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Arizona Cardinals: 3 most pressing 2021 NFL Draft needs

By Sayre Bedinger

Dec 26, 2020; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) grimaces as he walks to the locker room after losing to the San Francisco 49ers at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher/The Arizona Republic via USA TODAY NETWORKNfl San Francisco 49ers At Arizona Cardinals
Dec 26, 2020; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) grimaces as he walks to the locker room after losing to the San Francisco 49ers at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher/The Arizona Republic via USA TODAY NETWORKNfl San Francisco 49ers At Arizona Cardinals /
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Patrick Peterson, Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals’ Patrick Peterson (21) takes the field before a game against the Eagles at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. on Dec. 20, 2020. /

The Arizona Cardinals are on the cusp of contention heading into the 2021 offseason.

There is undoubtedly reason for excitement in the desert with Kyler Murray and Kliff Kingsbury heading into year three and the second season with DeAndre Hopkins in town.

With a three-year trajectory of 3-13, 5-10-1, and 8-8 in the 2020 campaign, how can the Arizona Cardinals take the next step forward?

This is a team with a wide variety of key 2021 free agents whose situations need to be figured out, not the least of which is longtime CB1 Patrick Peterson. This Arizona Cardinals team could look pretty substantially different in 2021 than they did in 2020, but there are young players in place who could be ready to take a step forward in 2021.

With that being said, how will the Arizona Cardinals use their 2021 NFL Draft capital to upgrade the roster?

They are going to have to make their selections count because they only have five total (for now) to work with.

What are this team’s top needs heading into the 2021 offseason and 2021 NFL Draft?

1. Cornerback

FanSided’s own Matt Verderame reported that the Arizona Cardinals and longtime CB1 Patrick Peterson would be parting ways in the 2021 offseason.

Even if Peterson were coming back for the 2021 season, the Cardinals’ top need in 2021 would probably be cornerback.

They have been something of a revolving door at the position the past few years and the only guy on the roster they can reasonably build around is Byron Murphy who has played a lot of slot in his first couple of NFL seasons.

Murphy could make the full-time transition outside if needed, but there is no doubt that the Cardinals will need to double up in free agency and the 2021 NFL Draft at the cornerback position to get some depth for Vance Joseph’s unit.

They have tried to get by with veteran retreads but it’s not working. They ranked 31st in passing yards allowed last year and gave up 38 touchdowns through the air, more than all but one NFL team.

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