B+
Arizona Cardinals
A masterclass at the trade table lands the Cardinals a B+.
by Stan93 ·
2024 NFL Draft
· 142 picks
· 32 steals
· 83 reaches
The move everyone will second-guess came early. The Cardinals reached some 132 spots for Jordan Travis, and value like that does not grow back. It does the job without flash, and the B+ reflects it.
Landing Laumea that late papers over a lot of smaller sins. They won the margins on every swap, and it adds up fast.
Solid rather than spectacular, and there is nothing wrong with that.
Pick-by-Pick
Brock Bowers in No. 1 is fair value, right on his grade. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
In pick 2 they get a premier pass rusher, though they paid up to get him. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
In Round 1, Pick 10 they get a disruptor off the edge at fair value. Exactly the need they had to hit.
In pick No. 11 they get a bendy edge with upside. The biggest hole, addressed.
In the 12th pick they get a lockdown presence outside. Need was not the driver here.
In the Round 1 slot they get a disruptive interior force, a steep price for the projection. A real need, handled.
In slot 14 they get a blindside protector at fair value. The biggest hole, addressed.
In the 15th pick they get a green-dot type in the middle, though the board says they badly overpaid. A clean fit for the roster.
In the Round 1 slot they get a double-digit-sack hope, a steep price for the projection. The biggest hole, addressed.
In Round 1, Pick 17 they get a moveable chess piece at tight end, a steep price for the projection. A clean fit for the roster.
In the 18th overall pick they get a building block for the line, even if it was a touch early. The biggest hole, addressed.
In No. 19 they get an anchor for the offensive line. Exactly the need they had to hit.
A wild overpay on Ricky Pearsall in pick 20, the sort that defines a class for the wrong reasons. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
They left a pile of value on the table to take Keon Coleman this early at pick No. 21. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
In Round 1, Pick 22 they get a weapon on the perimeter, though the board says they badly overpaid. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
Brian Thomas Jr. at the Round 1 slot is right where the board had him, plain and simple. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
In the 25th overall pick they get a three-down second-level presence, a steep price for the projection.
In pick No. 26 they get a featured back, a steep price for the projection. A real need, handled.
Marshawn Kneeland in pick 27 is a bet on their own eyes over everyone else's grade. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Fair-plus on Chop Robinson, a quiet win that adds up over a draft. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
In the 29th pick they get a problem off the edge, a steep price for the projection. It fills the loudest need on the roster.
In slot 30 they get a downhill thumper at linebacker, though the board says they badly overpaid. A real need, handled.
In the Round 1 slot they get a wrecking ball inside at a price that makes it sweeter. A real need, handled.
In No. 32 they get a ballhawk on the outside, and a steal at that. More want than need.
Nothing to complain about; J.J. McCarthy went a shade earlier than his grade, which is fine. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
A tidy little value on Tyler Guyton in pick No. 35, a step better than break-even. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
By-the-book stuff, Ennis Rakestraw Jr. at the 36th pick squarely in line with his ranking. It is more luxury than necessity; they were already set here.
This one needs a full-page explanation: T'Vondre Sweat in Round 2, Pick 5, miles early. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Austin Booker at slot 38 is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
A swing that ignored the value entirely, Michael Hall Jr. well ahead of where he belonged. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
A real head-scratcher, Maason Smith in Round 2, Pick 8 is miles ahead of his ranking. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Mike Sainristil at the Round 2 slot is a conviction pick that outran the value. Nice player, but the depth chart did not need him here.
A big swing on Renardo Green at pick No. 43, well ahead of any board in the building. A minor itch, scratched.
Cole Bishop at No. 44 is an overdraft of the loud, memorable kind. Pure best-available; the position was not exactly begging.
They paid sticker price for Jonathon Brooks in the 46th pick, and that is fine. The roster fit checks out.
A straight-up fair deal on Xavier Legette at the 47th overall pick, value and slot in agreement. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for Jordan Travis. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
You do not let an offensive lineman like Jordan Morgan reach slot 56 and blink. They did not. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Roman Wilson slid further than he should have, and the Round 2 slot is lovely value for the wide receiver. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
They jumped the gun on Javon Baker, taking him earlier than his grade liked. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
They paid up for Malik Washington at slot 66 when waiting would have done the job. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Mekhi Wingo at pick 68 is the pick scouts circle, and not in a good way. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
They liked Brandon Dorlus enough to skip the value, taking him in the 69th pick. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
A conviction pick on Bralen Trice at No. 70 that the board grades a round light. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
The board fumbled Junior Colson all the way to pick No. 71, and they scooped it up. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Christian Haynes at the 72nd overall pick is money in the bank, a offensive lineman taken below his worth. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Cedric Gray in the 74th pick is a reach so steep the board needed a second look to believe it. It fills a real need, too.
They talked themselves into DeWayne Carter at Round 3, Pick 11, and the board did not agree. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Value said wait; Mohamed Kamara in slot 77 says they were not listening. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Jonah Elliss in the Round 3 slot is the kind of reach that only looks good if he outplays it. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Good things come to war rooms that wait, and Cooper Beebe at pick 79 is the proof. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Roger Rosengarten at No. 82 is a clear overpay, with better names still on the board. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Steal is underselling it; T.J. Tampa at the 87th overall pick is a heist with the alarm still ringing. Stacking talent where they were already deep.
Kamari Lassiter at pick No. 88 is the steal of the weekend, a first-round talent at a bargain-bin price. They doubled down on a strength rather than a need.
Blake Fisher in slot 89 is a gift, value that borders on unfair. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Nice patience on Andru Phillips, who had no business lasting to pick No. 90. A luxury on a unit that was already in good shape.
Patrick Paul at the 91st overall pick nudges the ledger their way without any fuss. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
Dominick Puni in the Round 3 slot is fine work, a shade of surplus and no downside. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
They reached into another round for Tyler Davis, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Gabriel Murphy at No. 96 jumps the queue by a touch more than is comfortable. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
They reached a country mile for Cody Schrader at Round 3, Pick 36, and the board is aghast. A need, and now a little less of one.
Decamerion Richardson at the 100th pick is the kind of overdraft that needs everything to break right. Depth on depth, at a spot that was hardly crying out.
Brenden Rice in the Round 4 slot is early enough to raise a brow, if not a full objection. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Anthony Gould at slot 105 is an overdraft of the loud, memorable kind. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
They talked themselves into Jacob Cowing at pick No. 106, and the board did not agree. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
A premium they did not need to pay, Jarvis Brownlee Jr. a notch or two before his time. They added to a strength when a need was still open elsewhere.
The board had cheaper options than Brennan Jackson at the 108th pick, and it noticed. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
Taking Calen Bullock in pick 112 is close to grand larceny; a safety that good had no business lasting this long. A want dressed up as a pick, at a spot they had covered.
Zak Zinter at Round 4, Pick 16 is a sound buy, the sort that quietly helps a class. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
A reach for Leonard Taylor III in the 117th overall pick; a little patience would have been rewarded. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
They went early on Jalyx Hunt in Round 4, Pick 20, and the value did not follow. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Jordan Jefferson at slot 122 is the kind of overdraft that needs everything to break right. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
Value said wait; Sione Vaki in the 124th overall pick says they were not listening. Insurance at a position that did not really ask for it.
This one needs a full-page explanation: AJ Barner in the Round 4 slot, miles early. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
Dallin Holker in pick No. 129 is a bet on their own eyes over everyone else's grade. A need, and now a little less of one.
No edge and no loss on Javon Foster in No. 130; it is a wash and a sensible one. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
A big swing on Tanor Bortolini at the 131st pick, well ahead of any board in the building. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
A wild overpay on Trevor Keegan in pick 132, the sort that defines a class for the wrong reasons. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
They robbed the room for Cam Hart here, a fall nobody at the table saw coming. A want more than a need, though you can never have too many.
A slide stopped in the 135th overall pick, with Johnny Wilson worth more than the price. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
The board had Tyrone Tracy Jr. higher than the Round 5 slot, and the wide receiver fell to them anyway. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
They did well to land Malik Mustapha in the 138th pick, just ahead of his grade. Nice player, but the depth chart did not need him here.
Isaac Guerendo at slot 139 is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. It fills a real need, too.
Value with a capital V on Jarrian Jones in Round 5, Pick 4, a genuine coup. Pure best-available; the position was not exactly begging.
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for McKinnley Jackson. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
They left a pile of value on the table to take Jaden Crumedy this early at pick No. 146. The roster fit checks out.
A real head-scratcher, Nathaniel Watson in No. 148 is miles ahead of his ranking. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Edefuan Ulofoshio at the Round 5 slot is the pick scouts circle, and not in a good way. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Ty'Ron Hopper at Round 5, Pick 15 is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
They reached a country mile for Darius Muasau at pick No. 152, and the board is aghast. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Jared Wiley in the 153rd pick is a bargain the rest of the room will envy. It plugs a real leak on the depth chart.
A market-rate linebacker, with the board and the slot shaking hands on Jordan Magee. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
A cornerback of that caliber at pick 157 is the definition of value, full stop. A want more than a need, though you can never have too many.
A swing that ignored the value entirely, Brevyn Spann-Ford well ahead of where he belonged. The roster fit checks out.
They barely believed it either: Caedan Wallace still on the board at the 159th pick. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Ainias Smith at pick 161 is daylight robbery; nobody expected him to last. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
A top-tier wide receiver at a bargain, Jamari Thrash in pick No. 162, plain and simple. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Kimani Vidal in Round 5, Pick 28 is a reach so steep the board needed a second look to believe it. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
They stopped a slide they were happy to see, landing Tykee Smith in slot 166. They doubled down on a strength rather than a need.
They reached into another round for Gabe Hall, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
A wild overpay on Cedric Johnson in the 168th overall pick, the sort that defines a class for the wrong reasons. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
They reached into another round for Justin Eboigbe, and the board is nowhere close to agreeing. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
Value said wait; Jawhar Jordan in pick 170 says they were not listening. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Beau Brade at slot 171 is the sort of value that quietly wins a weekend. Stacking talent where they were already deep.
They will replay Josh Newton at No. 174 for years; that is how good the value is. Insurance at a position that did not really ask for it.
They read the board right and Walter Rouse was the payoff at the 175th overall pick. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
A reach on Khristian Boyd in the Round 6 slot; the board had better options right there. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
They left a pile of value on the table to take Keilan Robinson this early at the 177th pick. A need, and now a little less of one.
Quietly one of the better values of the day, Marist Liufau at pick No. 179. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
No drama and no debate, Kamal Hadden went about where he belonged in Round 6, Pick 5. It is more luxury than necessity; they were already set here.
They reached a country mile for Trey Knox at slot 181, and the board is aghast. Another box on the needs board, quietly ticked.
They paid a round early for Delmar Glaze in pick 182, more than the board wanted. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
Good price on Tahj Washington in the 183rd overall pick, a hair ahead of his grade with no real quibbles. The one spot they could not leave alone, and did not.
Frank Gore Jr. at No. 186 is an overdraft of the loud, memorable kind. It fills a real need, too.
They let Braiden McGregor come to them and pounced at the 187th pick. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
They jumped the gun on Grayson Murphy, taking him earlier than his grade liked. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Zion Tupuola-Fetui at pick No. 191 is the kind of overdraft that needs everything to break right. A must-fix position, and they treated it like one.
Nelson Ceaser slipping to Round 6, Pick 18 is the kind of luck good rooms make for themselves. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
This one needs a full-page explanation: Eric Watts in the 194th overall pick, miles early. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
Sataoa Laumea in No. 197 is the kind of fall that makes a whole class. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
Somehow James Williams was still sitting there in Round 6, Pick 24, and they pounced on premier linebacker value. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
Chau Smith-Wade in the 200th pick should not have been possible, and that is the whole point. A want dressed up as a pick, at a spot they had covered.
Ryan Flournoy at pick 202 is a sensible buy, a touch better than market for the wide receiver. The biggest hole on the depth chart just got a whole lot smaller.
A tidy bit of business in the Round 6 slot, where Javion Cohen graded well above the range. A glaring weakness, addressed head on.
They took Layden Robinson at par in pick No. 210, which is nothing to complain about. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
The board screamed and they did not listen, reaching into the next round for Jacob Monk. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
A swing that ignored the value entirely, Andrew Raym well ahead of where he belonged. This was priority one on the needs board, and now it is handled.
Devin Culp at Round 6, Pick 40 is a steep price for a hunch, hard to square with any board. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
Tarheeb Still in pick 216 is a bet on their own eyes over everyone else's grade. A luxury on a unit that was already in good shape.
Tyrice Knight in pick No. 217 lands just on the right side of the ledger. It fills a real need, too.
Jaylen Harrell in the 218th pick is exactly on the number, no argument either way. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint in No. 219 is the kind of reach that only looks good if he outplays it. Top of the wish list, and they did not leave without it.
Logan Lee in the 220th overall pick is a reach so steep the board needed a second look to believe it. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
Myles Murphy at the Round 7 slot is the pick scouts circle, and not in a good way. It shores up a spot that genuinely needed the help.
They took JD Bertrand at par in the 225th pick, which is nothing to complain about. A need, and now a little less of one.
A big swing on Matthew Jones at pick 226, well ahead of any board in the building. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
They talked themselves into Michael Barrett at the 231st overall pick, and the board did not agree. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
A real head-scratcher, Jowon Briggs in the Round 7 slot is miles ahead of his ranking. A sensible fit that makes the depth chart a little sturdier.
Jaylon Carlies at slot 242 is an overdraft of the loud, memorable kind. They added to a strength when a need was still open elsewhere.
Marcellas Dial at pick No. 251 is the kind of overdraft that needs everything to break right. Depth on depth, at a spot that was hardly crying out.
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.
A real head-scratcher, X'Zauvea Gadlin in Round 7, Pick 33 is miles ahead of his ranking. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.