Coming off their 20-19 loss to the Atlanta Falcons in NFL Week 17, the Arizona Cardinals are in position to have the No. 4 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
But some early NFL draft projections for this draft don’t see Arizona retaining that selection.
Several recent NFL first-round sims predict the Cardinals will trade their top pick in the 2023 draft, which could be as high as No. 2 or as low as No. 6 depending on the week’s game results. 18 in the NFL.
Why would Arizona trade that pick? The sites believe other NFL teams will be desperate to pick a quarterback, something the Cardinals don’t need with Kyler Murray cut as the starter in Arizona.
They have Arizona landing multiple picks in return to help rebuild their roster after an abysmal 2022-23 season.
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The Draft Network traded the Carolina Panthers for the Cardinals’ No. 4 pick in its latest mock draft, giving Arizona the No. 9 pick in the first round, the No. 61 pick in the second round, as well as a third. -round pick in 2023 (#93 overall) and a third-round pick in 2024.
With their new No. 9 pick, the site offers Arizona to select Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez. That projects the Panthers to take Kentucky QB Will Levis at No. 4.
Kyle Crabbs writes, “The Cardinals will be under new management this offseason, which likely offers more intrigue to consolidate Day 2 draft picks as part of the trade. The best part, they still manage to secure my personal best cornerback in the class here at No. 9 – they get Christian Gonzalez and three second day selections overall as part of this nightmarish season Gonzalez is a pretty special physical talent.
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Pro Football Network has the Cardinals trading the No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft to the Detroit Lions, who currently have the No. 6 pick.
Arizona selects Clemson rusher Myles Murphy at No. 6 and Detroit Ohio State QB CJ Stroud at No. 4. The Lions would also give the Cardinals the No. 17 pick in the draft in trade. Arizona picks Clemson DT Bryan Bresee with this pick.
Of Murphy’s pick, Kent Platte writes: “With JJ Watt heading from Arizona to the Hall of Fame waiting room, the team could use a massive, ultra-athletic new pass thrower at the outside. Myles Murphy’s height is already a big draw, but the Cardinals know better than anyone how that can be used to give a defense an identity. Before Watt, the Cardinals’ defense was led by Calais Campbell, who made part of the All-Pro team twice while with the team. A hard-hitting edge setting while remaining a danger to passers could put the Cardinals back in the NFC West race.”
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Sports Illustrated’s Andrew Harbaugh looked at three trade scenarios for the Cardinals in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
He has the New York Jets as a possible trade partner in one, giving the Cardinals their 15th overall pick in 2023, as well as their second- and third-round picks and a future second-round pick for the No. 4 selection.
In another, he asks Arizona to trade with the Las Vegas Raiders, acquiring the No. 9 overall pick as well as a 2023 third-round pick and a future first-round pick for the No. 1 pick. Cardinals turn in 2023. NFL Draft.
The Panthers are his other potential trade for the Cardinals, with Carolina sending Arizona the No. 8 overall pick, two second-round picks and a future second-round pick for the No. 4 pick.
Harbaugh wrote of Arizona’s potential strategy for the 2023 NFL Draft: “The team can either keep the pick and get a top player or potentially get a king’s ransom to rebuild. a roster with more holes than people think. …Teams need quarterbacks and there are three teams that can be considered in search of a quarterback in the 2023 NFL Draft that are unable to obtain a premium one at this time.”
Would you like to see the Cardinals trade in the 2023 NFL Draft?
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Contact Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
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