Arizona Cardinals: Looking ahead to potential needs for 2020 NFL Draft

By Dan Schmelzer | Jul 9, 2019

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Patrick Peterson Arizona Cardinals

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3. Cornerback

The Arizona Cardinals did some work at the cornerback position this offseason. First, they signed Robert Alford to a three-year free agent contract early in the offseason. Alford is good cornerback who can step into a major role for the Cardinals right away. However, at 30-years-old, he is not exactly a guy who they can expect to build around.

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Arizona also attacked the position in the 2019 NFL Draft, taking Byron Murphy with the first pick of the second round. Murphy is arguably the best cornerback from the most recent NFL draft class and undoubtedly has a bright future for the team. On top of that, the Cardinals still have Patrick Peterson on the roster.

Peterson has been one of the best NFL cornerbacks in recent years, but he is suspended for the first six games of the 2019 season because of a failed drug test. Plus, with only two years remaining on his contract, Peterson may not be long for the team.

When it comes down to it, the Cardinals are a rebuilding team who should probably be looking to move Peterson to a contender. Whether that is during this season or next offseason, Arizona should be looking to get as much they can out of Peterson in a trade. Simply put, he would be more valuable to them as a trade chip than as an actual player on the field. When the Cardinals will be ready to actually compete, Peterson will likely be past his prime.

With this in mind, I would like to see the Arizona Cardinals try to find a young cornerback to pair with Murphy. In today’s pass-happy NFL, it is incredibly important to find talented cornerbacks who can defend a variety of different receivers. Taking Murphy is a step in the right direction, but the Cardinals will likely still need to find more cornerback talent in the 2020 NFL Draft.