B+
Arizona Cardinals
A masterclass at the trade table lands the Cardinals a B+.
by Stan93 ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 144 picks
· 44 steals
· 72 reaches
The Cardinals did not so much draft Decamerion Richardson as overpay for him, 96 picks clear of his grade. It sets an uneasy tone for the weekend.
Landing McCaffrey that late papers over a lot of smaller sins. The phones were where this weekend was really won. The imported veterans give this class a floor the draft picks could not on their own.
In sum, a sensible class that nudges the roster the right way.
Pick-by-Pick
In the 1st pick they get a matchup problem out wide. Exactly the need they had to hit.
In the Round 1 slot they get an anchor for the offensive line at fair value. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
In No. 4 they get a difference-maker at receiver. The biggest hole, addressed.
In the 6th overall pick they get a bendy edge with upside at fair value. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
In slot 11 they get a long-term starter on the line. The biggest hole, addressed.
In pick 15 they get a lockdown presence outside. More want than need.
In the 16th pick they get a downhill thumper at linebacker, a steep price for the projection. A real need, handled.
In pick No. 17 they get a coverage-and-run second-level piece, though the board says they badly overpaid. A clean fit for the roster.
In pick 18 they get a potential shutdown corner, though the board says they badly overpaid. Need was not the driver here.
In slot 19 they get a ballhawk on the back end, though the board says they badly overpaid.
In the 20th overall pick they get a matchup weapon at tight end, a steep price for the projection. A real need, handled.
In the Round 1 slot they get a plug-and-play piece up front, though the board says they badly overpaid. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
Brian Thomas Jr. in Round 1, Pick 22 is exactly on the number, no argument either way. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
In No. 23 they get a go-to option on the outside. Exactly the need they had to hit.
They talked themselves into Ricky Pearsall at the Round 1 slot, and the board did not agree. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
In slot 25 they get a true top target, a steep price for the projection. The biggest hole, addressed.
In No. 26 they get a No. 1 receiver, though the board says they badly overpaid. The biggest hole, addressed.
In pick 27 they get a bell-cow for the offense, though the board says they badly overpaid. A clean fit for the roster.
In the 28th overall pick they get a premier pass rusher, outstanding value to boot. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
In Round 1, Pick 29 they get a run-stuffing presence up front at a price that makes it sweeter. A clean fit for the roster.
In the 30th pick they get a problem off the edge. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
In pick No. 31 they get a disruptive interior force at fair value. A clean fit for the roster.
In the 32nd pick they get a disruptor off the edge, even if it was a touch early. The biggest hole, addressed.
A wild overpay on Michael Hall Jr. in the Round 2 slot, the sort that defines a class for the wrong reasons. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
They left a pile of value on the table to take Marshawn Kneeland this early at Round 2, Pick 3. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for T'Vondre Sweat. The roster fit checks out.
J.J. McCarthy slid further than he should have, and No. 38 is lovely value for the quarterback. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Olumuyiwa Fashanu at pick 39 is daylight robbery; nobody expected him to last. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Steal is underselling it; Troy Fautanu at slot 40 is a heist with the alarm still ringing. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Circle this one: Terrion Arnold at the 41st overall pick is a fall that decides a draft. A want dressed up as a pick, at a spot they had covered.
Cooper DeJean in No. 45 should not have been possible, and that is the whole point. Nice player, but the depth chart did not need him here.
Roman Wilson at slot 47 is a sensible buy, a touch better than market for the wide receiver. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Xavier Worthy at pick No. 49 is right where the board had him, plain and simple. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Xavier Legette in the 50th pick is fair value, right on his grade. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
They barely believed it either: Graham Barton still on the board at Round 2, Pick 21. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
This one needs a full-page explanation: Cade Stover in the Round 2 slot, miles early. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
A swing that ignored the value entirely, Roger Rosengarten well ahead of where he belonged. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Cole Bishop at pick 59 is the kind of overdraft that needs everything to break right. A luxury on a unit that was already in good shape.
Adisa Isaac in slot 64 is a bargain the rest of the room will envy. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
No edge and no loss on Austin Booker in Round 3, Pick 1; it is a wash and a sensible one. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
You do not let an offensive lineman like Jackson Powers-Johnson reach pick No. 66 and blink. They did not. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Brandon Dorlus at No. 67 is a clear overpay, with better names still on the board. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
A real head-scratcher, Mekhi Wingo in the 69th overall pick is miles ahead of his ranking. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Maason Smith at the 70th pick is an overdraft of the loud, memorable kind. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Value said wait; DeWayne Carter in pick 71 says they were not listening. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
Chris Braswell at the Round 3 slot is a first-round grade at a bargain-bin price, no notes. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
They reached a country mile for Mohamed Kamara at No. 74, and the board is aghast. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
A market-rate linebacker, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Jeremiah Trotter Jr.. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Javon Solomon at slot 76 is the pick scouts circle, and not in a good way. A fine player at a spot low on the priority list.
Jarvis Brownlee Jr. at pick 77 is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. Pure best-available; the position was not exactly begging.
They reached into another round for Decamerion Richardson, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. Depth on depth, at a spot that was hardly crying out.
The board had Cooper Beebe higher than the Round 3 slot, and the offensive lineman fell to them anyway. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
A big swing on Brandon Coleman at the 80th pick, well ahead of any board in the building. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Nice patience on Ja'Lynn Polk, who had no business lasting to the 81st overall pick. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
They did well to land Javon Baker in slot 82, just ahead of his grade. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
A clean, defensible pick in Round 3, Pick 20 with a little surplus value in Malik Washington. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Taking Tyler Guyton in pick 85 is close to grand larceny; an offensive lineman that good had no business lasting this long. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
A tidy little value on Bralen Trice in pick No. 89, a step better than break-even. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Jonah Elliss at the Round 3 slot is a sound buy, the sort that quietly helps a class. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Cedric Gray in the 92nd overall pick is a bet on their own eyes over everyone else's grade. It fills a real need, too.
Nothing to complain about; Kris Abrams-Draine went a shade earlier than his grade, which is fine. Stacking talent where they were already deep.
Tommy Eichenberg in No. 95 is a reach so steep the board needed a second look to believe it. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
By-the-book stuff, MarShawn Lloyd at slot 96 squarely in line with his ranking. A need, and now a little less of one.
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for Jordan Travis. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Ja'Tavion Sanders at No. 100 is the steal of the weekend, a first-round talent at a bargain-bin price. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
A safety of that caliber at pick 101 is the definition of value, full stop. A want more than a need, though you can never have too many.
Patrick Paul in the 103rd pick is the kind of fall that makes a whole class. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
A tidy bit of business in the Round 4 slot, where Dominick Puni graded well above the range. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
No drama and no debate, Gabriel Murphy went about where he belonged in pick No. 105. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Brennan Jackson at the 106th overall pick is the kind of overdraft that needs everything to break right. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
They left a pile of value on the table to take Jalyx Hunt this early at the Round 4 slot. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
A real head-scratcher, Tyler Davis in the 108th pick is miles ahead of his ranking. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
They talked themselves into Leonard Taylor III at the 109th overall pick, and the board did not agree. The roster fit checks out.
Myles Cole in slot 110 is a reach so steep the board needed a second look to believe it. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
McKinnley Jackson at No. 111 is the pick scouts circle, and not in a good way. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Jordan Jefferson at pick 112 is an overdraft of the loud, memorable kind. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
They reached into another round for Nelson Ceaser, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Braiden McGregor at pick No. 121 is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
A big swing on Gabe Hall at pick 122, well ahead of any board in the building. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Zak Zinter is a better player than Round 4, Pick 23 suggests; smart patience, rewarded. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
A top-tier safety at a bargain, Jaden Hicks in pick No. 127, plain and simple. It is more luxury than necessity; they were already set here.
Value with a capital V on Hunter Nourzad in slot 129, a genuine coup. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Johnny Wilson at the 130th overall pick is the sort of value that quietly wins a weekend. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
They paid sticker price for Isaac Guerendo in the Round 4 slot, and that is fine. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
This one needs a full-page explanation: Cody Schrader in the 136th pick, miles early. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
A reasonable price with a little left over, Javon Foster in No. 137. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
They reached a country mile for Ty'Ron Hopper at pick No. 138, and the board is aghast. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Malik Mustapha at the 139th overall pick is money in the bank, a safety taken below his worth. They doubled down on a strength rather than a need.
They will replay Cam Hart at Round 5, Pick 4 for years; that is how good the value is. Insurance at a position that did not really ask for it.
Dallin Holker in pick 141 is a bet on their own eyes over everyone else's grade. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
A wild overpay on Marist Liufau in slot 142, the sort that defines a class for the wrong reasons. It fills a real need, too.
A swing that ignored the value entirely, Nathaniel Watson well ahead of where he belonged. A need, and now a little less of one.
Value said wait; James Williams in No. 146 says they were not listening. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
A swing that ignored the value entirely, Edefuan Ulofoshio well ahead of where he belonged. It fills a real need, too.
Tyrice Knight at the 149th pick is the pick scouts circle, and not in a good way. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Christian Mahogany in the 150th overall pick is a gift, value that borders on unfair. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
They robbed the room for Audric Estime here, a fall nobody at the table saw coming. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
The board fumbled Jarrian Jones all the way to pick No. 152, and they scooped it up. They added to a strength when a need was still open elsewhere.
Value said wait; Tahj Washington in the Round 5 slot says they were not listening. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint in slot 156 is a bet on their own eyes over everyone else's grade. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Sione Vaki at pick 157 is an overdraft of the loud, memorable kind. They doubled down on a strength rather than a need.
They took Beau Brade at par in Round 5, Pick 26, which is nothing to complain about. A luxury on a unit that was already in good shape.
A slide stopped in the 164th pick, with Anthony Gould worth more than the price. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Somehow Erick All was still sitting there in the 166th overall pick, and they pounced on premier tight end value. The roster fit checks out.
A top-tier offensive lineman at a bargain, Beaux Limmer in pick No. 167, plain and simple. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
They reached into another round for Khristian Boyd, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
A real head-scratcher, Cedric Johnson in Round 5, Pick 34 is miles ahead of his ranking. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
They talked themselves into Jaden Crumedy at slot 175, and the board did not agree. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for JD Bertrand. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
This one needs a full-page explanation: Zion Tupuola-Fetui in the Round 6 slot, miles early. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Grayson Murphy at pick 180 is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
A reach for Justin Eboigbe in the Round 6 slot; a little patience would have been rewarded. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Quietly one of the better values of the day, Walter Rouse at the 182nd pick. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
They liked Delmar Glaze enough to skip the value, taking him in Round 6, Pick 8. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
A premium they did not need to pay, Javion Cohen a notch or two before his time. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Layden Robinson in the 186th overall pick is a reach so steep the board needed a second look to believe it. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Circle this one: Tykee Smith at No. 187 is a fall that decides a draft. Insurance at a position that did not really ask for it.
The board fumbled Josh Newton all the way to pick No. 188, and they scooped it up. Pure best-available; the position was not exactly begging.
Sataoa Laumea at slot 189 is the steal of the weekend, a first-round talent at a bargain-bin price. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Fabien Lovett at the Round 6 slot nudges the ledger their way without any fuss. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
A wide receiver of that caliber at No. 191 is the definition of value, full stop. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Isaiah Davis in the 193rd overall pick is the kind of fall that makes a whole class. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
They barely believed it either: Jaylin Simpson still on the board at pick 194. Stacking talent where they were already deep.
Dylan Laube at pick No. 197 is daylight robbery; nobody expected him to last. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
A conviction pick on Kimani Vidal at Round 6, Pick 24 that the board grades a round light. A need, and now a little less of one.
Keilan Robinson at the 200th pick is the kind of overdraft that needs everything to break right. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
They left a pile of value on the table to take Jawhar Jordan this early at the 202nd overall pick. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Steal is underselling it; Kamal Hadden at Round 6, Pick 31 is a heist with the alarm still ringing. They added to a strength when a need was still open elsewhere.
Javontae Jean-Baptiste in pick 208 is fine work, a shade of surplus and no downside. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Somehow Chau Smith-Wade was still sitting there in slot 212, and they pounced on premier cornerback value. A want dressed up as a pick, at a spot they had covered.
A big swing on Brevyn Spann-Ford at the 214th pick, well ahead of any board in the building. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
They reached a country mile for Trey Knox at the Round 6 slot, and the board is aghast. A need, and now a little less of one.
They stopped a slide they were happy to see, landing Josh Proctor in No. 219. A want more than a need, though you can never have too many.
Luke McCaffrey in pick No. 220 should not have been possible, and that is the whole point. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Eric Watts at the Round 7 slot jumps the queue by a touch more than is comfortable. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
A straight-up fair deal on Darius Muasau at pick 223, value and slot in agreement. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
A wild overpay on Michael Barrett in pick No. 225, the sort that defines a class for the wrong reasons. It fills a real need, too.
They jumped the gun on Logan Lee, taking him earlier than his grade liked. The roster fit checks out.
A real head-scratcher, Myles Murphy in the 229th overall pick is miles ahead of his ranking. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
They robbed the room for Kalen King here, a fall nobody at the table saw coming. It is more luxury than necessity; they were already set here.
They reached into another round for Andrew Coker, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
This one needs a full-page explanation: Drake Nugent in No. 246, miles early. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
You do not let a quarterback like Joe Milton III reach the 252nd overall pick and blink. They did not. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
X'Zauvea Gadlin at No. 253 is an overdraft of the loud, memorable kind. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.