"Big neon sign that says, "OPEN": GM Monti Ossenfort addresses draft trade rumors
In a press conference today, Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort addressed the possibility of the team trading their fourth overall pick in this year’s upcoming draft.
After the Chicago Bears traded Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers, all three teams that occupy the top three picks of the draft are in need of a quarterback. In fact, all three franchises have traded away the quarterback that started for them in the 2023 season. The Commanders shipped Sam Howell off to Seattle and the Patriots traded Mac Jones to Jacksonville.
In the modern draft era, there have only been three occasions where the first three picks of the draft were spent on a quarterback, 1971, 1999 and most recently in 2021. Many experts believe that the 2024 draft could have this historical impact and join the short list.
It seems as though the Cardinals have the best wide receiver in the draft, in Marvin Harrison Jr. in the palm of their hands with the fourth overall pick. However, this does not mean that Monti Ossenfort has ruled out any possible trades for the selection.
In this press conference, Ossenfort said, “We’re always going to have the conversation and if it makes sense, and if it’s attractive to building our team, it’s something that we will certainly consider no matter where we are in the draft.”
The last time the Cardinals occupied a top-five selection, it was spent on their franchise-quarterback Kyler Murray in 2019.
With the recent trades that have occurred around the league, Ossenfort said that “There’s been a little bit more action. I’d say those phone calls are starting to pick up a bit.”
Many believe that with Kirk Cousins going to Atlanta, the Minnesota Vikings are shopping around for a pick to spend on a quarterback. With two first round picks, the Vikings certainly have enough capital in their pocket to make a potential move.
After it was announced that Marvin Harrison Jr. was not participating in the Ohio State pro day, one can only wonder what a lack of combine and pro day performance can do to a prospect’s draft stock.
If the Cardinals are content with missing out on Harrison Jr., the fourth overall pick could hold a pretty hefty price tag for potential bidders, and three first round picks could be a possibility if Arizona is looking for alternatives.