At No. 34, Ossenfort will aim to replicate his Day 2 success stories of previous drafts. He has previously spent those picks on players like Michael Wilson, Will Johnson and Garrett Williams.
And next year, the Cardinals could be in a position to draft their replacement for Kyler Murray. It’s a long way away, but Texas’ Arch Manning and Ohio State’s Julian Sayin are among the top quarterback prospects set to come out in 2027.
2. Nolen’s development
In 169 snaps as a rookie, Walter Nolen showed everything that made him the No. 16 pick in last year’s draft.
He exploded off the line of scrimmage, blew up run blocks and made life miserable on opposing offensive linemen. On 99 pass-rush snaps, he recorded 15 pressures — a remarkable 15.2% pressure rate. Among defensive linemen with as many snaps as Nolen, no one generated pressure more often.
The problem, of course, was staying on the field. With three different injuries throughout the year, Nolen was essentially available for only a quarter of the season.
And now, he has a knee injury of uncertain severity. No member of the Cardinals’ brass has been willing to discuss its severity, nor Nolen’s return-to-play timeline.
But whenever he returns, Nolen’s development will be worth watching. In six games as a rookie, he showed the potential to be the Cardinals’ most disruptive pass rusher since Chandler Jones. Imagine what could come next.
3. LaFleur’s offensive system
Even if the Cardinals struggle this year, Mike LaFleur will aim to bring an exciting, creative offense to the desert.
Arizona Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur speaks during a press conference at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026.
Michael Conroy, Associated Press
For a recent comparison, look at Dave Canales with the 2024 Carolina Panthers and Kellen Moore with the 2025 New Orleans Saints.