GLENDALE – The only positive for the Arizona Cardinals in Week 15’s 40-20 loss to the Houston Texans was the draft implications. Entering Sunday, Arizona was currently slated for the eighth pick in the 2026 NFL draft. However, wins by the Washington Commanders and New Orleans Saints have moved the Cardinals up to sixth.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The franchise is in a three-way tie at 3-11 with the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets. Arizona has a real possibility of making a jump into the top five or top three if a few scenarios happen.
Aug 2, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort during the Red and White practice in training camp at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Can Cardinals jump to top five pick?
The easiest scenario is having either the Browns or Jets win one of their final games, while the Cardinals lose out. The latter might be the hardest part. In the final three games, Arizona plays the Atlanta Falcons, Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Rams. Atlanta and Cincinnati are already eliminated from the playoffs and could be trying to improve their draft stock.
Head coach Jonathan Gannon is likely playing for his job, which doesn’t bode well to jumping into the top five. Week 16 is the Cardinals final home game, and Gannon could try to send the fans home happy with a final home win. However, if the franchise continues to be uncompetitive and allow 40+ points a game, that’ll be a massive help to making a jump in the draft.
The Browns will play the Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers and Bengals. Bills and Steelers are fighting for playoff spots, leaving Cincinnati as the final hope. However, the more likely option is in Week 16 for the Jets to win a game. New York plays the New Orleans Saints, who are currently 4-10 on the year.
Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon watches from the sidelines as his team plays the San Francisco 49ers at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Nov. 16, 2025.
The arrival of rookie quarterback Tyler Shough does give the Saints a slight edge. Regardless, next Sunday is the Cardinals best shot of moving into the top five, if the Jets can pull out a win in the Big Easy.
One of Arizona’s biggest hurdle is its strength of schedule, which is currently at .571 on the season. When the NFL has a tie in the draft order via record, it decides the next way to break a tie is based on SOS. The Cardinals have the second highest SOS in the league, making them the loser of most tiebreakers.
Playing 5-9 Falcons and 4-10 Bengals will help lower it, but it’ll be close on whether it is significant enough to help the franchise.
Cardinals HC Jonathan Gannon explains disastrous 40-20 loss to Texans
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Reporter Tanner Tortorella covers general assignment for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @TannerTSports
