This Could Be Sweet Spot For Cardinals Draft Trade

The Arizona Cardinals are no strangers to draft day trades under general manager Monti Ossenfort, and 2026 once again is lining up to give the Cardinals ample opportunity to facilitate a deal.

Sitting with the third overall pick, the Cardinals are sure to have multiple suitors interested in potentially wheeling-and-dealing. Yet Ossenfort and the rest of his staff will have to weigh the various price tags and cost of doing business.

Arizona could drop down from anywhere from the fifth overall pick to No. 12 — or deeper. However, ESPN's Bill Barnwell suggested a mock trade with the Washington Commanders (picking No. 7) that could provide an ideal landing spot for the Cardinals in terms of talent available.

In the trade, Arizona moves down four spots with Washington for an extra second-round pick. Barnwell suggests it's a move that could be beneficial for both sides:

"The Commanders can't count on Love falling to them at No. 7. Moving up would cost Washington a second-round pick in what should be a much deeper draft in 2027, but it would land the team the best possible guy for Daniels right now. Arizona, meanwhile, would land potential ammunition for its push toward a quarterback in 2027 and fall into position to take a right tackle."

This would seem to be a sweet spot for the Cardinals, who have a number of players they could realistically take with their first-round pick.

All of Francis Mauigoa, Spencer Fano, Rueben Bain, David Bailey or Arvell Reese should be near the top of Arizona's board in some order. Mauigoa/Fano would start at right tackle immediately for the Cardinals while any of Bain, Bailey or Reese would give a boost to the Cardinals' pass rush.

Just based off the numbers game, one of the aforementioned players will be available for the Cardinals at No. 7. If Arizona's not sold on the last remaining player, Jeremiyah Love, Caleb Downs, Sonny Styles could also make sense for the Cardinals while a pair of receivers in Carnell Tate and Makai Lemon are also expected to go early, too.

Many want the Cardinals to stick and pick at No. 3. Given where the roster is at and the talent available, that's a fair train of thought. However, Arizona is a realistic candidate to trade down, and that seventh pick Washington currently has could very well be a place for the Cardinals to target.