PFF thinks the Arizona Cardinals should trade pick 13 for... Blake Bortles

First of all, there is no bigger Blake Bortles fan on the interwebs than yours truly, so when I tell you this article today not only came out of nowhere but also makes little sense, you should know... This is a bad idea.

Pro Football Focus thinks the Arizona Cardinals should consider trading their first round pick, the 13th pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, for one Robby Blake Bortles.

Wait... What?

From the article:

Make no mistake about it – this would be a huge risk on the part of both teams. Jacksonville would be left with Chad Henne and likely a rookie being forced to start on day one, while the Cardinals would be banking on the opposite, the idea that this draft class does not offer a viable solution ready to step in immediately. However, considering the sense of urgency in the desert with a roster with aging players in critical roles, and the year or so of house money for the new staff in Jacksonville, this deal could be positive for both sides.

I know what you are thinking: “Seth, you would draft a quarterback at 13, what is the difference?”

First, a pick at 13 is substantially less expensive than Bortles. At 13, the Cardinals would have four years of contract control plus an option for a fifth year that is substantially cheaper than Bortles fifth year option, that the Cardinals would absolutely have to exercise from day one if they trade for Bortles. So the Cardinals would pay the 13th pick for a back up then pay him $20+ million in 2018 for one year? No thanks.

Second, if the price was right, I would absolutely trade for Bortles. This is similar to the Carson Palmer trade of yesteryear, where you have a commodity that you have always liked at likely their lowest value.

Except, that value is not a first round pick. That value is likely a late day two, maybe early day three pick.

If that were the case, and you felt confident about Bortles signing a modest three to four year extension, then by all means, go forward, but you can’t trade a day one pick and pick up Bortles option for his fifth season, it is just too much investment when you still have one of the most expensive quarterbacks in the NFL for 2017 already.

Thirdly, why would Jacksonville show their hand pre-draft? If the Jags are ready to move on for Bortles, they likely have one quarterback in mind. There are three teams in front of them who could take that guy, rendering the Jags into Chad Henne as their quarterback. Yuck.

The suggestion is a nice one, but the overall make up of the deal for both sides makes little sense.