Big Red
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- Mar 16, 2019
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General Manager Steve Keim did an impressive job filling needs to begin the league year, as there are no longer any glaring holes in the starting lineup. He will aim to supplement the roster in the draft, beginning with the No. 8 overall selection. The Cardinals are without their second-rounder because of the DeAndre Hopkins trade, but did pick up an additional fourth in the deal. We will break down each position group heading into the draft, which will be held April 23-25.
Draft primer: Tight End
More draft primers: OL I DL I WR I CB
Need: Medium
The Cardinals' situation: There were no additions in the early portion of free agency, which means Maxx Williams and Dan Arnold are projected to be the top two tight ends on the roster. Williams is a nice combination of a blocker and receiving threat, while Arnold, a midseason addition, quickly developed chemistry with quarterback Kyler Murray and will aim to build on that in 2020. Darrell Daniels is a depth piece who is solid on special teams, but the Cardinals will need to add more numbers to the position.
The draft class: There aren't many high-end tight end options in the draft. Notre Dame's Cole Kmet is projected to be the first one taken, but not until the second round. Dayton's Adam Trautman, Washington's Hunter Bryant and Purdue's Brycen Hopkins could also be selected on the second day.
The conclusion: It's still unclear if coach Kliff Kingsbury will lean on tight ends as heavily as he did in 2019, or if his preference is to use more wide receivers now that the group has been upgraded. Either way, it would not be a surprise to see the Cardinals draft a tight end at some point, although the later rounds seem to be more realistic than early on, based on their needs and the relative weakness of the class.
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