The Cardinals' history can be traced all the way back to 1898 but they didn't officially become the Arizona Cardinals until 1988. Even though their history is short in Arizona, they have had some draft busts that have stood out over the years. Let's break down the five biggest NFL draft busts in Cardinals history.
5. Tony Jeffery, 1988, Round 2, Pick 38
Tony Jeffery was selected in the second round of the 1988 draft. There was hope he could be a long-term option for the team out of the backfield but that never happened. He ended up playing only three games, running the ball three times for only eight yards.
He later tried to catch on with the New Jersey Knights of the World League of American Football, but it never worked out there, either. If Jeffery would have been selected higher, he would have ended up higher on this list.
4. Tony Sacca, 1992, Round 2, Pick 46
Tony Sacca was selected in the second round of the 1992 draft with the hopes that he could be the team's new franchise quarterback. He didn't last long in the NFL, and never got another shot after his two years with the Cardinals.
In 1992, he played only two games, throwing 11 pass attempts and completing only four of them. He didn't throw any touchdowns and had two interceptions. He was on the roster for the 1993 season but he never made it on the field.
Sacca was later released and never made a return to the NFL. Sacca wasn't as highly touted as another bust quarterback on this list, but when a first- or second-round pick is used on a player they are expected to be big contributors.
3. Andre Wadsworth, 1998, Round 1, Pick 3
Defensive end Andre Wadsworth was brought in to be a problem for offensive lines, and proved to be anything but. He got off on the wrong foot with the fans after holding out for a larger contract, and when he did finally join the team it was nothing but disappointment.
His first season he did rack up five sacks, but it was downhill after that. He dealt with knee injuries during his time with the Cardinals, and after three seasons they released him.
The Jets later signed him to a one-year contract, but released him in September of the same year.
2. Levi Brown, 2007, Round 1, Pick 5
Levi Brown was a standout offensive lineman at Penn State but that didn't translate to the NFL. The Cardinals gave him every chance to succeed, but it never worked out. From 2007 through 2013, Brown gave up 55 sacks and 302 pressures, which is terrible for any offensive lineman, but especially for a lineman selected fifth overall.
In October of 2013, Brown was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he didn't last long there and was released less than a year later.
1. Matt Leinart, 2006, Round 1, Pick 10
It was a bad couple of years for the Cardinals with their first-round draft picks. Matt Leinart was a standout in college leading the USC Trojans to the National Championship along with winning the Heisman trophy. Leinart ended up spending four years with the Cardinals after being selected 10th overall, but the stats didn't match up with his potential.
As a rookie, he started 11 games, but after that, he didn't get much run. The next three seasons with the Cardinals he only started six games total. In 2010, Leinart was released after a bad preseason. He signed with the Houston Texans but only ended up starting one game with them.
He bounced around after joining the Oakland Raiders and Buffalo Bills, but he never became the top-tier quarterback everyone expected. During his career, he threw 15 touchdowns and 21 interceptions.
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