The Arizona Cardinals took a somewhat unconventional route when they decided to invest in a running back with the No. 3 overall pick. The questions surrounding whether Notre Dame product Jeremiyah Love would justify the steep investment had little to do with this talent and everything to do with the positional value.
We're just entering Week 6 of Love's NFL career, yet the Cardinals are already experiencing the downsides associated with that pick.
Cardinals' steep Jeremiyah Love draft investment comes with downsides
For one, it's the opportunity cost of addressing more valuable positions of need. Arizona is on a four-game losing streak in large part due to a defense that has now surrendered 30-plus points in each of those games. Their 32.4 points allowed per game ranks dead last in the league.
The Cardinals could've benefited more from selecting a defensive playmaker like Ohio State's Arvell Reese, taken No. 5 overall by the Giants and already thriving in New York.
Then, there's the dilemma of having your running back as a focal point of this rebuild. Love is already dealing with injuries that have affected both his production and availability. He recovered impressively quickly from the high-ankle sprain suffered in preseason. But now, his other (left) ankle is getting in the way of the Cardinals' investment.
Love's been dealing with a lingering ankle issue for a few weeks now. We recently saw it impact his explosiveness and efficiency in their Week 5 matchup against the Detroit Lions, rushing for just 22 yards on 12 carries. Not exactly the game-changing production the Cardinals were hoping to get out of this pick.
We've seen Love toughen this ankle issue out, but it's clearly affecting his performance. It could be in Arizona's best interest to let him sit against the Los Angeles Rams in a game that, in all likelihood, they're going to lose regardless of whether he's out there.
The reality of the league is there's unfortunately a higher risk of injury at the running back position. Now the Cardinals are forced to navigate this season managing their draft investment, which presents another hurdle in itself given the short shelf lives of running backs.
Love is only 21 years old, but that's roughly a decade of production in the NFL. How many years are the Cardinals going to waste trying to get this rebuild right?
Running back is typically something teams should add as a garnish, if you will. Investing so heavily at the position before sorting out the rest of the roster is backwards. Love is an exceptional talent and has a case as the best overall prospect in the draft. But coming at a relatively replaceable running back position, this pick doesn't come without its downsides.
The Cardinals may not have fully realized that when they decided to select him over Reese and others. They surely know that by now.
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