Pre-draft press conferences are like kid games, a combination of dodge ball and hide-and-seek. The truth is nearly impossible to find.
Nevertheless, the Cardinals dropped a few significant clues on Thursday. And if you like the idea of trading down from the No. 3 overall pick to accrue more draft capital and select a top-tier offensive lineman, followed by trading back into the first round to select Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, you came away very encouraged.
The clues:
Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort said his staff “certainly did our share of evaluation on the quarterbacks in this year’s draft.” He minimized the concerns regarding quarterbacks with very little collegiate experience, which is the biggest red flag attached to Simpson, a player who only started 15 games at Alabama over the span of four years.
As for what he wants most when drafting college QBs?
“For me, accuracy and decision making,” Ossenfort said. “Those are always at the forefront.”
Those characteristics rank among Simpson’s best qualities.
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Even more intriguing, Ossenfort was noncommittal about the team’s No. 1 quarterback at the moment, even though Jacoby Brissett unlocked key elements of the Cardinals offense with his ability to stand and deliver from the pocket; did so without a running game and a compromised offensive line; and reportedly earned the respect and support of all his teammates in the locker room.
The disrespect is a bit curious, and you would think Brissett would be declared the starter under any circumstances.
When asked if Ossenfort was comfortable with the tandem of Brissett and Gardner Minshew in 2026, he said:
“Yeah. I mean, I think that’s where we are right now, and I think that with every position that we have, we’re going to look to add competition.
And a few seconds later:
“That’s where we are right now. Is that how it looks going into training camp? I don’t know. We’ll see.”
If the Cardinals plan on selecting Simpson, they must spend draft capital to move up from their 34th pick in the second round. Which means their No. 3 overall pick is most certainly up for sale, likely for a team that wants to jump in front of the Tennessee Titans for running back Jeremiyah Love.
On Thursday, the offensive-minded Mike LaFleur perked up noticeably when asked what he felt about drafting running backs, hinting great affinity for the Notre Dame star. Smokescreens are everywhere this time of year.
Interestingly, Ossenfort also said he loves the additional pressure of no longer having 10 minutes in between draft picks during the first round. The NFL changed the allotted time to eight minutes between picks, and Ossenfort said he wished it were even fewer.
That’s the sound of a confident man. And he better be if he’s going to pull of this kind of wheeling and dealing when the NFL Draft commences next Thursday in Pittsburgh.
I very much like the idea of drafting Simpson, even though I’m skeptical of his size and inexperience. Simpson would give Cardinals fans a much-needed lottery ticket, a touchstone of hope with a skillset that seems perfectly suited for LaFleur’s incoming offense.
It’s also a lot better than waiting until 2027 to draft a quarterback, which would fill the upcoming season with turmoil and conflict, where every victory takes us further from our next franchise quarterback. That’s no way to spend a football season.
Reach Bickley at [email protected]. Listen to Bickley & Marotta weekdays from 6 a.m. – 10 a.m. on 98.7 and the Arizona Sports app.
Follow @danbickley
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