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The Arizona Cardinals seem to be making a lot of noise heading into the 2018 NFL Draft.
They are being linked to Baker Mayfield, they like Josh Allen and Josh Rosen, two quarterbacks who could be available in the 6-10 range of the draft, but all of these prospects have something in common. They won’t be available at 15 when the Arizona Cardinals draft.
That could explain why in the last two days we have seen two prominent NFL reporters say that the Cardinals are making noise about moving up in the 2018 NFL Draft.
True. Cardinals making a lot of noise about moving up. Could mean they move up. … But they are definitely doing due diligence. https://t.co/aI6I8d3kDs
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 24, 2018
There is a reason, Steve Keim messed up in 2017. He knows it, so now, he needs to find a way to atone for that mistake, which means finding a way to get that quarterback of the future, no matter the cost.
While only part of that last sentence may be true, he knows he messed up in 2017, the rest of it has some semblance of reality. He won’t get fooled again, he knows that he needs a longterm answer at quarterback on the roster sooner rather than later and he knows that he is going to have to pay for it.
The question becomes, how serious is he on betting on whichever quarterback he does move up for and how much is he willing to give up to get “his guy”.
I don’t think going into the top five is a real thing, but I do think paying it forward with next year’s first is a cost Keim is willing to pay this year... If he gets the chance.