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Arizona Cardinals 2022 NFL Draft Grades: The Best Player Available

By Andrew Fischer

Sep 25, 2021; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Colorado State Rams tight end Trey McBride (85) runs with the ball after a catch against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the second quarter at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 25, 2021; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Colorado State Rams tight end Trey McBride (85) runs with the ball after a catch against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the second quarter at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 2, 2022; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Marquise Brown (5) runs as Los Angeles Rams free safety Taylor Rapp (24) defends during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 2, 2022; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Marquise Brown (5) runs as Los Angeles Rams free safety Taylor Rapp (24) defends during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /

Round 1, 23rd Overall: Traded to Baltimore for WR Marquise “Hollywood” Brown

Grade: C-

This was a move likely made for two reasons. One, the Arizona Cardinals wanted to try and placate their QB Kyler Murray. He played with Marquise Brown in 2018 at Oklahoma, where Brown put up 1,318 receiving yards and 10 receiving touchdowns. Two, the Cardinals probably made this trade with the knowledge that Hopkins was going to be suspended for at least the first quarter of the 2022 NFL season. While those reasons make sense on the surface, I don’t like this trade for Arizona. I would have graded it a D if Hopkins were available to play the whole season.

The Cardinals inexplicably seem to be stocking up on smaller and shorter receivers. Marquise Brown is 5’8” 180, Rondale Moore is 5’7” 180, Andy Isabella is 5’9” 188, and Andre Baccellia is 5’10” 175. Having one or two shorter receivers is ideal but having three and trading a first-round pick for another one is not a wise move.

On top of that, Marquise Brown has been maddeningly inconsistent. According to Football Reference, he’s dropped 15 passes in 46 games. Some of the other receivers that got moved this offseason like Davante Adams, Tyreek Hill, and A.J. Brown have the ability to change the game and affect entire defenses. I’m not sure that Marquise Brown does.

If the goal was to “replace” Deandre Hopkins for those six games, Arizona could have stood pat at #23 and drafted Christian Watson out of North Dakota State (6’4” 208) or traded back and accumulated a few more picks while selecting George Pickens (6’3” 195) out of Georgia or Alec Pierce (6’3” 211) out of Cincinnati. Instead, they traded a first round pick for a 5’8” receiver who’s been prone to drops in order to mollify their moody quarterback. The Cardinals next pick didn’t make much sense either.

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