No matter how you slice it, the outlook for the 2026 Arizona Cardinals doesn’t look great. That said, all eyes may be veering away from the upcoming season, with focus shifting to 2027, starting with the NFL Draft.
Just about every media personality and league analyst has the Cardinals finishing as one of, if not the worst team in 2026. That includes Sports Illustrated’s Conor Orr, who says Arizona will earn the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Cardinals Predicted to Earn No. 1 Pick and Shot at Arch Manning
In his 100 bold predictions for the 2026 NFL season, Orr’s prediction reads as follows: “The Cardinals will get the No. 1 pick in the 2027 draft … and all that entails.”
Orr attributes that prediction to what appears to be a combination of bad luck and unfortunate circumstances for Arizona.
“I thought about getting cute here and imagining a 2011 Colts scenario where an established team loses its starting quarterback and absolutely falls to pieces, but it’s immensely difficult to imagine the Cardinals not having the No. 1 pick in the 2027 draft,” Orr wrote. “No disrespect to first-year head coach Mike LaFleur, but this team is still struggling to sign its prospective starting quarterback, Jacoby Brissett, its backup plans are Gardner Minshew II and Carson Beck, and its schedule is beyond horrific.”
Orr then pointed to Arizona’s difficult schedule, which includes games against the Chargers, Seahawks, 49ers, Lions, Rams, Broncos, Cowboys, Chiefs and others.
The second part of Orr’s prediction centers around Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning, who is already projected to be one of the top picks in next year’s draft.
“I say ‘all that entails’ because, let’s face it, the Cardinals are not viewed as an exemplary organization and the prospective No. 1 pick, Arch Manning, comes from a family of quarterbacks with a history of avoiding such organizations,” Orr added. “We have renewed interest in this saga thanks to Eli Manning recently breaking his silence on turning down the Chargers back in 2004.”
Whether Arizona actually lands the No. 1 pick remains to be seen, but Orr clearly believes the Cardinals are headed toward a season where the focus eventually shifts from wins and losses to draft positioning.
Eli Manning’s Chargers Story Could Resurface
While appearing on an episode of Bussin’ With The Boys, Eli Manning finally explained how things unfolded between him and the Chargers ahead of the 2004 NFL Draft.
“I just didn’t feel like they were the most committed team to winning at the time,” Manning said. “Marty Schottenheimer was the head coach, he was awesome. Had great respect for him. But they came to work me out in New Orleans … went to dinner and there was just friction between the head coach, general manager [A.J. Smith], the owners [Spanos family]. They are all yelling — kind of like fighting.”
“We are at a Marriott restaurant. Schottenheimer’s mad like, he’s like, ‘We’re in New Orleans and we’re eating at a Marriott?’ He’s like pissed. They are kind of bickering. It just didn’t seem there was a whole lot of agreement on things and they were committed to building a great winning franchise at that moment.”
Eli did acknowledge that his parents “really weren’t supportive” of his decision to reject the Chargers.
No doubt that situation will be revisited if Arch declares for the 2027 NFL Draft.
The Cardinals have never been known as a consistently successful franchise. Over the last five seasons alone, Arizona has produced just one winning season. Three of those years ended with four wins or fewer.
Perhaps Arch won’t follow in the footsteps of his uncle. But if the Cardinals do wind up holding the No. 1 overall pick, rest assured that the comparison — and the possibility — will be discussed extensively leading up to draft day.
Arizona Cardinals Get Strong Arch Manning Warning After Brutal Projection