A-
Arizona Cardinals
The steal of the weekend belongs to the Cardinals and Guyton: A-.
by smeag ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 10 picks
· 2 steals
· 3 reaches
The Cardinals ran the phones like sharks, prying loose value on deal after deal until the ledger was lopsided. Little to argue with here, and the A- says so.
The Melton pick reads as want over need, and the roster will feel it at quarterback, edge rusher and other spots. That is an offensive lineman worth more than the slot they spent on him, plainly.
They punted on quarterback, and it is the miss that keeps the grade honest. They will need Lachey to outplay his draft slot in a hurry to justify it.
The kind of weekend a front office frames and hangs on the wall.
Pick-by-Pick
In Round 1, Pick 21 they get a weapon on the perimeter. The biggest hole, addressed.
A reasonable price with a little left over, T'Vondre Sweat in pick No. 34. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
They jumped the gun on Braelon Allen, taking him earlier than his grade liked. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Byron Murphy II is a better player than slot 70 suggests; smart patience, rewarded. It fills a real need, too.
The eyebrow-raiser of the weekend. They went defensive back with Max Melton while clear needs at quarterback, edge rusher and other spots sat open.
Blake Fisher at the 102nd pick nudges the ledger their way without any fuss. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
A reach for Luke Lachey in pick No. 132; a little patience would have been rewarded. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
A straight-up fair deal on Jamari Thrash at No. 133, value and slot in agreement. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Tahj Brooks at pick 139 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
They barely believed it either: Tyler Guyton still on the board at Round 5, Pick 33. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.