Right now, all attention is directed to how the Arizona Cardinals can maximize value from the draft on Thursday. How they do that is a juicy topic, however, the best-case scenario is not only dependent on just what they do. The play can be greatly impacted by the Houston Texans at No. 2 for the Cardinals.
After a not-so-good 2022 season where they finish with a 4-13 record, the Cardinals are like a team that is dangerously close to a smooth fall. Kyler Murray struggled in 11 different games before mounting his ACL, and everything from his lack of connection with the rest of the team and his maturity was questioned.
With Kliff Steve Keim and Kingsbury fired at the end of the season, Jonathan Gannon alongside Monti Ossenfort was brought in as the new head coach and general manager duo, this doesn’t systematically bring hope to the facility.
As it stands, Murray would not be returning from injury until well into the 2023 season and the Cardinals’ roster is almost one of the worst rosters in the NFL. A reliable draft class does a lot to give the Cardinals a little more reason for belief, however, the roster won’t improve overnight, and they could still be in variance for another top 5 picks in 2024
The Arizona Cardinals have been the subject of many talks leading up to draft day since they settled with the No. 3 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. They’re in an excellent position to take exclusive prospects or trade them back, however, what is the best alternative for them?
Another quarterback falling off the board at No. 2 would put the No. 3 pick in higher demand and might also raise the price as there’s now one less quarterback for the needy teams to target.
The News on the street has said that the Cardinals are trying to trade the No. 3 pick for a while. However, it's already two count down before the draft and no deal has yet materialized. This is fundamentally the best-case scenario for the Cardinals. But the Texans taking a quarterback with the No. 2 pick would make their position even stronger.
At the look of things, four quarterbacks who are on track to be picked in the top 10 are Anthony Richardson, Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, and Will Levis. Young is the automatic No. 1 pick for the Carolina Panthers; everything after him is a puzzle. Regardless, it’s fair-minded to assume they could be off the board early, looking at the amount of quarterback-needy teams and the value of quarterbacks in the draft.
The Cardinals Have A Win-Win Alternative
The Cardinals could peddle down a few spots, or out of the top 10 altogether – and even if they can’t find an exchange partner, things are still looking good. They can still pick up a defensive or offensive lineman and potentially grab some valuable future picks. A player like Will Anderson or Paris Johnson Jr. instantly makes the Cardinals just a little better. It doesn’t solve all that ails them, but it’s a start.