© Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Cardinals Trade Rumors for All-Pro CB Shut Down
The Arizona Cardinals won't be acquiring Patrick Surtain II from the Denver Broncos, according to NFL insiders.
ARIZONA -- Those didn't last long.
Speculation of a trade between the Arizona Cardinals and Denver Broncos during the 2024 NFL Draft (which begins Thursday, April 25) took off earlier this week when Tony Pauline reported All-Pro CB Patrick Surtain II could be involved in a potential deal to move off a top-five pick:
"Once again, there's talk that the Broncos will dangle cornerback Patrick Surtain II as part of a trade package to trade up for a quarterback," said Pauline.
"In a bit of irony, the teams at the top of the draft that are expected to be willing to trade down, the Arizona Cardinals (fourth pick) and Los Angeles Chargers (fifth pick), need a cornerback. Any package to move up will include at least one future first-round pick as well as Surtain and the 12th selection in this year's draft."
Surtain II has been a somewhat common name in Broncos trade packages to net them a new quarterback following the dismissal of Russell Wilson, though NFL insider Ian Rapoport refuted that report when appearing on Fox Sports 910:
"I don't see that. That's the kind of guy you build around, not the kind you trade. It's important you get a quarterback - I get it, but that's a foundational piece. That's a Pro Bowler. That's a shutdown corner. I'd be surprised. There's other guys who could be traded - Courtland Sutton could be traded," said Rapoport.
Full clip:
The Cardinals and Broncos reportedly had talks at the NFL Owner's Meetings last month, but sources say those were only preliminary for framework on a potential deal.
The Broncos have some massive competition for the No. 4 pick - as the Minnesota Vikings, Las Vegas Raiders and New York Giants are reportedly interested in a quarterback as well.
That's if Arizona wants to ultimately move off the pick, and it'll take quite the offer to get the Cardinals to move out of the top five. It's tough to imagine Denver getting a deal done without Surtain somehow involved to go from No. 12 to No. 4 - but crazier things have happened in the NFL.
