Arizona Cardinals will shift recent narratives in the 2023 NFL Draft
By Sion Fawkes
The New York Post placed the Arizona Cardinals near the NFL’s basement in the five-year draft rankings, giving Monti Ossenfort a chance to shift the narrative.
With only role players looking to provide serviceable help coming to the desert this season, Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort understood early just how much more important it is to build his team through the NFL Draft. Ossenfort’s process will be simple: Add new talent through the NFL Draft, then target remaining needs the following season in free agency.
Why? Simple. Young talent will lure free agents to a team so they could perhaps become one of the last, or even the last, puzzle piece for an organization to cross the sometimes elusive threshold into the playoffs.
Sure, we’ve already been looking at a dramatically different offseason approach under Ossenfort as opposed to Steve Keim, who always thought he needed to make a blockbuster move. It never worked out as far as sustained success was concerned, and of course, his poor drafting of the remaining picks the team had also didn’t help matters.
Arizona Cardinals can shift the team’s reputation of drafting poorly
Here in 2023, Ossenfort has several power plays. He can trade the third pick and collect more draft capital. Ossenfort can also trade Budda Baker and DeAndre Hopkins this weekend, acquiring even more capital.
No guarantee it will work, and under Ossenfort, the Cards could once again squander dozens of picks. But with the potential for so many selections on hand for the weekend, I’m expecting Ossenfort to draft methodically, not around the best player on the board or anything that we’ve seen in the past.
Instead, he will hit hard with team needs, and not only needs; Ossenfort will draft players based on the respective systems head coach Jonathan Gannon, offensive coordinator Drew Petzing, and defensive coordinator Nick Rallis have in mind.
Expect the Cards to receive a high draft grade in immediate hindsight. But three years from today, sources like the New York Post may not be so hard on the Arizona Cardinals when Ossenfort proves his formula will bring about the desired results.
dark. Final Prediction! . Arizona Cardinals will make three trades at NFL Draft
Source: Five-year NFL Draft analysis: Ravens move to top spot as Giants, Jets both rise by Brian Costello, NYPost.com.