The Cardinals are facing an extremely challenging season. In addition to a new head coach and a new starting quarterback, Arizona has an extremely tough schedule ahead. However, one of the franchise’s top prospects is convinced that he and his team can surprise a lot of people this year.

During the offseason, a veritable arms race took place in the NFC West. The Los Angeles Rams went all-in, signing two absolute top-tier defensive players: cornerback Trent McDuffie and edge rusher Myles Garrett.

The franchise’s offense was already the best in the league in points and yards gained last season. The San Francisco 49ers snagged Mike Evans, one of the most reliable wide receivers of recent years—and they can also count on the return of several key players from injury.

Meanwhile, the reigning Super Bowl champions from Seattle were focused on keeping their championship team together as best they could. Aside from the departure of Kenneth Walker—who was replaced by first-round pick Jadarian Price and former Packers player Emanuel Wilson—they succeeded in doing so.

And then there are the Arizona Cardinals. In addition to the controversial draft pick of Jeremiyah Love, the departure of quarterback Kyler Murray is the main focus. The former Offensive Rookie of the Year and two-time Pro Bowler was benched last season after seven years as a starter and later released.

The Cardinals are underdogs in every game of the upcoming NFL season

Jacoby Brissett will now enter the upcoming season as the new starting quarterback. Last season, the 33-year-old managed 21 touchdowns with just seven interceptions, at least demonstrating that he certainly has what it takes to be a solid starter.

However, major strides aren’t likely to be expected from him—especially considering that the Cardinals have made the playoffs only once since the 2015 season (in 2021), and lost immediately in the Wild Card Round.

The American television network “NBC” has also already reported that the Cardinals have one of the toughest schedules for the upcoming season. According to sports betting provider “DraftKings,” the franchise is the underdog in every single game.

Given the strong draft class next year—which features two top prospects at the quarterback position in Dante Moore and Arch Manning—many believe that Arizona wouldn’t necessarily mind having the first pick in the upcoming draft.

Johnson: “We’ll be ready when the time comes”

Cardinals cornerback Will Johnson, however, seems to see things differently. During an appearance on “SiriusXM NFL Radio,” the 23-year-old said: “I think we have a good chance ahead of us to surprise a lot of people this year.”

He continued: “I love the chance to go up against the best every week. They’ll just keep trying to line up teams against us, but we’ll be ready when the time comes.”

The defensive back was drafted in the second round in 2025. He was frequently projected as a top-10 pick leading up to the draft but unexpectedly slipped to the 47th overall pick due to medical concerns regarding knee issues identified at the Combine.

In his rookie season, Johnson made an immediate impact, recording 37 tackles, two tackles for loss, and one forced fumble in ten starts before re-injuring his knee down the stretch. Despite this, he was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team as one of only two cornerbacks.

"I love it, I wouldn&39;t want it any other way.& amp;quot;@AZCardinals CB Will Johnson on the NFC West heading into the 2026 season and HC Mike LaFleur.

https://t.co/u2cRkasH7nAZCardinals | RiseUpRedSea | @KirkMorrison pic.twitter.com/0jJuCVPNTN

— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) June 28, 2026

Mike LaFleur Makes His Debut as Head Coach of the Cardinals

In addition to a new starting quarterback, Arizona also brought in a breath of fresh air at the head coach position: Jonathan Gannon, who had coached the team since 2023, was let go. Replacing him is Mike LaFleur, who most recently served as offensive coordinator for the LA Rams for three years. In Arizona, he will take on his first head coaching role.

Johnson is already praising his collaboration with LaFleur: “He has established a positive environment characterized by hard work, discipline, and attention to detail—one where no day is taken for granted.”

He continues: “It’s the little things, like rearranging our lockers in the locker room to help everyone integrate better, or setting up the ping-pong tables—simply everything that helps us all grow closer together.”

According to Johnson, this will eventually have an impact on performance as well: “I feel that the successful teams I’ve played on have always been the ones where everyone pulled together and really played as a unit. So I believe that will help us go far this year.”