2022 NFL draft NFC West winners and losers and where the Seahawks fall

Loser: Arizona Cardinals

Biggest Needs: OG, RB, WR, LB, CB

Best Pick: Round 3 (Pick 87): DE Cameron Thomas, San Diego State — has been comped to his new teammate, J.J. Watt.

Coming off their first playoff appearance since 2015, the Arizona Cardinals entered the offseason with uncertainty at the most important position in all of sports. Kyler Murray’s odd personality was brought into the spotlight when he took to social media to discuss his ambitions for a contract extension. The odd timing and manner in which he did so began many to speculate about his future with the Cardinals.

Would he be traded? Would the Cardinals cave in and sign him? Despite neither happening–although I am sure at some point, he will break the bank in Arizona–the Cardinals did do their part in trying to please their franchise quarterback. In fact, it’s one of the reasons I have them as a loser of the draft.

The Arizona Cardinals traded the 23rd overall pick for WR Marquise Brown 

The “secret” surprise for Kyler Murray on day 1 of the NFL Draft was reuniting him with his former college teammate, Marquise Brown. They gave up the 23rd overall pick to the Baltimore Ravens for the inconsistent Brown in an attempt to take this college-styled offense to the next level. They then doubled down on that effort and reached on a tight end with their first pick of the draft.

Reach: Round 2 (Pick 55): TE Trey McBride, Colorado State.

Although McBridge was the top-rated TE in the class, it seemed this pick was more of a want than a need. This past offseason, Arizona re-signed TE Zach Ertz to a 3-year deal after a brief stint with the team that resulted in success. McBride’s pass-catching ability will allow him to fit with this offense, but with other glaring needs, the pick didn’t make that much sense.

Biggest Takeaway: Overcompensation

Rather than trading away the 23rd pick for a wideout, why not just draft one if that was such a big emphasis? Marquise Brown is going to come looking for a payday sooner rather than later as the Cardinals exercised the 5th year option shortly after the trade. Selecting WR Skyy Moore would have made more sense to go along with Hopkins and Rondale Moore.

As we have seen, the wide receiver market has drastically changed. Hollywood Brown could be looking for north of $20 million and that just emphasizes the poor timing of this trade as they already have Deandre Hopkins on a 2-year, $54.5 million deal. Not to mention the extension that eventually will be given to Kyler Murray.