The Arizona Cardinals need to trade the No. 1 pick if they can keep it
By Sion Fawkes
Sitting at 1-7, the Arizona Cardinals have the top pick in the 2024 NFL Draft over the Chicago Bears, who acquired their pick from the 1-6 Carolina Panthers. But if the Cards still have the pick come season’s end, they need to get rid of it for a ransom for one simple reason: They already have a quarterback, so there is no need to create any controversy.
Okay, so if Kyler Murray comes in and is terrible, then yeah, by all means take a quarterback, but that still doesn’t mean you need to keep the pick. Across his last three games, Caleb Williams hasn’t been as hot, so let someone else make the mistake and draft the USC product currently playing for Kyler’s old coaches.
The Cards could even trade back one slot with the Chicago Bears, and draft Drake Maye of North Carolina if they still have the pick. Maye holds ideal size, and has, for the most part, played well this season. He recently had a bounce back game in the Tar Heels 46-42 loss to Georgia Tech, completing 68 percent of his passes and finding the end zone twice.
Arizona Cardinals need to move the first pick if they get it come Week 18
The likelier scenario, however, is that Murray shows us that he fits well in Drew Petzing’s offense, rendering it unnecessary for the Cards to roll with a quarterback. Last week, I mentioned Marvin Harrison Jr. as a good choice, and he will be there if the Redbirds trade the pick to second overall.
Or, perhaps Arizona has their eye on someone they feel is a fantastic fit for the team, and trade down enough slots to select that player? There is no shortage of talent in the 2024 draft, and for a team still in roster overhaul mode, the more draft picks and system fits they can get this year, the better.
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(Statistics provided by ESPN.com)