Arizona Cardinals, NFL, NFL Draft

Cardinals aren’t sold on taking Kyler Murray at No. 1

The Cardinals are interested in drafting Kyler Murray, but the organization isn’t sure they want to make the former Oklahoma star the No. 1 overall pick.

Kyler Murray may end up as the Cardinals’ quarterback of the future after the 2019 NFL Draft, but there’s no guarantee he will be the No. 1 overall pick. According to Arizona head coach Kliff Kingsbury, his organization has yet to make a final choice on what they will do at the top of the draft.

The rookie head coach insists that “everything is on the table” when it comes to his team’s first-round pick. Presumably, those options include making Murray the No. 1 pick. It also means the Cardinals are still interested in evaluating other prospects and potential trade offers that would take the team in a different direction.

That news isn’t going to bring much comfort to the team’s 2018 first round pick Josh Rosen. The former UCLA star was billed as being Arizona’s quarterback of the future when he was selected. The fact that Cardinals’ officials are contemplating moving on from him after just one season is not a positive reflection on his future in Arizona.

The best scenario for the Cardinals would be to see another team fall in love with a player other than Murray. That would allow Arizona to make a deal to move down slightly in the draft, but still be in a position to take the quarterback they allegedly covet. Clearly, that’s a tricky bet to make. Executing that sort of deal would require Arizona’s front office to have a very clear understanding of which teams do and do not like Murray heading into the draft.

Picking up extra draft assets would be really helpful for the Cardinals as they try to kick-start their team in Kingsbury’s first year. Hiring a coach with no NFL experience is always a gamble. Handing that coach one of the weakest rosters in the league could be a recipe for disaster.

Next: 5 players the Cardinals might draft in Round 1

Ultimately, the Cardinals’ front office and coaching staff need to determine whether or not they believe Murray is a future franchise quarterback before they do anything else. If they’re convinced he’s a future Pro Bowler, they should pull the trigger on him at No. 1. If not, they should fully explore the idea of trading the first pick to pick up extra draft assets.

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