Kyler’s Input on Draft Picks

For the past few seasons, Kyler Murray has let the Cardinals’ GM know what players he wants the team to draft.

Per whispers around the NFL:

In 2020 —- Kyler put in bids for WR CeeDee Lamb and T Tristan Wirfs

In 2021 —- Kyler put in bids for C Creed Humphrey and WR Rondale Moore

In 2022 —- Kyler put in a bid for C Tyler Linderbaum, but was happy to be reunited with his former teammate at Oklahoma Marquise “Hollywood” Brown

Today, Mark Garafolo tweeted:

Opinion:

I am somewhat ambivalent about Kyler involvement in which players the Cardinals select.

On the one hand, I have argued in the past that the Cardinals would have been wise to draft DeeDee Lamb and Creed Humphrey, which could have allowed them (without perhaps having to make the Hopkins and Hudson trades) to draft RB Jonathan Taylor at pick #41 (2020) and G Ben Cleveland or DT Alim MacNeill at pick #79 (2021).

After all, Kyler appears to be batting 1,000 when it comes to identifying top-tier NFL talents,

Paris Johnson Jr.(6-6, 313, Ohio St.) looks like a potential Pro Bowl LT. Lindy’s rates him at the #1 tackle prospect in this tackle rich draft and they comp him to 3-time Pro Bowl LT Laremy Tunsil (6-5, 318, Mississippi).

PFF has Johnson ranked #16, the #2 best OL in the draft behind Peter Skoronkski (ranked #5) —- and PFF’s comp Johnson to Saints’ All-Pro RT Ryan Ramczyk (6-6, 313).

I want to see Kyler be as invested in the team as possible. If that means adding players whom he thinks would make everyone’s jobs more easier, then maybe that could be a good approach.

On the other hand, imagine what it must be like for Kyler’s teammates at tackle (D.J. Humphries, Kelvin Beachum and Josh Jones) to hear of Kyler’s pitch to the front office for Paris Johnson Jr.

D.J, has been a fellow captain with Kyler for the past couple of years. Kelvin Beachum just signed a two year contract to stay in Arizona (and may be apt to think of this as Kyler’s retaliation for Beach’s public comments about Kyler’s need to mature as both a player and leader). Josh Jones started the last 9 games at LT and earned the highest PFF grade of any offensive player.

Fact is, the Cardinals’ tackles were the strength of the Cardinals’ offensive line and all three of them scored higher grades than Kyler in 2022:

• Jones (9 starts at LT): 75.8
• Humphries (8 starts at LT): 72.3
• Beachum (17 starts at RT): 70.6
• Kyler Murray (11 starts at QB): 67.1

Would be therefore be fair game if Humphries, Beachum and Jones to submit a bid for C.J,. Stroud?

With the chance that Kyler may not be able to play until the second half of the season or perhaps not at all this season, wouldn’t it seem wiser for the Cardinals to address their top need areas on the defensive line with this year’s 1st round pick?

One could make a cogent argument that the team’s needs are far more pressing at edge rusher, defensive tackle, cornerback, guard and center —- than at their highest graded position of offensive tackle.

Plus, this draft is deep at offensive tackle, while it is very thin along the defensive line.

One would imagine that Monti Ossenfort and Jonathan Gannon, who made the classy effort to be in Oklahoma this weekend to support Kyler at the Sooners’ unveiling of his Heisman statue, would want to accommodate Kyler’s wishes.

But, this puts them in the precarious position of having to cater to one player’s wishes, potentially at the expense of passing over the best defensive players at the top of the draft.

I think the solution moving forward is for the GMs and coaches to give Kyler some input of which players he would like the Cardinals to pursue in free agency, but when it comes to the draft, it would be best for the team and all of the players to let the scouts and the GMs do their jobs.

What do you think?