Where do the Arizona Cardinals pick following Week 16 of 2023?

Following an epic Sunday Night Football Game, the Arizona Cardinals moved up in the 2023 NFL Draft - for Week 16, at least.

Dec 24, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) and Chicago
Dec 24, 2023; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) and Chicago | Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports

In what was a wild Sunday Night Football Game, the New England Patriots saw their up-and-down kicker, Chad Ryland, come through in a clutch, near-last-second moment to win the game and catapult the New England Patriots to 4-11. This game finished a few hours following the Arizona Cardinals 12th loss of the season, catapulting the Redbirds to the second-overall pick. 

With the second pick, general manager Monti Ossenfort can go in a few different directions. He can potentially roll with a quarterback and yes, that option is open and it must be discussed, regardless of your thoughts on quarterback Kyler Murray. However, the likelier scenario is that Ossenfort goes with either a tackle or a receiver - Olu Fashanu or Marvin Harrison Jr. (if the enters) to be more specific. 

Arizona Cardinals have multiple options with the early draft pick

There is also the possibility Ossenfort trades the No. 2 pick should things remain even-keel from now until Week 18, which will let him accumulate more via a trade down. Once we know for sure whether the No. 2 pick will stay in the desert for the offseason, this and all scenarios will be covered extensively here at Raising Zona.

The Houston Texans also lost big to the Cleveland Browns, meaning the Arizona Cardinals now have two picks in the top half of the first. For this pick, Ossenfort can also go in a myriad of directions, and he will most likely put himself in the best position to take the best player at the greatest position of need. 

Look for receiver or tackle, but there is also still the sound possibility Ossenfort rolls with an EDGE rusher, a corner, or a defensive lineman. Throughout Bowl Season and the pre-draft process, we will also gain much greater insight into who the ultimate standouts are, and what Ossenfort is most likely to do with the picks. 

(Information provided by Tankathon)

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