Justin Pugh Unveils Prediction for Cardinals' First-Round Pick

Arizona Cardinals (and pending free agent) OL Justin Pugh has a feeling on what the team will do with the No. 3 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

PHOENIX -- It's Super Bowl week here in the Valley, and although the Arizona Cardinals aren't the third consecutive team to participate in the big game in their own stadium, fans and players alike look ahead to potentially finding themselves in contention sooner rather than later. 

The Cardinals currently own the No. 3 pick and have a few different avenues in what they could do at the top of the 2023 NFL Draft. 

Pending free agent Justin Pugh knows what the team should do. 

“My philosophy is build through the D-line,” Pugh said via Arizona Sports' Tyler Drake on Tuesday. 

“I think we either trade back and get more picks or take [Alabama’s Will Anderson Jr.] or [Georgia’s Jalen Carter]. I love Jalen Carter from Georgia. Getting a disruptive guy from the inside position is unbelievably important. You look at Aaron Donald and the disruption he’s created.

“We have to have a complement in the trenches that goes out there against other NFC West teams. You look at San Francisco, you look at L.A., you look at Seattle, they’ve won through building their defensive line and offensive line, so that’s where we got to start.”

In Week 6 of the 2022 season, Pugh suffered a torn ACL and was out the rest of the way after being placed on injured reserve. The interior offensive lineman contemplated retirement prior to the year before giving it another go.

Pugh again looks to play in 2023, whether that's here in Arizona or elsewhere.

“I’m a free agent this year,” said Pugh. “Really waiting to see who the head coach is, sitting down with the team and figuring out what my future holds.

“Obviously, I have the knee injury that I’m coming back from. That’s really going to dictate when I’m going to get back on the field. And in terms of retirement … you never know when you’re done. … I’m looking for the right situation. I want to be a part of a winning team, I’m not looking to be a part of a rebuild.”

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