While quarterback isn’t the biggest need for the Arizona Cardinals, they could still burn a pick in the later rounds for a future backup.
Colt McCoy is the projected starter for Week 1 as it stands at the time of this writing while Kyler Murray may not be ready until at least October. While the Cards could, and should, sign a viable quarterback in free agency, will they look to the NFL Draft to snag a future backup at the position, or even a sleeper who could play at some point in 2023?
As it stands, that could be the case. So if the Cards decide to go with a rookie quarterback to line up behind Colt McCoy, who are their best options? The following five names are ones who Big Red could select on Day 3 of the NFL Draft.
5 quarterbacks the Arizona Cardinals could select
1 - Max Duggan, TCU
Dual threat ability is something general manager Monti Ossenfort will look for when seeking out a quarterback. Max Duggan has that, as the 2022 Heisman Finalist racked up 1,856 rushing yards during his time at TCU.
One downside with Duggan is that he didn’t breakout until his senior season. But in 2022, he tossed for 32 touchdowns, 8 picks, and 3,698 passing yards. He also faced more than his fair share of NFL-caliber players, having played against eight ranked opponents.
2 - Malik Cunningham, Louisville
Like Duggan, Malik Cunningham is also a dual threat quarterback who the Arizona Cardinals can implement a similar offense to what they would with Kyler Murray. Yet unlike Duggan, Cunningham tore defenses apart with his legs, rushing for 3,179 yards and 50 touchdowns across five seasons.
Unfortunately for Cunningham, he’s not the most accurate passer, having never enjoyed a completion percentage over 64.1% in a single season, with a career percentage of just 62.6%. But given his versatility, he could stretch a few plays at the NFL level, even if he were thrust into action as a rookie.