What will the Arizona Cardinals do in the 2019 Draft?

The 2019 NFL Draft is just a few weeks away as the question mark around what the Arizona Cardinals will do with the first pick continues to arise. After finishing the 2018 NFL season at the bottom of the NFC West and with the worst record in the NFL (3-13) the Cardinals won the chance to take home that first overall pick in a draft that has a ton of talent across the board on both sides of the ball. There are also a few potential franchise quarterbacks who could all be selected within the first ten picks of the first round of the 2019 NFL draft.

Cardinals have the pick of the Draft

Now as the Cardinals sit on the clock and evaluate the performances of the upcoming rookies from their past performances during their college careers, the NFL combine and their college Pro Days. All of this is to determine their decision on what to do with the first overall pick. One option is for the team to use the first overall pick on a potential franchise player or to trade the pick to acquire additional picks to help reshape the future of the 2019 NFL roster, as well as the team moving into the future. For now, the Cardinals still have some time to decide what to do. Here are three options the team could elect do with the number one overall pick.

Trade the pick to a team in search of a quarterback

Despite the talent on the board, the best option would be for the Cardinals to way the offers for the pick while loading up on additional picks in this year’s draft. Teams are looking to move up to take a potential star such as Kyler Murray, who has seen his name climb up the draft board after solid measurements at the 2019 NFL Combine, and a solid performance at the Oklahoma Sooners pro day. Along with Murray, a strong performance from Dwyane Haskins at his pro day could cause a few teams in search of a quarterback to move up in hopes to find the next DeShaun Watson or Baker Mayfield. Two teams who could be in the market are New York Giants and the Miami Dolphins.

Potential trades could be as follows:
Acquire Giants #6, #37 and #91 picks plus a pick in 2020
Acquire Dolphins #13, #48 picks plus 2020 1st round pick

Draft Kyler Murray/Dwayne Haskins, Trade Josh Rosen

After selecting Rosen during the 1st round of the 2018 NFL Draft, the team could be on the clock with the first overall pick this season with a quarterback atop their draft board. While many experts, such as those at The Sports Bank, have the team selecting Murray with the pick, Haskins is the next best option on the board and has the talent to also be selected number one. Once tabbed as a late first rounder/early second round pick, Murry has cruised up the draft boards with strong measurements at the combine followed by a great performance at Oklahoma’s Pro Day.

Add that to the fact he announced he would pursue a career in the NFL over Major League Baseball, his stock has only continued to rise. Prior to selecting either of those two quarterbacks, a trade for Rosen would have to be completed to help the Cardinals recoup a draft pick they spent on the quarterback last season.

Draft Nick Bosa or Someone Not a Quarterback

The other option for the Cardinals, which could be considered a surprisng move, is to use the first overall pick on someone other than a quarterback, someone like Nick Bosa. Bosa who might be the best player in this year’s draft, would give the team a talented defender who can get to the quarterback while helping to shape up the Cardinals defense for the years to come. The move would also allow Bosa to learn from future Hall of Famer, Terrell Suggs who also signed with the Cardinals during the offseason. Along with Bosa the team could look to Quinnen Williams on the defensive line or Jawaan Taylor to sure up the offensive line to protect for Rosen.

There are plenty of offerings on the line for the Cardinals and their first pick of the 2019 Draft, and the move could be what the team need as they go in pursuit of their first ever Super Bowl.

Featured Image Credit: “Stadium HDR” (CC BY-NC 2.0) by CEBImagery.com