Donnie Druin#7 of 87 NFL pundits · Sep 12, 2026
Druin offers five bold predictions for the Cardinals' 2026 season, including a defensive coordinator firing, a top-10 offense, a quarterback traded at the deadline, a breakout All-Pro season from Walter Nolen, and a 1,400-scrimmage-yard rookie year for Jeremiyah Love.
Published in writing · Sports IllustratedRead the original
What Donnie Druin said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromWalter Nolen III is going to change that.
- Where it was published
- Sports Illustrated
- The piece
- 5 Cardinals Bold Predictions That Will Define the 2026 Season
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- 1Walter Nolen to make All-Pro“Walter Nolen Reaches 10+ Sacks, Earns All-Pro Honors”
- 2Jacoby Brissett to be 1st on the depth chart“Brissett is the obvious Week 1 starter”
- 3Walter Nolen to record 10 sacks“Walter Nolen Reaches 10+ Sacks, Earns All-Pro Honors”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walter Nolen to make All-Pro1 | Pro Bowl and All-Pro Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Jacoby Brissett to be 1st on the depth chart2 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Walter Nolen to record 10 sacks3 | Player Season Numbers | — | — | — | — | |
| 3 calls · 3 waiting | — | — | ||||
How each call scored
3 checkable claims — 1 depth chart call, 1 player season number and 1 pro bowl and all-pro call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 3 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 2 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room on every one.
Each call is scored 0 to 100 against what happened, on its own, by the published methodology. The naive guess is what knowing nothing would have scored on the same calls; the gap, weighted by how hard the call was, is the skill.
Where this call stands in the room
Jacoby Brissett · 2026 season20 calls from 17 pundits between 1 and 1. Donnie Druin said 1. the room's median is 1. not settled yet
Every dot is a call somebody published on the same question. Where the dots land says where this take sits, not whether it is right — nothing here is settled yet. Hover a dot for the name and number; click it to read that take.
1Pro Bowl and All-Pro CallsWalter NolenArizona Cardinals
Walter Nolen to make All-Pro
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
2Depth Chart CallsJacoby BrissettArizona Cardinals
Jacoby Brissett to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
3Player Season NumbersWalter NolenArizona Cardinals
Walter Nolen to record 10 sacks
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Nathan Jahnke · Trade and Signing Calls · Jacoby Brissett · Hit 100
In a Week 9 recap, Jahnke expects Mark Andrews to remain Baltimore's lead tight end but says rookie Matt Hibner is more likely than Josh Cuevas to eventually overtake them, and they anticipate the Ravens acquiring Jacoby Brissett to start at quarterback. They also suggest Brian Thomas Jr. may have played their final game for Jacksonville ahead of the trade deadline.John Breech · Trade and Signing Calls · Jacoby Brissett · Hit 100
Breech picks the Jaguars to blow out the quarterback-depleted Ravens on Thursday night, and in Week 9 takes the Bengals to outlast the Falcons in a Madrid shootout. They also expect Jacoby Brissett to be a Raven within 48 hours and to make their first Baltimore start in Week 11.Myles Simmons · Trade and Signing Calls · Jacoby Brissett · Hit 100
Reporting on the Cardinals' quarterback depth chart decision, Simmons suggests Jacoby Brissett becomes an obvious candidate to be traded as the third quarterback ahead of the Nov. 10 deadline.John Breech · Trade and Signing Calls · Jacoby Brissett · Hit 100
In their Week 8 grades, Breech argued the Bills should be considered the AFC's team to beat if their defense keeps playing well, and suggested the Buccaneers now look like the best team in the NFC South. They also floated that the Colts could move on from coach Shane Steichen, that Arizona might shop Jacoby Brissett before the deadline, and that Raiders back Mike Washington will keep out-snapping Ashton Jeanty.Jason La Canfora · Trade and Signing Calls · Jacoby Brissett · Hit 100
La Canfora reported that the Cardinals are tanking for 2027 and will probably trade quarterback Jacoby Brissett if they can, and that Josh Sweat wants out of Arizona with Dallas expected to pursue them aggressively in a crowded market.
More depth chart calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Michael Moore · Depth Chart Calls · Shedeur Sanders · Hit 100
In a Week 9 injury roundup, Moore forecast which banged-up fantasy contributors would play or sit: Deshaun Watson, Garrett Wilson, David Montgomery, Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel, TreVeyon Henderson and Terrance Ferguson are expected out, while Travis Kelce, Saquon Barkley, Michael Wilson, Christian Watson and Emeka Egbuka should play. They also expect Shedeur Sanders and Drew Lock to start at quarterback.Nic Bodiford · Depth Chart Calls · Joe Fagnano · Hit 100
Previewing Week 9 running game matchups, Bodiford expects Jacksonville to win lopsidedly over a depleted Baltimore team, with Bhayshul Tuten sitting out and Chris Rodriguez taking over as lead back, while Joe Fagnano starts at quarterback for the Ravens. They also view Broncos rookie Jonah Coleman as an RB2 going forward.Jacob Herlin · Depth Chart Calls · J.J. McCarthy · Hit 100
Herlin published Week 7 fantasy D/ST rankings with projections for 28 team defenses, led by Houston, Minnesota and Cleveland. They also expect Cleveland to post a fourth straight top-10 fantasy defense result, and predicts Jalon Daniels starts another week for Tampa Bay while J.J. McCarthy takes over as the Giants' starter.