The Arizona Cardinals hold the No.3 pick in the NFL Draft, but whispers that they will trade out are growing to a roar.
If the Cardinals do move out from three, there’s a number of ways they can go. Offensive tackle is a popular opinion in a trade down, but NFL Draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah thinks there’s only one player Arizona would try to maneuver around the board to take.
“Arizona, I do think they want to come away with a quarterback, so I’m looking at that and obviously Ty Simpson would be the one we connect the dots to there with them,” said Jeremiah on his Move The Sticks podcast.
“So I’ve been going through this whole process with Simpson to figure out where he can go, and my radar would go up if Arizona moves up or down. In other words, if Arizona gets out of three and trades down…or if Arizona comes up from 34, they could end up taking him in the twenties just to get the extra year. But any movement by Arizona to me feels like it’s a movement to try and get Simpson.”
Are the Cardinals the Best Fit for Alabama Quarterback Ty Simpson?
Arizona moved on from longtime starter Kyler Murray, and currently have Jacoby Brissett and Gardner Minshew on the roster. And while the quarterback position is far from solved, Simpson’s fit has been hotly contested.
Simpson is the clear No. 2 option behind Fernando Mendoza in the draft, and many quarterback needy teams are expected to wait until 2027 to select their future signal caller. For Arizona, who holds picks No. 3 and 34, there isn’t an easy path to select him without a trade. But with so many other needs on the roster, they may opt to wait a year to take a quarterback.
Still, Simpson’s abilities may be too strong to ignore. Draft analyst Jordan Reid named the Cardinals as his best fit because of his underrated skills.
“Simpson is an underrated athlete whose pocket maneuverability is among the best of any passer in this year’s class. He also can make plays outside of structure. Of his 30 total touchdowns last season (28 passing, two rushing), seven came when Simpson was outside of the pocket,” said Reid.
The Cardinals Could Stay at No. 3 and Draft a Blue-Chip Prospect
If the Cardinals instead opt to stick-and-pick, they’ll have their pick of several blue-chip prospects. Jeremiyah Love at running back would add an instant home run threat, and David Bailey is one of the most polished players in the draft, but the most intriguing option may be Ohio State’s Arvell Reese.
Reese could fall to No. 3, but as a hybrid linebacker, questions remain about his fit with the Cardinals. Edge rusher is a huge need, but Reese was only a part-time edge player in college, and would be a big project to make the transition to full-time in the NFL. Still, his 6.5 sacks last season in a limited role are an enticing prospect for a team desperate for some talent.
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