One Trade the Cardinals Should Still Be Pushing After the Draft

The Arizona Cardinals are mostly done adding talent to their roster over the coming months ahead of training camp, though there's still a few different avenues the team can take.

We previously covered a handful of free agents the Cardinals could sign (especially since they won't factor into the comp pick formula, as Arizona found out with Calais Campbell), but what about the trade market?

Being completely honest, it's fairly dry in terms of targets and names that could make sense for Arizona, though one player does stand out above the rest.

Kayvon Thibodeaux is Cardinals Trade Option They Should Explore

The Cardinals need some pass rush juice in their outside linebacker's room. Josh Sweat led the team with 12 sacks last season and the other four names of BJ Ojulari, Baron Browning, Zaven Collins and Jordan Burch combined for 5.5 sacks last year.

That's not close to satisfactory.

Thibodeaux, the former No. 5 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, hasn't quite lived up to the billing of a top pick besides a 11.5 sack sophomore campaign. He also went on season-ending IR with a shoulder injury last year in December.

That, in theory, could make him a buy-low candidate from the Giants. What exactly his trade value is remains to be seen, though there's been a few different price tags floated around, mainly in the realm of a conditional third or fourth-round pick.

Thibodeaux is entering the final year of his rookie contract with a $14.7 million salary cap hit. Arizona would be expected to extend him if they trade for his services, but cap space isn't a problem for the Cardinals in the foreseeable future.

Their ability to reach the passer is, however. Arizona balked at upgrading the room in either free agency or the draft. While the Cardinals appear intent on the development of everybody in the room, that's often a recipe for failure — especially with returning defensive coordinator Nick Rallis in the picture.

The Cardinals need somebody who is capable of impacting the quarterback. Thibodeaux's resume blows any of the other names (barring Sweat, obviously) out of the water and could be well worth the investment, which wouldn't seem to be eye-opening.

He just turned 25 and a fresh start could very well do him good, as we've seen numerous pass rushers simply need a change of scenery to kickstart their careers.

Thibodeaux could make a lot of sense in Arizona if the Cardinals are eying the trade market.

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