After finishing the 2025 regular season at 3-14, the Arizona Cardinals were awarded the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s draft. But what they will do with the top-three pick is anyone’s guess.
With as many pressing needs as the Cardinals appear to have, one possibility is that they could choose to trade down, adding more picks in the process.
That has now even been reported by Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.
“Teams picking behind the Jets are looking to move down. Count the Cardinals, Titans, Giants, Browns and Commanders among those already looking at trying to drop down in the order to accumulate capital. The problem for those five is finding teams to move up,” Breer wrote.
So, if the Cardinals can’t find anyone willing to meet their asking price, what would they do with the third overall pick?
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport believes Arizona could be in play for one of the best prospects in the entire draft.
Cardinals Linked To Surprise No. 3 Overall Pick
While on a recent episode of The Rich Eisen Show, Rapoport joined the longtime sports host to discuss the 2026 NFL Draft. One topic was where Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love could land.
“I think… I think that Jeremiyah Love’s window starts at three,” Rapoport said. “I’m not saying the Cardinals are going to take him because they have other needs. They could take [Francis] Mauigoa. They could take one of the top edges that are there. Whatever they want.
“A lot of people think that Jeremiyah Love is the best football player if positions didn’t have weight. So, they got some needs, they signed a running back in free agency. But I still wouldn’t be surprised if it’s like, ‘Just take the best player.’”
ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss has also said recently that the Cardinals are “in play” for Love after they hosted the Notre Dame star.
While it would be understandable to take the best player on the board, that would leave Arizona having to make some difficult decisions afterward.
Jeremiyah Love Pick Could Create Cardinals Backfield Problem
The running back Rapoport was referring to was former Atlanta Falcon Tyler Allgeier, who signed a two-year, $12.25 million deal with the Cardinals in free agency.
Allgeier is coming out of a situation where he began as the lead back, rushing for 1,000 yards four years ago after being drafted by the Falcons. Then the organization drafted Bijan Robinson the following year, leaving Allgeier to play RB2.
There is also the issue that the Cardinals only added to a potential logjam in their running back room when they signed Allgeier.
Back will be James Conner after playing only three games last season due to injury. He’ll be working on a reworked deal he signed with the Cardinals on March 8.
There is also third-year running back Trey Benson, who missed time last year with injury, appearing in just four games.
And finally, Arizona re-signed Bam Knight to a one-year deal on March 12.
So, who would be the odd man out?
It’s understandable that perhaps the Cardinals are paranoid after dealing with multiple injuries to their running backs last year, but if they were to add Love, then they would have to release or trade one of the other backs.
But again, the real sting in this potential scenario is how Allgeier would handle it.
He would essentially be right back in the same situation he was in with the Falcons behind Robinson. Only this time, it would be another rookie in Love taking his spot.
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