Why the Cardinals were a low-key winner from the Bears and Panthers trade
The biggest domino regarding the 2023 NFL draft fell on Friday evening.
The Chicago Bears are reportedly trading the first-overall pick to the Carolina Panthers, who are expected to take a quarterback, in exchange for a bevy of draft picks and star receiver D.J. Moore.
One could quibble about the exact draft compensation, but ultimately, both teams got what they wanted out of this trade. The Bears have a multitude of needs and have now stockpiled picks to address them while also giving Justin Fields a true No. 1 option in the passing game.
Meanwhile, the Panthers now have the chance to draft the future of the franchise.
This deal will certainly have a lot of downstream effects in the draft, and one of those underrated impacts will be felt by the team slated to pick at No. 3.
The Arizona Cardinals don’t have to worry about a run on quarterbacks after locking down Kyler Murray on a long-term deal, and that gives the team a ton of flexibility with this pick.
The Houston Texans, who pick second, need a signal-caller and will almost certainly stay put to pick one. With Chicago moving out of the first spot, that means the Cardinals will (in all likelihood) be in a position to take the top non-quarterback prospect in the draft — potentially Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson.
That is if they choose to make the pick. The third pick would almost certainly be a hot commodity considering who picks directly after. The Indianapolis Colts, like the Texans, need a quarterback. Both teams were considered potential candidates to move up to No. 1.
Quarterback-needy teams picking after Indianapolis — of which there are several — will know that if they don’t make a deal with Arizona, another passer will likely come off the board before their pick.
Could the Cardinals look to make a deal with a team like the Lions, Raiders or Falcons, all of whom pick in the top 10, to acquire more picks? Or with the Colts themselves to avoid such an outcome? It’s certainly possible. Every option is on the table for the team in the first offseason under new head coach Jonathan Gannon.
The trade between Carolina and Chicago will certainly have massive impacts on both franchises, but as a byproduct, it has put the Cardinals in an excellent position without having to give anything up.