*Walt taking 2014 and 2018 |
Charlie Campbell, Senior Draft Analyst |
Cardinals Trying Hard to Drum Up a Trade Market
Updated April 12, 2023By Charlie Campbell. Follow Charlie on Twitter @draftcampbell.
On Monday, ESPN reporter Adam Schefter reported that six teams have inquired with the Arizona Cardinals about a trade for the third-overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. WalterFootball.com reported months ago that Arizona wanted to move down. We checked back on Tuesday night with multiple sources from other teams with top-10 picks, and they said they felt that the report from ESPN was floated out by the Cardinals in hopes to drum up a trade market that is not producing significant offers.
“They have, maybe, talked to two teams max,” said a director from another team in the top 10. “I don’t think they have any kind of serious interest or a substantial offer, if any.”
Other teams felt the same way. A general manager of a team picking in the top 10 texted that Arizona wants to move down and is trying to create a market with that report.
“Arizona saying six teams have talked to them is them trying to drum a market because they want to move down, but no team is offering a good package of picks,” said a director from a different team with a top-10 pick.
In every draft, there are teams that badly want to move down but are stuck at their pick without a quality offer. That could be the case for Arizona this year. Despite the media hype about players like Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson and Kentucky quarterback Will Levis, both players did not have a good season of tape in 2022 and are viewed as developmental projects.
“It’s all drumming,” texted a long-time general manger. “I would guess maybe six have called, at the most. But only two of them might be POSSIBLE trade partners.”
In 2020, many criticized the Detroit Lions for not moving down from the third-overall pick given that Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert were available. The Lions, however, did not have a quality offer to make the move, so general manager Bob Quinn was forced to stick and pick, selecting Ohio State cornerback Jeff Okudah. Perhaps Arizona’s tactic will be successful this year though. There are teams desperate for a quarterback, so it might work out for the Cardinals, and Schefter’s report could succeed in helping to create a trade market.
That being said, sources from multiple other teams picking behind Arizona in the top 10 think that the franchise is trying hard to drum up a market, but a trade down is not a guarantee and the team may not have a serious trade market materialize.
