Cardinals are smart to trade down and build for the future

The Arizona Cardinals should be better in 2020, but if they can get a good offer, they should trade down from No. 8 and build towards a brighter future.

The Arizona Cardinals have the No. 8 pick, but should they consider trading down in the draft?

The NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports the Cardinals are one of the few teams picking inside of the top 10 who would entertain offers to move back in the draft. Even though Arizona has the No. 8 pick and would be in prime position to draft an offensive tackle, they do not have a second-round pick because of the DeAndre Hopkins trade with the Houston Texans. What should they do?

If the stand pat at No. 8, the Cardinals will get maybe the second-best offensive tackle prospect in the draft. Surely, the New York Giants will take one with the No. 4 overall pick, and depending on what the Carolina Panthers do at No. 7, Arizona might have to settle for their third choice at this most coveted position group.

Here is why the Cardinals need to seriously entertain the idea of moving back, if only a few spots.

By moving back, the Cardinals will land a first-round pick from a team this year who either desperately wants a franchise quarterback or wants an offensive tackle more than they do. Arizona needs more than just a left tackle to be a playoff contender next year, as the Cardinals have more than a few holes to fill on their rebuilding roster that looks to be finally on the rise.

If a team like the Las Vegas Raiders trades up into the top eight to draft a quarterback, Arizona would get the Silver and Black’s No. 12 overall pick, as well as other forms of compensation. Las Vegas will get yet another quarterback for head coach Jon Gruden to work with, while the Cardinals could still end up with the third or fourth-best offensive tackle prospect at a discount.

While being able to pick in the top-half of the first-round is important, it might be more important for the Cardinals to gain a second-round pick than anything in this draft. Though general manager Steve Keim wouldn’t have a potential fifth-year option to work with the draftee, odds are the Cardinals will get a high quality player with this top-60 pick. Arizona needs more good players.

Even though an offensive tackle is exactly what the Cardinals need to make this offense hum even more, they have some flexibility because Kyler Murray is still on his rookie contract and in no way has he fully tapped into his prime as a passer in Kliff Kingsbury‘s offense. Add in how competitive the NFC West will be this fall, and Arizona is still at a great talent deficiency in the division.

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Though drafting an offensive tackle at No. 8 would be a smart move, so would potentially moving back if the right offer presents itself. Simply put, Arizona doesn’t need to send in its No. 8 overall pick the second the Cardinals are on the clock. Be pragmatic about this and make the best move that will improve your football team in the long-term, as that’s what this is all about.