A possible solution to that conundrum is for Arizona to trade down, which would also allow it to add more draft capital to a roster with plenty of holes.
The Cardinals own No. 3 overall, which could be a prime spot for edge-rusher David Bailey, considered by many the top player at his position, to come off the board. Arizona should have any number of packages to choose from if it decides to dangle the pick.
The Kansas City Chiefs and Dallas Cowboys each have two firsts and recently visited with Bailey, per Pro Football Talk. Both should have playoff aspirations considering their talent on offense, and adding a potential All-Pro talent at arguably the most important defensive position would certainly get them closer to the postseason after disappointing 2025s.
Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort made a similar move in his first draft, when he traded the third overall selection to the Houston Texans, who selected defensive end Will Anderson, a 2025 first-team All-Pro, for what eventually turned into six picks following subsequent trades with the Detroit Lions and Tennessee Titans. But Arizona didn’t add anyone quite as valuable with its acquired capital, which could make Ossenfort hesitate in making a similar move this year.
Few teams have been as active in draft day trades as the Texans in recent years. In addition to the bold trade up with the Cardinals in 2023, Houston also moved out of the first round last season when it acquired three picks from the New York Giants for No. 25 overall.
Instead of moving back again, the Texans, who have two picks in the top 40 (Nos. 28, 38), should consider packaging their selections to jump ahead in the draft order, allowing them to add a plug-and-play starter along the offensive line, their biggest area of need.
The Dolphins have a staggering seven picks in the top 100 of the upcoming draft, including four in the third round — Nos. 75, 87, 90 and 94. Miami is clearly in rebuild mode, so we can’t fault the front office if it decides to use every pick. But an alternative approach would be to deal some of those selections for future capital, allowing it to build its roster through multiple drafts instead of primarily one.
Unlike Miami, New York doesn’t have the luxury of patience under second-year coach Aaron Glenn after a disastrous Year 1, which ended with it going 3-14 and becoming the first team post-merger to fail to record an interception for an entire season.
The Jets have four top-50 picks (Nos. 2, 16, 33, 44) plus three 2027 firsts, giving it plenty of ammo to make an aggressive play up the draft, either landing a third first-rounder or another top-10 pick.
The defending champs only have four draft picks — in Rounds 1-3 and the sixth — a potential problem for a team bracing for the impact of future extensions for star wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba and cornerback Devon Witherspoon. Seattle could add a larger influx of players on rookie contracts by trading No. 32 overall, which could help ensure the franchise’s Super Bowl window remains open for the foreseeable future.