Four Teams Cardinals Could Trade Down With in NFL Draft

The Arizona Cardinals have just five picks in the 2025 NFL Draft (pending any awarded compensatory selections) with glaring needs as well as several positions that need more depth and/or talent boosts. Most of the team’s needs lie on defense, which is where this class is tailored to.

With the 16th overall pick, general manager Monti Ossenfort will be able to add a good-to-great player, but after that it will be hard to make the most out of just four more picks.

Therefore, a trade down makes a ton of sense for Arizona.

There’s talent across the board in this year’s draft class at positions that aren’t of need for AZ such as running back, wide receiver, tight end, and linebacker (pending on Kyzir White’s free agency decision). This will help the Cardinals peak at teams aiming to trade up for a position that isn’t of as much of value to the team and then get some decent compensation for a trade down.

A lot of teams will be interested in making a move to secure “their guy” and the Cardinals could make a move down and still either get “their guy” or have ammo to get several players they like.

I believe the 16th pick has some solid value, as it feels like the draft dips a bit after the first 15 picks and a team who is desperate to get who they want will need to jump and make sure they get them.

Arizona will be able to add capital to address the roster, even if it means sacrificing someone they really, really want.

Like I said, I think a lot of teams may fancy the 16th pick, but these four stand out the most. I have below those four teams, who they may be targeting, and what the Cardinal could “settle” for with the move down. I also have a short list of players who make sense to move up for.

Let’s begin…

Who Teams May Target Moving Up

Emeka Egbuka, Wide Receiver, Ohio State

Josh Simmons, Offensive Tackle, Ohio State

Kenneth Grant, Interior Defensive Lineman, Michigan

Shemar Stewart, Edge Rusher, Texas A&M

Benjamin Morrison, Cornerback, Notre Dame

Team No. 1: Pittsburgh Steelers

Pick: 21

The Steelers are a mess. They don’t have a quarterback, but they (hopefully) learned their lesson from Kenny Pickett of not forcing a pick at the position in a weak draft class. Instead, they need to get wide receivers in that room. George Pickens is entering the last year of his rookie deal, and his inconsistency and hot temper may make him a risky re-sign.

Even if Pickens is back, there are no established players on the depth chart after him. Egbuka is more than an ideal target for them, but several teams will likely be interested in moving up for the Buckeyes’ second all-time leading receiver.

This is a small move down for the Cardinals, but they can still fetch an early day three pick by leveraging the importance of the wide receiver position plus how thin Pittsburgh is.

And this move puts the Cardinals in prime position to get a player whom I think is tailor-made to be a Monti Ossenfort draft pick – Jack Sawyer.

Team No. 2: Minnesota Vikings

Pick: 24

The 2025 NFL Draft has some good cornerback talent, but the top guys in the class feel like day one Pro Bowlers. Will Johnson feels like a top 10 lock, but Morrison’s value is all over the place right now. It feels realistic he could be available at 16 or later. If that’s the case, a team like the Vikings, who are dying for good cornerbacks, would be wise to move up and secure him.

The Cardinals don’t have a dire need for corners right now with quality depth and bigger needs, so a move down with the Vikings, who want a corner, makes perfect sense. The move down isn’t too drastic, either, and could result in an early day three pick or even a 2026 pick.

The move down still keeps the Cardinals in position for a top defensive tackle like Tyleik Williams, who is a plug-and-play for this defense.

Team No. 3: Baltimore Ravens

Pick: 27

The Ravens have about a billion draft picks this year, so a trade up feels incredibly likely, especially considering how close they are to contending for a Super Bowl.

In all seriousness, Baltimore does hold 11 picks (pending compensatory selections), eight of those on day three with four inside the top 190 picks. Of all the teams headed into this draft, the Ravens have the ammo to be among the most aggressive. If Baltimore calls Arizona, they’d be wise to listen.

A drop from 16 to 27 is quite a move down and could net the Cardinals the 91st overall pick and/or several day three selections.

Once again, it’s a deep draft class for defense, so a move down could still land the Cardinals a starting defender.

As for Baltimore, they may be interested in getting a new left tackle if Ronnie Stanley departs in free agency. Otherwise, adding to their pass rush or getting secondary depth makes sense, too.

Team No. 4: Buffalo Bills

Pick: 30

By far the most drastic move down for Arizona would be with Buffalo, but they could wind up getting a premium pick out of it like the 52nd pick or at worst 62. I really like this move down for the Cardinals because you’ll get a really nice return on investment.

There’s also the chance for rolling the dice on a fun player like Boston College’s Donovan Ezeiruaku, who led Power-Four programs in sacks.

Buffalo‘s wide receiver room is lackluster at best. Keon Coleman looks like a good complimentary receiver, but he’s the only guy I’m dying to bring back (although Mac Hollins would be a quality re-sign).

Ebuka feels like a great fit for the Bills offense with his creativity after the catch. His ability to do multiple functions for the offense like end-arounds lines up with how they tried to use Curtis Samuel.