In the high-stakes chess game of NFL roster construction, the Arizona Cardinals are making moves that have the entire league whispering. Their current quarterback lineup—a trio of Jacoby Brissett, Gardner Minshew II, and Kedon Slovis—is raising more questions than it answers about their immediate future. This has led to a fascinating and bold theory gaining steam: are the Cardinals already playing the long game, with their sights set on a prize two years down the road?
The speculation, as reported by ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio, suggests Arizona may not have a concrete plan for the 2026 season at the sport's most important position. Instead, the organization might be preparing to 'accept reality' and let the season unfold naturally. The potential reward for such a strategy? The first overall pick in the 2027 NFL Draft and a shot at the most famous name in football.
The Arch Manning Gambit
"The prize could be dibs on whoever the top quarterback is after the 2026 college football season," Florio noted. While the popular assumption points to Texas star Arch Manning, Florio wisely cautions that the draft landscape can shift dramatically, citing past examples like Joe Burrow, who emerged from relative obscurity to become the consensus top pick.
This potential long march toward Manning comes after the Cardinals officially moved on from the Kyler Murray era following the 2025 season. After seven years and a playoff victory drought stretching back a decade, the franchise is in a full-scale rebuild under new head coach Mike LaFleur. The desire to avoid another ten years of mediocrity is palpable, and securing a potential generational talent at quarterback is the clearest path out.
A Calculated Quarterback Room
Examining the Cardinals' QB depth chart reveals a strategy, or perhaps the lack of one, that fuels this theory. Brissett and Minshew are capable veterans, but they are widely viewed as bridge starters or high-end backups, not long-term franchise cornerstones. Slovis remains an unproven commodity. This group seems perfectly constructed to compete yet ultimately fall short, a classic recipe for landing a top draft selection.
If this is indeed a deliberate plan, it would echo the infamous "Suck for Luck" campaign of 2011, where teams were accused of tanking for Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck. The Cardinals' current trajectory suggests they could be the frontrunner in a 2026 version dubbed "March for Arch" or something similarly catchy by the media.
The team's recent draft positioning adds another layer to the intrigue. As we've seen in our coverage of potential trade-down moves from the top 5, Arizona is no stranger to strategic draft maneuvering. Furthermore, the upcoming offseason could see significant player movement, as explored in our look at five NFL stars who could be on the move in 2026, which would further shape their roster.
Of course, focusing solely on Manning is a risky proposition. College football is unpredictable, and another quarterback could skyrocket to the top of the 2027 class. Manning himself is focused on his final season at Texas, where he made headlines for his selfless move to take less NIL cash to help build the Longhorns' roster for a championship run.
For now, the Cardinals' quarterback room is a Rorschach test for NFL analysts. Some see a simple, straightforward rebuild. Others see the early, calculated steps of a multi-year plan with a famous target in mind. Whether it's Arch Manning or another future star, Arizona's actions suggest they are willing to endure short-term pain for what they hope will be a decade-defining gain at quarterback.
