Should Cardinals Sell at Trade Deadline?

ARIZONA -- We're past the 1/3 season mark for NFL football, and the Arizona Cardinals have just one win in the six games they've played thus far.

The 1-5 record suggests dark clouds and doom around the organization, though if you've paid any attention to the team in 2023, you know not to take the record at face value.

After a disastrous 2022 campaign, owner Michael Bidwill cleaned house and hired a brand new general manager (Monti Ossenfort) and head coach (Jonathan Gannon). As a result, the Cardinals hit the reset button in a massive way, which included parting with some lofty names prior to the start of the regular season.

Now, with the trade deadline approaching, Arizona is one of a handful teams circled by many to be potential sellers with names such as Zach Ertz and Marquise Brown included in trade chatter.

But should the Cardinals be sellers?

Pro Football Focus doesn't believe so.

"Wide receiver Marquise Brown has probably been the subject of some trade calls as he plays in 2023 on his fifth-year option. He’s been productive in Arizona both last year and this year, and his good friend from college in quarterback Kyler Murray returned to practice this week," wrote Brad Spielberger.

"Arizona has handled this offseason masterfully, already moving on from players such as Isaiah Simmons. At this point, they should get ready to utilize two first-round picks and spend some cash to build out a good team for the long haul."

Should the Cardinals want to keep Murray in their long-term plans, ditching his best friend and Arizona's current top receiver might not be the best thing. Brown's likely looking for a contract similar to Christian Kirk's deal, but much like Murray, the team should be on wait-and-see mode when it comes to Hollywood.

As for other names such as Ertz, the Cardinals should absolutely listen to offers. At this point, Ertz isn't quite the elite tight end we've seen over the years, and Trey McBride continues to find his footing in this offense - out-snapping Ertz for the first time in Week 6.

If Arizona could get anything of value for Ertz at the deadline, it'd be tough not to consider.

When it comes to other names such as Budda Baker, the Cardinals should stay pat. Despite the potential trade value you could get for Baker, you're not going to part with one of the best safeties in the game, who still has years left in the tank, only to try and draft somebody that can be half as good as him.

There's a few options for deals and Ossenfort should certainly be listening, but the Cardinals shouldn't feel the need to be major sellers at this trade deadline thanks to their draft capital and salary cap space in the future.