The Arizona Cardinals concluded a dreadful 2025 season on Sunday, falling to the Los Angeles Rams on the road in Week 18.
Arizona finished the year with a 3-14 record, its fourth straight losing season. As a result, the Cardinals fired head coach Jonathan Gannon, meaning a coaching search is on the horizon. However, the quarterback situation will be the main storyline of the offseason in Glendale.
Kyler Murray played just five games this year due to a foot injury, and all signs point to Arizona wanting to move on. The Cardinals could save $5 million in cap space by cutting Murray as a post-June 1st designation.
If Arizona decides to pull the plug on the Murray era, The Athletic's Nick Baumgardner predicts the team will select Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 3 overall pick.
"The Cardinals could have major leadership questions heading into next season, possibly including at quarterback with the future of the Kyler Murray era in doubt. If Arizona starts over with a new coaching regime, it might be the perfect time to start over under center, too," Baumgardner wrote.
Mendoza has been the best quarterback in college football in 2025, tossing 36 touchdowns to just six interceptions with a 72.3% completion rate, along with six scores on the ground. The Miami native will take center stage on Friday once again, as Indiana and Oregon meet in the College Football Playoff semi-final.
At 6-foot-5, Mendoza possesses excellent size for an NFL quarterback and is also an under-the-radar athlete who can make plays on the move. The Cal transfer is arguably the top signal-caller in the 2026 draft due to his accuracy and poise.
Arizona needs a spark, as the franchise has been spiraling with no clear direction over the last few years. Selecting Mendoza would ignite excitement among Cardinals fans and give Arizona a potential franchise quarterback.
At No. 3 overall, there's a chance Mendoza falls to Arizona's selection. However, with two quarterback-needy teams ahead of the Cardinals, the Las Vegas Raiders and New York Jets, Arizona may need to trade up in order to secure its quarterback of the future.