseason.
The Cardinals’ season opens up with a marked challenge for the group, which gifts Williams an opportunity to make a major statement. Until then, Arizona is heading in with Burke as the starting nickelback.
The Cardinals and Chargers are kicking off at 1:25 P.M. MST on Sunday.
Arizona Cardinals Reveal Week 1 Depth Chart With Jeremiyah Love Surprise