It's official. We're in the dregs of offseason content. In the gap between minicamps and training camps, the NFL content machine tends to spit out some off-the-wall takes and ideas that might hypothetically blow up the league.
Well, we've got a repeat offender here. There seems to be some steam building around a Tyreek Hill trade for the Arizona Cardinals. It might be the worst thing possible for the Cardinals, but the idea is too intriguing to ignore.
Analyst's wild trade idea has the Cardinals adding Tyreek Hill
In a recent article, Bleacher Report analyst Brent Sobleski put together some three-team trade ideas that would shake up the NFL. As Sobleski acknowledges, three-team trades never happen in football. These wild ideas serve more as a hypothetical reshuffling of talent than as realistic suggestions.
In one of Sobleski's trade ideas, he has Tyreek Hill going to the Arizona Cardinals. The deal also has the Cardinals sending offensive tackle Jonah Williams to the New York Giants and the Giants sending edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeax to the Miami Dolphins.
Sobleski says, "The Cardinals require some kind of jolt to finally become competitive and challenge for NFC West titles. They haven't won a division crown since 2015 and have made the playoffs just once since then. Talent can be found on the roster, but Hill's acquisition provides an immediate identity."
It's true. The Cardinals need to take a step forward to compete for division titles. Adding another star skill player could push the team to that next level. That player just isn't Tyreek Hill.
As we've mentioned before on Raising Zona, Hill isn't a bad fit with the Cardinals, purely from an on-field perspective. The Cardinals still lack a speedy deep threat at receiver to allow Marvin Harrison Jr. to play a more versatile role. Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson are both quality receivers, but they don't complement each other particularly well. Hypothetically, Tyreek Hill could tie the unit together and force defenses to respect the deep ball.
Sobleski is on the same page. He says, "In order to maximize quarterback Kyler Murray's capabilities, a duo of Hill and Harrison is nightmare fuel for opposing defensive coordinators."
But the on-field version of Tyreek Hill isn't the only factor in this trade. Hill has had repeated attitude issues that have stirred up controversy around the Miami Dolphins. His antics this offseason should be enough to cause the Cardinals to turn away.
Add in Hill's legal troubles, and this is a no-brainer.
The Arizona Cardinals have built a strong culture founded on high-character veterans and young stars with potential. Bring in a player like Tyreek Hill, and that might all come crumbling down.
That's without even considering what the Cardinals would have to give up in return. This hypothetical trade has Arizona losing starting right tackle Jonah Williams. While there's no argument to be made that Williams is a better football player than Hill, the loss could cripple the Cardinals' offense. Arizona's offensive line depth is lacking as it currently stands, so they could not afford to lose Williams.
At the end of the day, this trade is purely hypothetical. Barring divine intervention, the Arizona Cardinals are not going to trade for Tyreek Hill. The trade idea serves more as a reminder of a weak spot on the Cardinals' roster than as a true suggestion.