The Arizona Cardinals were in silence for most of the offseason despite holding the third pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Now, a sudden interest in Jeremiyah Love has appeared, but also a real possibility of trading down.
According to Jordan Schultz of Schultz Report, “the belief is a trade down is very much in play, similar to how Arizona operated in 2023 when they moved back from that same #3 spot.” Arizona is, all of a sudden, a huge team to follow one week from the NFL Draft.
This comes almost simultaneously to the idea that the Giants and Titans might not get the chance to draft Love because of a new Cardinals interest in the running back. So, now the Cardinals might be the ones putting many teams on notice.
Mike LaFleur needs to revamp his team
In 2023, when the Cardinals did trade down from the third pick, they added an extra first rounder and still landed the player they wanted to pick back then. LaFleur is coming into a team that lost its quarterback and needs plenty of new talent to become relevant again.
New Arizona Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur
Depending on the Cardinals’ draft board, they could repeat that formula once again. However, that’s all a mystery, as Schultz pointed out. The Cardinals hold power in their hands right now. It’s up to them to play their cards correctly.
Cardinals’ biggest needs ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft
The offensive line and pass-rush are top needs for the Cardinals, but also running back. The trenches are important in any successful football team, though having a generational playmaker also helps the Cardinals.
Also, if the team is not high enough on Jacoby Brissett, they could always go quarterback and draft Ty Simpson. If that’s their way to go, they could trade down a bit, as Simpson is likely to go way lower than third.
