Cardinals 2024 NFL Draft "What If" Series: Arizona selects an offensive lineman at No. 4
By Brandon Ray
Each day getting closer to the NFL Draft, the Arizona Cardinals are going to need to decide what do with the 4th overall pick. If the top three picks in Chicago, Washington, and New England end up being all quarterbacks, then it will be the Cardinals that will truly start the draft. With all of the speculation that Marvin Harrison Jr. falling to the Cardinals at No. 4, this would be the best pick scenario for Arizona. However, would the Cardinals want to give Kyler Murray an expected superstar receiver in Harrison, or give Murray protection upfront at left tackle with D.J. Humphries being out with a torn ACL?
Thinking back to the 2021 NFL draft where the Cincinnati Bengals had the chance to take Penei Sewell to protect Joe Burrow who was just coming off his torn ACL, the Bengals opted to draft Burrow's college teammate in Ja'Marr Chase. That turned out to be the right choice for the Bengals as they have made it to a Super Bowl and back-to-back conference championships.
The Cardinals are in a similar situation where they could very well have the chance to either get a guy like Harrison, or decide to build up the offensive line with Joe Alt or Olumuyiwa Fashanu to replace Humphries.
Would the Cardinals take an offensive lineman even with the top receivers on the board?
Nothing is ever guarenteed until Roger Goodell reads the name on the draft card. Monti Ossenfort wiil need to be ready to pass on a potential game-changing receiver if he decides to go with a left tackle. Depending on what happens in free agency, the answer should be very clear as to what occurs at the 4th pick.
Fashanu and Alt are considered to be the top offensive tackles in the draft so the Cardinals will definitely have the opportunity to draft one of them in the top five.