GLENDALE, Ariz. - After a 3-13 season, the worst season in Arizona Cardinals history, the team has the No. 1 overall pick for the first time ever in the 2019 NFL Draft on Thursday.
The Cardinals offense last year ranked dead last in almost every category you can think of. After signing Sam Bradford and trading up to select UCLA quarterback Josh Rosen last offseason, it did not pay off. Bradford was benched in week three and later let go. Rosen had an unimpressive rookie year to say the least, albeit with a poor, banged up offensive line.
Offensive coordinator Mike McCoy got the axe in the middle of the year and first year, defensive-minded head coach Steve Wilks was let go after just one season, which was one of just 10 times in NFL history a coach was fired after just one year.
The Cardinals went all in on 39-year-old offensive specialist Kliff Kingsbury this offseason. He coached the last six seasons at Texas Tech, leading the Red Raiders to winning seasons just twice before he was let go at the end of last season. He's known for his high-powered offenses. Since he became an offensive coordinator in 2011, his offenses have scored more than 40 points per game while averaging almost 550 yards per game.
But, does he have the pieces to bring that air raid, high-powered offensive style to the Cardinals? Now that the Cardinals have the No. 1 overall pick the draft, they can choose to give Kingsbury the potential piece he needs to hit the ground running in Heisman Trophy winner, Oklahoma quarterback Kyler Murray, or they can go with a more safe choice in a potentially dominant defensive playmaker in Nick Bosa or Quinnen Williams.
Two days before the NFL Draft, our staff answered the question that's been at the top of the rundown on national programming for months: What should the Cardinals do with the first pick?
We are almost at a consensus. So we're either setting ourselves up to get slammed on Twitter, or we're dead on.
Spoiler alert:
Bruce Cooper, Sports Anchor
The Cardinals absolutely, positively should draft Oklahoma quarterback, Kyler Murray, with the number one overall pick.
Murray is an electric, dynamic playmaker. He can make all the throws inside and outside of the pocket. In fact, his elite-level athleticism and ability to run the ball and throw accurately on the move creates a great deal of pressure and headaches for opposing defenses. He is a special talent, one that will make his teammates better and the Cardinals offensive unit one of the best in the game.
Bottom line, Murray will greatly impact the Cardinals far, far more than any other player in this draft.
Cameron Cox, Sports Reporter
The Cardinals have for years gone with the safe pick. Well – enough is enough. Kyler Murray is coming off the best passing season in college football history – that’s a lot of history. He’s accurate from the pocket, a dynamic runner and the most exciting player I’ve seen in college football since Vince Young (but way better).
Murray’s game is similar to Russell Wilson, and all Wilson has done is terrorize the Cardinals the past 7 seasons. The game of football is changing. Playing Quarterback is changing. Murray is an explain of that change.
This is a simple decision. Draft Murray and go win.
Chierstin Susel, Sports Reporter
I’ve said it from the start and I’m stickin’ to it, the Cardinals should take Kyler Murray with the No. 1 overall pick. He’s the spark this team needs, and he has the biggest ceiling of any player that could single handedly change the direction of this franchise. Could Josh Rosen be a decent long-term quarterback that can win some games if he gets some help around him? I don’t doubt it. But, he’s not the franchise quarterback they thought they were trading up to get last year. Don’t be stubborn, go get your quarterback.
Paul Gerke, Today in AZ Anchor/Cardinals Locker Room Host
The Cardinals should trade the #1 pick.
I have never believed, and *will not* believe, that the Cardinals are taking Kyler Murray. I presume even after the Cardinals select him (just to spite me) that I will continue to doubt his prospects in Arizona (Eli Manning for Philip Rivers draft day swap, anyone?)
Perhaps I’m giving the Cards too much credit, but I think the Murray hype has been a masterful smoke screen intended to maximize trade value for the #1 pick. Everybody knows the price of a pick is highest on draft day, so what incentive would the Cardinals have to tip their hand until they are formally on the clock? I can *HEAR* Jon Gruden and Mike Mayock (obviously shouting on speaker phone) begging for the No. 1 selection as the seconds tick away. I can picture the Giants moving up. I can see the Broncos doing it too.
The Cardinals have too many holes after a half-rebuild. They have problems that selecting a QB in the first round of consecutive drafts won’t begin to fix. The best move in the short term may very well be to draft Murray- but in the long term, it almost certainly is not. Trade down a few picks, scoop one of the three premier defensive linemen in that spot, then add another piece later in the first round (preferably on the offensive line).
Or pick Murray, trade Rosen, and fasten your seatbelts.
Matthew Johnson, Senior Sports Producer
The Cardinals should draft quarterback Kyler Murray… and they absolutely WILL draft Kyler Murray. They are not fooling anyone. The Cardinals have spent much of the 2019 offseason admitting their mistakes from the 2018 offseason and correcting those mistakes (Steve Wilks, Sam Bradford, etc.). Moving up to draft Josh Rosen was simply the last of those 2018 mistakes this team needs to rid itself of.
Jeff Schneider, Sports Executive Producer
I say pick Kyler Murray. He is the best quarterback to run Kliff Kingsbury’s Air Raid offense.
Gabe Trujillo, Senior Video Producer
As I evaluate the Cardinals options for the number one pick, I can't help but lean towards Arizona going with Kyler Murray at that selection. If the organization views Murray as a true franchise-shifting talent, I think there's no other choice. Passing on someone who has elite skills and game-changing potential could be disastrous for the organization (for example: Terrell Suggs and Adrian Peterson). Murray's arm and athleticism could also be a better fit for Kliff Kingsbury's new offense. Arizona shouldn't pass him up.
Cameron La Fontaine, Digital Journalist/Social Media
To me, it's not even a question at this point. The team went all in on Kliff Kingsbury. Are you going to tell me they're not going to give him the exact piece he's always wanted, the player that could run the exact offense he has in mind?
Yes it's a risk and it's tough to pass on a player like Bosa, or Williams and it's tough to do that to Josh Rosen, but it's a business and the Cardinals absolutely must take a player that has the potential to be a generational player, someone I don't think the NFL has seen since Michael Vick. Look at what the Browns did by drafting Baker Mayfield (Oklahoma) last year despite the questions. They're going to be a playoff team next year. You absolutely have to take Murray. You absolutely have to give Kingsbury everything he might need to succeed, because there's no other option. This is HIS guy. And Murray will be Arizona's guy for the next decade and then some.
Hopefully, after selecting Murray, the Cardinals will receive a trade offer for Josh Rosen that they can't refuse and get some more picks out of it. Set him free and cash in.