Inside the Cardinals’ Jeremiyah Love Pick: Was This Michael Bidwill’s Call?

ARIZONA — The Arizona Cardinals' selection of running back Jeremiyah Love with the third overall pick in last week's draft is still generating waves through the football world, and after parting ways with a polarizing figure in quarterback Kyler Murray this offseason, the debates now shift to Arizona's shiniest new toy in Love.

The value of drafting Love, financially and compared to historical team-building, is what has spurred plenty of the chatter. The Cardinals, with other positions of need, are set to hand over Love more than $50 million in guaranteed money based off the league's rookie scale contract, which will make him the highest-paid running back in a couple different categories.

The flip side to all the above? Love was one of the draft's best players and is a playmaker capable of making a true difference on offense for first-year head coach Mike LaFleur. You can never go wrong adding good football players, and Love has potential to be great.

Debates also extend above the front office to the man signing the checks himself in owner Michael Bidwill, as highlighted by a few different NFL executives when speaking to The Athletic on the Cardinals drafting Love.

“They’re not one piece away, and they put money into (running back) Tyler Allgeier — like, I get why people push back on the Love pick,” one exec said to Mike Sando. “But at the same time, ownership is trying to sell tickets, they don’t have a face of the franchise and this guy can fit that bill.”

There is a business aspect to adding Love, and though those decisions shouldn't outweigh what transpires on the field, there needs to be a level of understanding around what Love can do for the franchise outside of the lines.

The Cardinals have struggled to fill State Farm Stadium with their own fans for some time now. Combine the newly installed casitas and other premium seating options for home games, and some Cardinals fans feel like they've been rubbed the wrong way.

An exciting injection of energy via Love's arrival only does good for season tickets, jersey sales and overall good noise for a Cardinals team that simply needs it.

Another NFL executive added, "Is the roster ready for a running back? Probably not, but there was no real flashing light to pick other than Love. If the owner wanted the back, like everybody said, that is not a hill you are going to die on as a GM. Love is special.”

After the draft, Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort was asked directly if Bidwill was at all involved in the decision:

“In the decision, no not at all. (Owner) Michael (Bidwill) is involved to the point of, he likes to know what's going on. He loves to hear about our process. He loves to hear about how we have arrived at the board where it's at," said Ossenfort.

"He's great at throwing us in a scenario. Well, what if this guy goes? OK, well, then we would do this. So, Michael's been great. He was awesome with letting Mike and I go through our process and he was engaged as always but really hands off and let us do our job.”

The reality likely lies within the balance of Bidwill being obviously pleased with what Love can do for his franchise while Arizona's general manager and offensive-minded rookie coach wanted a boost to a Cardinals running game that desperately needed it.

Can both be true? It sure feels like it, and while I'm a fan of throwing on the tin foil hat alongside most, it's hard to buy Bidwill simply kicking the door down of the war room and demanding Love is the pick.

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