Come on, Arizona Cardinals, draft a wide receiver in the first round of the NFL Draft. On second thought, you'd better improve that pass rush, because that’s one of the latest NFL trends.
What about the offensive line? How about trading back? So many choices, only one No. 16 overall pick.
Such is life with the Cardinals’ brass these days as they prepare for the NFL Draft’s first round Thursday night at Green Bay.
So, what should the Cardinals do when NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announces on ESPN that Arizona is on the clock?
There’s only one thing to do — to improve the Cardinals this season and, potentially, a decade down the line.
Draft the best offensive tackle you can, the offensive tackle you’re most in love with. If he’s there, get him. Don’t hesitate. You’ve been working on the draft for the last 364 days, after all.
Go get ’em.
The Cardinals’ pick is in … and it’s Ohio State’s Josh Simmons
Josh Simmons makes a ton of sense, as only 317-pound offensive tackles can do. And, Simmons likely will be available when the Cardinals come to the plate.
Most mock drafts have Simmons going late in the first round. Why? He suffered a left patellar tendon rupture in October and played only six games. He missed the Buckeyes’ run to the national championship.
But when healthy, Simmons is considered a first-year NFL starter. We saw two mock drafts where he is a top-7 pick. -- and that's despite his injury.
Simmons would join last year’s first-round pick, Paris Johnson Jr., at tackle, giving Arizona a pair of massive and talented Buckeyes to fuel the offense.
In The Beast, The Athletic’s comprehensive look at the draft, Dane Brugler wrote about Simmons: “Simmons is a nimble, coordinated pass protector with tremendous athletic poise and the body control to be a long-term starting left tackle in the NFL. His pro projection hinges on medical feedback.”
Brugler has Simmons ranked No. 3 among offensive tackles, behind LSU’s Will Campbell and Missouri’s Armand Membou, and ahead of Oregon’s Josh Conerly Jr.
Cardinals should be bold with first-round pick
Teams get queasy about drafting players coming off serious injuries, especially with their first-round pick. The Cardinals, with only one playoff appearance in nine years, should be bold and draft Simmons for his prodigious talent. Teams that flail around with an 8-9 record need top-of-the-line talent, especially on the lines.
An even stronger NFL trend these days is building the offensive and defensive lines. That was the main reason the Eagles won the Super Bowl in February. Teams now want to build their lines through the draft and enhance them through free agency.
If Simmons is off the board at 16, the Cardinals should draft their next highest rated offensive lineman.
Something else to consider: The Cardinals’ new offensive line coach is Justin Frye, who coached Simmons at Ohio State. Frye knows Simmons.
On Thursday night, if the Cardinals draft Simmons, fans will know Frye gave his blessing, medical due diligence was done, and Arizona might land one of the steals of the draft.