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Now that the Arizona Cardinals have traded away 2013 number seven overall pick Jonathan Cooper, it closes the book on his very disappointing career in Arizona. Picked higher than any other guard in 20 years, he was compared to Alan Faneca and Jahri Evans. General manager Steve Keim didn't shy away from big comparisons.
But he broke his leg in his first preseason and never got his career on track.
He only started 11 games in three seasons and was benched halfway through last season in favor of Ted Larsen, who is an able NFL player, but is not considered to be good.
While he was traded to acquire a sought-after pass rusher, because he never amounted to anything in Arizona, he must now qualify for the dreaded "bust" status.
There is no way around it. He was a bust.
Cardinals fans are very familiar with first round offensive lineman busts and one guy we all like to point to is Levi Brown.
Brown was drafted fifth overall and was supposed to be the left tackle rock. He started a lot of games, but he was perhaps the most hated Cardinals player for years. He started 79 games and was even a Pro Bowl alternate one year while playing right tackle. And while he was not highly regarded by fans, he even re-signed with Arizona after being cut before the 2012 season.
Brown was never benched in favor of anyone else. In fact, when he was lost for the season with a triceps tear in the 2012 preseason, we all saw how important he was and how much better he was than the other guys on the team. That year was a nightmare.
He was traded in 2013 and got hurt again, never to play again.
Brown was one of the Cardiinals' biggest busts, but he managed to start 79 games. Cooper started 11 and was benched.
Both failed to live up to very high expectations.
So now the question is this -- who was the bigger bust, Cooper or Brown?