Texans May Not Take QB, and Cardinals Could Cash Out in Major Way

The Houston Texans may not take a quarterback with the No. 2 pick, and the Arizona Cardinals could be big winners.

The Arizona Cardinals - like many others near the top of the 2023 NFL Draft - are working under assumptions. 

As the old saying goes, however: You know what happens when you assume. 

The first few picks of the draft figure to be quarterbacks, as C.J. Stroud, Bryce Young, Anthony Richardson and Will Levis figure to go in some order rather quickly. 

The Carolina Panthers are all but set to take one of those passers, while many expect the Houston Texans to take the second best option out of the group. 

In most scenarios, Young/Stroud go in some order ahead of Arizona's pick at No. 3, offering them the opportunity to either take Alabama edge rusher Will Anderson or cash out on a quarterback-needy team after them. 

However, one league personnel man told Football Morning in America's Peter King that it wouldn't be a surprise to see Houston pass on a quarterback, especially if it's not the one they want.  

“It’s a stretch, but I could see Nick [Caserio] taking Anderson, then using his second [first-round pick] and trading back up to get his quarterback,” the report on NBC said. 

King added his own insight by saying:

"But in the last few days, I’ve heard this about Houston GM Nick Caserio: Very conservative. If he doesn’t love a quarterback at two, he’s not going to force it. He’d rather take this year’s sure edge thing, Anderson, the way Detroit took Aidan Hutchinson with the second pick last year. Detroit got rewarded handsomely with a great rookie year from Hutchinson."

So, there's a chance the Texans may pass on a quarterback. What's that mean for the Cardinals?

Texans May Not Take QB, and Cardinals Could Cash Out in Major Way

The price to move up to the third pick was already costly. After all, Arizona holds the keys to your next potential franchise quarterback - and they know it. The price tag is significant with Richardson at the helm, but with Young... things get different. 

Stroud and Young are widely believed to be in their own tier as 1A and 1B depending on your preference. Richardson is just below that thanks to his natural tools and freakish athleticism for the position. 

Teams who may not be willing to budge on a certain price to move up for Richardson may jump at the opportunity to snag Young at any cost. The chance to draft Young may also potentially entice a stronger pool of teams. 

There's certainly suitors for the No. 3 pick, too. Teams such as the Indianapolis Colts, Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions, Las Vegas Raiders and Atlanta Falcons are all doing work on quarterbacks ahead of the draft. There's recent reports that suggest the Cardinals could do a deal with the Tennessee Titans, who sit at pick No. 11. 

Arizona could grab some serious, serious trade packages if Young is still there for the taking.