Re-Drafting the Arizona Cardinals' 2022 Draft

The Arizona Cardinals 2022 NFL Draft was underwhelming, but what could the team have done instead if they had a redo?

Over the last several years, former general manager Steve Keim butchered many drafts for the Arizona Cardinals and it placed them significantly behind the 8-ball throughout his tenure. Now Keim is gone and new general manager Monti Ossenfort will be tasked with rebuilding this team.

Still, one has to wonder "what if Keim was a good drafter?" Well, thanks to hindsight and even just a little bit of common sense, we can go through his ten years worth of NFL Drafts and redo them to make up for his misses.

Today, we start with last year's draft, which for all accounts and purposes was a disaster for Keim and epitomized his lack of prowess in the NFL Draft.

Keep in mind not every pick will be a Pro Bowler and these picks need to be reasonable. You won't see me peg an elite player like Tariq Woolen t the Cardinals in round two since Woolen was a fifth-round project. We need to be somewhat realistic and understanding of the situation.

Also, I am redrafting as if I had all the draft picks from last year. Therefore, Marquise Brown will still be a Cardinal and the team's first-round pick will still belong to the Baltimore Ravens. But for what it's worth, if they kept that pick, I would've given them Tyler Linderbaum.

With that in mind, let's go ahead and get started!

Round 2

Pick 55: Trey McBride, Tight End

The return on investment for McBride was to be put on hold while the team developed him, but the Cardinals' hand was forced when Zach Ertz went down with a knee injury and thrust McBride in as a starter. The results were varied with his 29 catches, 265 yards season with just a single touchdown. Here's hoping he takes strides forward in year two because this pick doesn't look great.

Redo pick: Sam Williams, Edge, Dallas Cowboys (originally pick 56)

Williams was the very next selection after McBride and the Cowboys got better results from him in a similarly reduced role. Williams had the luxury of being developed behind guys like Micah Parsons, Demarcus Lawrence, and Dante Fowler, but he still posted 22 tackles, four sacks, and three fumble recoveries. We all know the Cardinals desperately needed pass-rushing help last season and Williams could've been a starter.

Round 3

Pick 87: Cameron Thomas, Edge

Thomas put together a solid season as a rotational piece, tallying 18 tackles and three sacks. Obviously, the Cardinals would've liked to have seen more, but there is hope that he can continue to contribute in a larger role moving forward.

Redo pick: Dylan Parham, offensive line, Las Vegas Raiders (originally pick 90)

It's no secret that the Cardinals' offensive line was atrocious in 2022 and injuries and poor play were the culprits. Parham started all 17 games for the Raiders and was one of the few bright spots on an underwhelming offensive line. Parham's presence was greatly needed for the 2022 Cardinals.

Pick 100: Myjai Sanders, Edge

Similarly to Thomas, Sanders was placed in a rotational role and recorded 23 tackles and three sacks. Sanders was seen as much more of a project than Thomas was and with a considerably higher upside, so there will be expectations of significant growth over the next year.

Redo pick: Dameon Pierce, Running Back, Houston Texans (originally pick 107)

Pierce was playing at a Pro Bowl level prior to an ankle injury. In 13 games, Pierce ran for 939 yards and three touchdowns, as well as adding 30 receptions for 165 yards and one more score. Adding Pierce to the Cardinals would give them the depth at running back they lacked and an eventual successor for James Conner.

Round 6

Pick 201: Keaontay Ingram, Running Back

Echoing what I said about Pierce, the hope in drafting Ingram was to provide depth at the running back position and he didn't exactly provide that with just 60 rushing yards and a single touchdown on 27 carries. Ingram will not be a lock for the 2023 roster as it stands.

Redo pick: Derion Kendrick, Cornerback, Los Angeles Rams (originally pick 212)

Kendrick found himself a hefty role for the Rams in 2022 in spite of being a sixth-round pick and didn't look half-bad all things considered. The Cardinals needed defensive back depth all year long and Kendrick would've been a welcome addition.

Pick 215: Lecitus Smith, Offensive Line

Smith played 10 games and started two for the Cardinals in 2022 and was another body that got rotated into the lineup due to injury. He wasn't terrible, but he was what you'd expect out of a sixth-round pick.

Redo pick: James Houston, Edge, Detroit Lions (originally pick 217)

Houston was a lovely surprise for the Lions and hardly saw any significant playing time all season. Even still, Houston tallied a whopping eight sacks and looks to be a key fixture in the Lions' pass rush moving forward. Like Williams earlier, the Cardinals could've used Houston's expertise at sacking the quarterback.

Round 7

Pick 244: Christian Matthew, Cornerback

Matthew got onto the field as a rookie in part to the several injuries in the secondary. He wasn't great, but he was serviceable; which is hard to find in round-seven...

Redo pick: Isiah Pacheco, Running Back, Kansas City Chiefs (originally pick 251)

... That being said, the Chiefs found their running back of the future within the final 11 picks of the 2022 NFL Draft. Pacheco took over for the vastly underachieving Clyde Edwards-Helaire and has powered the team's run game to a Super Bowl berth. I know I had the Cardinals draft Pierce earlier, but two dynamic, cheap running backs would allow the team to move on from Conner.

Pick 256: Jesse Luketa, Linebacker

Luketa barely appeared on the field and that is completely understandable given his draft selection. Not much else to say.

Redo pick: Brock Purdy, Quarterback, San Francisco 49ers (originally pick 262)

Mr. Irrelevant had the 49ers on the cusp of a Super Bowl before an untimely UCL injury. Purdy showed the stuff to be a potential starter in the NFL, but the Cardinals would've been happy to have a great backup who could've helped them win more games when Kyler Murray was out.

Pick 257: Marquis Hayes, Offensive Line

Hayes did not appear in any action for the Cardinals in 2022.

Redo pick: Reed Blankenship, Safety, Philadelphia Eagles (originally undrafted)

Rarely do undrafted rookies make impacts for Super Bowl contenders, but Blankenship found his way onto the field and made an impact when he was out there. He threw 34 tackles and an interception off Aaron Rodgers on the box score in year one and he could be in for a larger role for the Eagles in 2023 depending on contract situations.

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