Among the many offseason lists and rankings you will find, Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com ranked the NFC rosters in terms of overall talent. He put them in three categories -- the heavyweights, the massive middle and the group playing catchup.
The Arizona Cardinals aren't among the two heavyweight teams, but they are close.
Rosenthal ha only two heavyweights -- the Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers. They happen to be last year's two top NFC teams. That's completely understandable. They have talent up and down the roster.
But the Arizona Cardinals are the top of the next group in the NFC -- a talented and very large middle group of 11 teams.
The Cardinals and Eagles lead the list because we believe they have the two strongest overall rosters beyond the top two teams. They can withstand injuries and have strong coaching staffs.
Arizona is ranked just above Philadelphia.
Is it fair to same the Cardinals are not quite heavyweights? They have a good QB situation, provided Carson Palmer is healthy. The defense looks to bee deeper than last season. The offensive line has been upgraded and the receiver position looks as talented as ever.
I would say it is fair to put them, at the top of the middle teams who could all be playoff teams this next season or could also go the other way.