The Denver Broncos will wrap up their slate of games in the NFC West on Sunday when they head on the road to face the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals are 2-4 entering this matchup, but are coming off an impressive Week 6 win over the Los Angeles Rams. Here’s a deeper look at Denver’s Week 7 opponent.
2025 Arizona Cardinals Regular Season Review
The Cardinals finished their 2025 regular season with a 3-14 record and last place in the NFC West. That led to the firing of Head Coach Jonathan Gannon after three seasons with the team. He was replaced by Mike LaFleur.
2026 Arizona Cardinals Offseason Additions and Removals
When coaching regimes change, so do rosters. The Cardinals made a lot of moves this past off-season and are clearly trying to establish a different culture and identity.
On offense, there are two significant departures. They moved on from quarterback Kyler Murray and recently traded wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. to the Houston Texans. On defense, they split defensive linemen Dalvin Tomlinson and Bilal Nichols and linebacker Akeem-Davis Gaither.
In free agency, they signed Gardner Minshew to be Jacoby Brissett’s backup. They revamped their receiving corps adding Kendrick Bourne, Devin Duvernay, and Simi Fehoko. Tyler Allgeier was a big signing to bolster their ground game, and they added several starters to their offensive and defensive trenches.
In the 2026 NFL Draft, the Cardinals took Notre Dame standout Jeremiah Love to help become a key part of their offense. In the second round, drafted Texas A&M guard Chase Bisontis. Unfortunately, he tore his MCL in the preseason and is out for the year. Georgia quarterback Carson Beck was their third round pick. Overall, they didn’t make much of an impact from their rookie class.
Offensive X-Factor: Tight end Trey McBride
The focal point of the Cardinals’ passing game is fifth-year tight end Trey McBride. He’s one of the NFL’s best tight ends. I feel like he’s easily the biggest X-Factor for Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph and his players to try to combat on Sunday.
McBride is coming off an impressive 2025 season in which he had 126 catches, 1,239 receiving yards, and 11 touchdowns. That incredible production earned him first-team All-Pro honors. This season, he led the NFL with 49 catches in six games. However, his decline in yards per catch was drastic, with just 361 yards in receptions with 3 touchdowns.
For the most part, Denver’s defense has done well limiting the top receiving option for opposing teams through six games. To win on Sunday, they can’t let McBride have a big game. He is often targeted and has a penchant for moving the chains on third down. Limit his impact and things should look good for the Broncos.
Defensive X-Factor: Defensive back Budda Baker
The Cardinals have struggled defensively this season. However, one player in particular stands out above the rest on their roster. Budda Baker is a defensive back. Since being selected in the second-round of the 2017 NFL Draft, Baker has been a mainstay in the Cardinals’ defensive backfield.
He was an eight-time Pro Bowler and a four-time All-Pro. Some of the best seasons of his career were when Defensive Coordinator Vance Joseph was calling the shots for their defense. A decade later, Baker continues to be an impact player for their defense due to his versatility.
In his tenth season, Baker already has 42 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 5 quarterback hits, and 1 interception. He is a do-it-all player who could have a big impact on Sunday’s match. The Cardinals run a lot of Cover 3 looks and he has a nose for the football. Despite his size, he is quite tenacious in run support and performs his run fit well.
In pass coverage, the veteran defensive back has regressed a bit this year. While he only allowed 13 of 25 targets in his direction to complete (52-percent), those completions went for 197 yards, three of which were touchdowns. However, I still think he is the player Bo Nix and the offense needs to know better. He had an amazing career and made many big plays. Denver won’t let that happen Sunday.
How the Broncos can pull off a victory against the Cardinals
As with most of Denver’s wins this season, they will need a strong performance from their defense. The Broncos will need to dial up the heat and pressure Jacoby Brissett. I think Zach Allen is ready for a big game coming home to face the team that drafted him, and believe Jonathon Cooper can be a difference maker at edge rusher.
On offense, Denver needs Bo Nix to play a good game. Let’s see the aerial attack finally take off. But in my opinion, this is a prime opportunity for their rushing offense to continue. The Cardinals are one of the worst run defenses. It’s time for Denver to run the ball with authority. That will help their offense a lot.
Hart’s prediction: Broncos 27, Cardinals 16.