Despite having numerous needs on both sides of the ball, the Cardinals and general manager Monti Ossenfort did a solid job patching those holes up swiftly in the first part of the offseason, which was free agency.
The most depleted unit on offense was running back, and what did Ossenfort do? He signed Tyler Allgeier to a two-year contract and paired him up with James Conner, who looks to bounce back after sustaining a season-ending foot injury.Â
Arizona also signed Isaac Seumalo to the interior of the offensive line, adding a veteran presence to what is an incredibly young unit, which is anchored by an offensive tackle heading into his contract year in Paris Johnson.
That being said, it is an open book for what the Cardinals could do with the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL Draft, but there is a growing consensus of what that will be.Â
Arizona could take an offensive tackle to add depth to the young group, or they could take an edge rusher to pair with Josh Sweat. But what if Ossenfort kept everyone on their toes and addressed a need that few thought would be necessary?
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The Cardinals lost safety Jalen Thompson to the Dallas Cowboys on a three-year deal, but quickly patched up the vacancy by bringing in Andrew Wingard on a one-year deal.
However, what if the Cardinals selected Ohio State safety Caleb Downs with the third overall pick, adding one of the smartest and most skilled draft prospects to an up-and-coming defense? It would give veteran Budda Baker a solid running mate as well.
Downs posted 68 total tackles and a sack in his junior season with the Buckeyes, and he is widely considered to be a top-ten draft pick. The only question is, how high are teams willing to draft him?