For as miserable as the 2022 season was for the Arizona Cardinals and their fans, there is certainly a consolation prize following the series of Week 18 events that granted the team the No. 3 overall pick.
Currently, the Chicago Bears own the No. 1 overall pick followed by the Texans at No. 2. The Texans are almost certain to take a quarterback, but the Bears remain a mystery and could end up benefiting the Cardinals.
With Chicago already having an ascending young quarterback in Justin Fields, the team could look to take a top defensive player at No. 1, or they could trade the pick for a king’s ransom to rebuild a depleted roster.
Many betting sites currently have the Bears as favored to trade the pick, which would make a ton of sense for an organization that needs an influx of talent on both sides of the ball.
Chicago could move back only a few spots for a quarterback-needy team like the Colts, or they could get a huge haul from a team farther back in the draft order. Either way, it certainly is an option that will be heavily considered by the Bears.
For the Cardinals, this scenario would almost certainly net them the choice of the top two prospects in Alabama’s Will Anderson and Georgia’s Jalen Carter. Both are the 1A and 1B of top prospects in the draft and having the choice of the two would be an absolute luxury.
Should the Bears opt to take one of the two with the first pick, the Cardinals would still be left with the other with the Texans set to draft a quarterback.
Both positions are needs for the team. Will Anderson is an elite edge rusher and Jalen Carter is a dominant interior defensive lineman. With the team losing both Chandler Jones and J.J. Watt in the last calendar year, both prospects fit a position of need.
Whether it be Anderson or Carter, the Cardinals are in a great spot.
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