The Arizona Cardinals are going to need to have a good draft in 2017, with change on the horizon.
The NFL Draft is vitally important for the Arizona Cardinals and every other team, every year. It’s how teams stock their teams with young talent to carry the team in the coming years. Usually, the teams that continually finish near the bottom have consistently poor drafts.
The Cardinals have had some good drafts in recent memory, but the 2017 version might be the most important one in quite some time. A good draft could keep them competing for the playoffs on a yearly basis. A bad one could set them back for years.
The future of the quarterback position has been unsettled for the past several seasons, but this year, it looms large. Carson Palmer is 37 years old, and could be entering his last season. There is no successor on the roster, unless Zac Dysert greatly surpasses expectations. They could certainly stand to get a quarterback, and the sooner the better, to allow him to learn under Palmer, as Palmer learned from the bench when he entered the league.
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Wide receiver is another position in need of an important upgrade. With Larry Fitzgerald contemplating retirement, and Michael Floyd gone, the Cardinals could be left with no number one receiver. John and Jaron Brown, along with JJ Nelson, are nice complementary receivers, but a young passer needs weapons, and Arizona needs to find some.
The other major reason the Cardinals need to make the coming draft count is the number of key free agents the team has this off-season. Major contributors like Calais Campbell, Chandler Jones, and Tony Jefferson, plus several important role players, are on the market, and might not be back. This leaves a need to fill these spots with quality players.
Next: Five Quarterback Options for the Arizona Cardinals in 2017
Every NFL Draft is important. It wasn’t that long ago that the Cardinals were doormats on a yearly basis. If they fail to address their needs, especially at quarterback, it could be deja vu for fans. A great draft is a must, or 2018 and beyond are in grave danger of resembling those days.