Vegas Just Handed the Arizona Cardinals the Worst Odds in the NFL, and It's Not Even Close

The 2026 NFL offseason is officially in the books. Free agency is done, the draft is wrapped, and every team is supposed to be ready to compete. Except one. According to Vegas, the Arizona Cardinals are sitting on the longest shot to make the playoffs in the entire league, and the numbers don't lie.

The Cardinals' Brutal Reality

Arizona's playoff odds are currently sitting at +2000, per Pro Football Talk. That's the worst in the competition, full stop. No other team is further away from postseason hopes than the Cardinals right now, and that's saying something in a 32-team league.

So what went wrong? Well, on the surface, it looks like the Cardinals tried. They added running back Jeremiyah Love with the No. 3 pick in the draft. They brought in another quarterback to the room in Carson Beck. On paper, those moves suggest an organization trying to build something.

Preparing for Next Year

But here's the real story: Arizona isn't trying to win the 2026 season. They're preparing to find their franchise quarterback in the 2027 draft. This year is basically a placeholder. The Cardinals are openly acknowledging that despite their offseason additions, they couldn't put together a competitive team. A lot of teams got better in the offseason and added intriguing pieces. Others laid the foundation for something solid down the road. The Cardinals? They're expected to spend this season getting ready for next year, and Vegas has priced that reality into their odds.

When the Emerald City's division rivals look at Arizona this season, they should see opportunity. The Cardinals are the clear definition of a team that couldn't quite make it work when it mattered.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.