Odegard: Cardinals Should Jump on a Trade Down With the Titans

On a recent Move the Sticks podcast, NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah spoke about the Titans’ potential interest in moving up to third overall in the draft to nab a quarterback.

If it’s legitimate, Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort should start calling anyone and everyone he knows with his former team, because a trade with Tennessee would be a slam dunk.

Here are the three reasons why a trade down to No. 11 would benefit the Cardinals so much.

1. The Deal Would Net the Titans’ First-Round Pick in 2024

The trade du jour among Cardinals fans is a deal with the Colts, who sit at No. 4. It would be welcomed because it would add draft capital while also bringing star edge rusher Will Anderson to Arizona.

And while it would certainly be nice to add a pick and get your preferred target near the top of the draft, I’m not convinced Indianapolis would give up next year’s first-rounder in such a scenario.

The Titans, though, would definitely include their 2024 first-round pick in a trade package, and oh, what a pick it could be.

Tennessee has shed many standout veterans this offseason, as new GM Ran Carthon seems keen on rebuilding.

The #Titans already released LT Taylor Lewan, WR Robert Woods, LB Zach Cunningham, Kicker Randy Bullock, Center Ben Jones and will be cutting Bud Dupree in the coming days.

New GM Ran Carthon is changing the team. Will Ryan Tannehill be next?

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) March 10, 2023

Quarterback Ryan Tannehill and running back Derrick Henry remain on the roster, and if they are around in 2023, the Titans should be able to win a handful of games.

However, trade speculation has swirled around both of them all offseason, and if Tennessee pushes toward a total reset by trading them for draft picks, the Titans could be among the worst teams in the NFL next season.

Arizona is already projected to have the fewest wins in the NFL in 2023, and having the Titans’ pick could set up the distinct reality of two top-5 selections in the 2024 draft.

If either of those picks land at No. 1, the Cardinals would be primed to trade down for a boatload of capital from the Caleb Williams sweepstakes. 

If the Cardinals finished with the Nos. 1 and 2 picks? Ossenfort would never have to buy a drink in Arizona again.

2. The No. 11 Pick isn’t Much Different From No. 7 or 8

If the Cardinals trade down to 4, it will be with the game-plan of adding Anderson to the team.

But it takes two to tango, and if Indy is convinced that Anthony Richardson and Will Levis have similar upside as prospects, they might not be willing to make a deal.

Anthony Richardson is the new favorite to be the No. 3 overall pick in the draft, which would mean a trade down for the Cardinals.

Check out the odds: https://t.co/IuB0Io2AAt

— Kyle Odegard (@Kyle_Odegard) March 29, 2023

If that’s the case, the Raiders at No. 7 and the Falcons at No. 8 could be the most logical trade partners.

But the further a team trades down, the more draft capital it will acquire. And since the Titans are sitting outside the top-10, they know there must be a level of aggression in getting all the way up to No. 3.

Arizona would prefer to pick at 7 than 11, of course, but history has shown it’s really not that big of a drop-off in terms of expected value from a draft pick. Draft trade charts prioritize the top overall selection and give a nod to the top-5, but after that the value of one pick compared to the next is not dramatic.

The Cardinals have a bunch of needs and thus can go a number of different ways with their first-round pick. Chances are, someone that grades out in their top-7 will be available at 11 anyway.

3. Will Anderson May Not be A Generational Pass-Rushing Prospect

The floor on Anderson seems outrageously high. He is a premier pass-rusher, great against the run, has a non-stop motor and high character.

There are worse things in the world than penciling in a Pro Bowl-level player who will get you 10-to-12 sacks a year into the lineup.

My question: Does Anderson have the natural bend on the edge to be a 15-, 18- or 20-sack guy during his prime?

Elite edge guys like Von Miller, Nick Bosa and Micah Parsons relentlessly pressure quarterbacks because offensive tackles can’t handle their athleticism in space.

Anderson has at least 80% of their physical prowess and is going to be a problem in the NFL for years because of it. But someone like Miller has a freaky ability to slide past pass protectors and explode toward a quarterback.

Anderson isn’t huge, so that bend is something he must duplicate to truly become an All-Pro talent.

This is a very nitpicky paragraph in general, and drafting Anderson feels like one of the safest bets the Cardinals can make, because he is going to be a very good player at an elite position for a long time.

But Arizona needs a lot of help, and a trade down with the Titans could get them, say, a highly-rated cornerback or a different prospect in the trenches, along with the type of draft capital that could help spark a turnaround in 2024.