A-
Arizona Cardinals
The steal of the weekend belongs to the Cardinals and Tampa: A-.
by Bob ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 7 picks
· 1 steals
· 0 reaches
If you want a masterclass in dealing, watch the Cardinals, who turned every swap into a profit this weekend. Very little went wrong, and the A- is earned.
They covered a lot of ground and still skipped quarterback, which is a strange place to end up. The Carson pick is fine in a vacuum, less so with quarterback, edge rusher and other spots still on the board. That Tampa pick is the receipt they will wave around later.
Few war rooms will sleep better than this one tonight.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 26th pick they get a cornerstone up front at fair value. Exactly the need they had to hit.
A market-rate wide receiver, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Xavier Legette. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Graham Barton in No. 35 lands just on the right side of the ledger. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Taking T.J. Tampa in the Round 2 slot is close to grand larceny; a cornerback that good had no business lasting this long. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.
A want over a need in pick No. 66: Caelen Carson adds a cornerback while quarterback, edge rusher and other spots keeps waiting.
They took Ruke Orhorhoro at par in pick 71, which is nothing to complain about. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
A straight-up fair deal on Michael Hall Jr. at Round 3, Pick 26, value and slot in agreement. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.