There is no doubt that the Arizona Cardinals had a strong 2024 draft that started with wideout Marvin Harrison Jr. and ended with Miami cornerback Jaden Davis in the 7th round. Monti Ossenfort addressed many pressing needs that the Cardinals had and got some great value at various picks. There was a great balance of getting players on both sides of the ball and the Cardinals should be excited to see how Jonathan Gannon and the coaching staff can utilize these players on the field.
Even though the Cardinals came out of this draft as one of the top teams in terms of drafting, the rest of the NFC West also did some damage to improve their squads this past weekend. Whether you believe the Cardinals got stronger after this draft, so did their division rivals.
Arizona still has little mountain to climb to get back into competing for the NFC West and their road just became more challenging as they will be facing various top drafted prospects.
Here are the NFC West draft moves that should concern Cardinals fans.
Seattle Seahawks: Drafting DT Byron Murphy II
The Seahawks were patient in the first round of the draft and they were rewarded when Texas defensive tackle Byron Murphy II fell into their lap at No. 16. As a premier run-stopper in the middle of the trenches, the Cardinals may have a tough time getting rushing yards in between the tackles because of the force Murphy presents. While he may not be the biggest guy on the field, he has explosive steps off the ball in which he can hold his ground and even get in the backfield to make a play.
The Cardinals did manage to draft Isaiah Adams in the third round who is a great run blocker, so there is a possibility that we could see this matchup. However, Murphy was drafted in the first round for a reason while Adams fell to the third round.