Could the Arizona Cardinals pull off an unorthodox trade for Matt Corral?

The Arizona Cardinals need to find a quarterback to stand in for Kyler Murray. But could they in fact trade for a darkhorse candidate?

Heading into the offseason last year, I knew the Arizona Cardinals, coming off of a playoff appearance at the time, weren’t in the market for a quarterback. Yet, Matt Corral was my top rookie had the Cards needed one last year. 

The 94th overall selection in the 2022 NFL Draft, Corral looked as though he could be the future of the Carolina Panthers. But a Lisfranc injury delayed that possibility. Now, however, with the Panthers picking first in the 2023 NFL Draft thanks to their trade with the Chicago Bears, Corral just became expendable. 

Will the Arizona Cardinals shock the world and trade for Matt Corral?

There is a lot to like about the former Ole Miss product, who completed 67% of his passes in college and also showed dual threat ability. For one, Corral boasts a similar playing style to incumbent starter Kyler Murray, given his 1,338 career rushing yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground in college. 

Corral also has the type of moxie you need to look for in a quarterback. His attitude reminded many, like NFL analyst Lance Zierlein, a lot of Baker Mayfield, telling me he’s a competitor who won’t go down without a fight. 

Unlike Murray, Corral also displays sound leadership ability, though it was something the second-year quarterback had to hone during his college days. But overall, Corral’s the type of player Murray could learn a thing or two from regarding leadership. 

The Cardinals may have to give up a mid-round pick to snag Corral, as Dean Jones of Cat Crave outlined. But it would be a small price to pay for what may be a deep sleeper at the position. Overall, if I’m Monti Ossenfort, I’m calling the Panthers and making this trade. 

Source: 3 teams that could trade for Panthers QB Matt Corral in 2023 by Dean Jones, CatCrave.com