The Arizona Cardinals landed a steal this offseason, signing former Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier to a two-year, $12.25 million deal. Given Allgeier's efficiency and limited volume behind Bijan Robinson, he was an obvious breakout candidate set for an increased role in the valley.
However, the Cardinals surprisingly followed up that steal with the No. 3 overall selection of an even more talented running back in Jeremiyah Love.
Part of the reason Allgeier chose Arizona in the first place was the opportunity for an increased role as he was no longer buried on a depth chart. It was a perfect match, seeing as the Cardinals were among the worst teams in terms of rushing yards per game last season.
Everything was going according to plan up until the polarizing Love selection.
Cardinals shouldn't have drafted Jeremiyah Love
Adding Allgeier into a running back room that also features James Conner and Trey Benson was already enough, meaning Arizona should've used that coveted top draft pick to address other key areas of need.
After all, there are several contributing factors for a team that finished with just three wins last season, and it goes well beyond the running back room.
From a talent perspective, Love absolutely deserves to be a top three pick. In fact, he's currently favored over the Las Vegas Raiders' No. 1 overall selection, Fernando Mendoza, to win Rookie of the Year, according to DraftKings Sportsbook.
But Arizona also needed to factor in the opportunity cost of taking a talented prospect at such a replaceable position, as evidenced by the Allgeier signing. This is a team that still needs a long-term quarterback, has a shaky offensive line, and surrendered the fourth most points per game last season (28.7), ahead of only the Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets, and Cincinnati Bengals.
They addressed those defensive concerns by taking offensive players with their first four draft selections?
Chase Bisontis and Carson Beck made far more sense given the previously mentioned need for help at offensive line and quarterback. The same can't be said with the Love selection, making it a polarizing decision despite the obvious talent.
Our personal preference would've been Ohio State's Arvell Reese, who would've provided Arizona with flexibility on the defensive end given his ability to play both edge and off-ball linebacker.
The Cardinals are building a fun team in fantasy football, but need to realize that championships are won in the trenches and on the defensive side of the ball. They have undeniable talent, but it also happens to be at some of the least valuable or most easily replaceable positions in football.
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