Recent low ranking of Cardinals GM Steve Keim is unfortunately correct

NFL Network recently ranked all 32 NFL general managers and Steve Keim of the Arizona Cardinals found himself near the bottom tier among veteran execs. 

Earlier this offseason, the Arizona Cardinals engaged in bizarro-world strategy when they signed general manager Steve Keim and head coach Kliff Kingsbury to contract extensions through 2027.

Even with the extension, however, a recent power ranking from NFL Network placed Keim at 19th out of 22 veteran NFL general managers.

While Arizona is 76-67-2 since Keim took the job, NFL Network was quick to point out flaws in his tenure. Since Bruce Arians left the helm, the Cardinals‘ general manager has struggled to put a winning product onto the field for the team.

Arizona Cardinals GM Steve Keim ranked among the NFL’s lowest veteran executives

Since 2018, the first season since Arians left, Arizona is 27-37-1. Keim made the ill-fated hiring of Steve Wilks as the Cardinals head coach and he paired him with one of the biggest draft busts in NFL history, Josh Rosen. Keim’s failure to properly manage Arizona set them back at least two seasons.

But it doesn’t start with Rosen and Wilks. Below is a list of Keim’s top draft picks since 2016.

• Robert Nkemdiche – 2016
• Haaason Reddick – 2017
• Josh Rosen – 2018
• Kyler Murray – 2019
• Isaiah Simmons – 2020
• Zaven Collins – 2021

Nkemdiche was a bust, who spent time out of the league in 2020 before he returned for 2021 with the Seattle Seahawks, where he played in nine games and recorded 15 tackles.

Reddick also looked like a bust until the Cardinals placed him in his natural position at outside linebacker. Unfortunately, they let him walk following the 2020 season and he has since signed with the Philadelphia Eagles.

In four seasons, Rosen has spent time on five different NFL rosters and he is primarily a league afterthought. While Murray has two Pro Bowls and Rookie of the Year honors to his name, he has yet to win a division championship or even a playoff game.

Simmons looked better in year two with 105 combined tackles. However, most of his stops came four or five yards downfield. He has yet to become the impact player the Cardinals were hoping for when they drafted him. And finally, Collins played in just 20 percent of Arizona’s defensive snaps this past season.

Overall, blown draft picks, losing seasons, and the inability to return the Cardinals to respectability has marred Keim’s ranking. And if Arizona regresses in 2022, he will freefall even further.