What kind of trade package should Cardinals demand from teams for #4 pick?
If Monti Ossenfort is looking to trade back from No. 4, what should the price be?
By Brandon Ray
Depending on which side Cardinals fans are feeling regarding the 4th overall pick in the NFL draft, general manager Monti Ossenfort is going to consider trades that come his way. He has already mentioned how the Cardinals’ first, first-round pick is not a lock for Arizona.
There is a recognition that the Cardinals have a lot of holes on their roster that need to be addressed. Even though there is a major pressing need for Arizona to take care of the wide receiver position, it will depend on what Ossenfort wants to attack right away or if he wants to acquire more draft capital to make big moves down the road.
The Cardinals are the first team in the top five of the NFL draft that do not need a quarterback so they will have the chance to dangle the #4 pick over the heads of QB-needy teams that are after them. Teams like the Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants, and Denver Broncos have been linked to finding their new franchise quarterback. The Vikings traded back up into the first round and currently have picks #11 and #23. The Giants could very well be moving off of Daniel Jones after next season and the Broncos released Russell Wilson this offseason, leaving them with a massive hole at quarterback.
The Cardinals have a lot of power with this pick. Even with the top three expected picks to be quarterback, there could still very well be a quarterback that a team wants or even needs. However, the Cardinals should not give up their first pick of the night lightly.
What should take for the Cardinals to give up the 4th overall pick?
Should Arizona trade away the 4th pick, they are taking a major risk of losing players like Marvin Harrison Jr. and Malik Nabers. If the Cardinals do end up taking that risk, they need a haul. Harrison and Nabers are expected to be instant stars so Ossenfort will need to make sure that the compensation he receives is a good return. With the obvious pick in return being a team's first round pick this year, Ossenfort needs to also demand a first round pick next year, as well as at minimum a 2nd round pick and later draft round pick.
Getting into the top five of the NFL draft is going to cost a team and the Cardinals are in a great position to acquire draft picks for this year and next year.