Arizona Cardinals hoping to benefit from others’ ineptitude
By Jim Koch
The three organizations who passed on the Arizona Cardinals’ Josh Rosen have an unimpressive track record with quarterbacks
Things worked out well for the Arizona Cardinals last week. The club’s 2018 draft was deemed a success, due mostly to the fact that they landed a franchise quarterback. General manager Steve Keim orchestrated a trade that brought UCLA’s Josh Rosen to the desert, bringing joy to many Cardinals fans.
Although Rosen was the fourth signal-caller chosen last Thursday, many analysts had him rated as the best of the class. How were the Cards able to get so lucky? One look at the organizations who neglected to draft Rosen may provide the answer to that question.
It just so happens that those three franchises (Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, Buffalo Bills) have a poor history of drafting passers. Keim and his cohorts could just sit back and watch as the most polished, pro-ready prospect of the top-four quarterbacks fell to the tenth pick. A tumble that put smiles on the faces of everyone in Arizona’s war room.
The Browns’ selection of Baker Mayfield with the first-overall pick certainly raised some eyebrows. Most of the concern has to do with the 2017 Heisman Trophy winner’s less than ideal height. Mayfield is just over six feet tall, but Cleveland obviously doesn’t consider it a problem.
The signal-callers drafted by the Browns over the last 20 years have been, for the most part, forgettable. Some of their more well-known misses include Johnny Manziel (2014), Brandon Weeden (2012), Colt McCoy (2010), Brady Quinn (2007) and Tim Couch (1999).
Two slots after Mayfield was taken, the Jets grabbed USC’s Sam Darnold. The 6’3″, 220 pounder went to a franchise that also can’t seem to find a solution for the position. Some of New York’s more-recent blunders include Christian Hackenberg (2016), Bryce Petty (2015), Geno Smith (2013) and Kellen Clemens (2006).
The third passer selected turned out to be Wyoming’s Josh Allen. The Bills snatched the 6’5″, 233 pounder with the seventh pick of the first round. Some of Buffalo’s flops at the position over the last 15 years include E.J. Manuel (2013), Trent Edwards (2007) and J.P. Losman (2004).
Next: Arizona Cardinals most intriguing draft pick
Of course, only time will tell which squad got the best quarterback out of the 2018 group. But based on some of the evidence presented in this article, you’d have to think that Rosen may eventually emerge from the pack on top. The sooner that these first-rounders get to start playing, the quicker the debate will be settled.