The 2023 season has not been kind to the Arizona Cardinals. While a lot of that was by design (winning was not necessarily a priority for the Cardinals this season) and they entered this season knowing that Kyler Murray would not be fully healthy once the games started, no one likes to go 3-12. But it is always darkest before dawn, and the Cardinals could be the envy of the NFL in the offseason.
The Cardinals currently own two first-round picks (theirs and the Houston Texans') and three third-round picks (theirs, Houston's, and the Tennessee Titans'). They also have at least $56 million in cap space. There is a world where the Cardinals turn things around quickly. That shift will start with free agency, but primarily in the NFL Draft and especially with those two first-round picks. Two players the Cardinals could use those picks on, in particular, could really help Arizona make a move for the better in 2024.
Marvin Harrison Jr., Wide Receiver
The Cardinals currently hold the second overall pick in the 2024 draft, and the world is their oyster if they wind up with that pick. They could look to trade Kyler Murray for a package of even more picks and draft either Caleb Williams or Drake Maye with that pick. Or, they could keep Murray and give him more weapons to work with. If they go that route, what better weapon to give him than Marvin Harrison Jr.
Marvin Harrison Jr., or Maserati Marv, is one of the best wide receiver prospects to ever come out of college. Harrison Jr. had to wait for his turn in the Ohio State wide receiver factory, but once he got his shot, he played as well as any receiver to come from there in recent memory. In two seasons as a full-time player, Harrison Jr. has put up 144 receptions, 2,474 yards, and 28 touchdowns. Though he is 6-4 205 pounds, Harrison Jr. moves like a deer in the open field and is extremely dynamic with the ball in his hands.
Harrison is a jump ball master and a route running maestro. There really isn't anything he can't do. While Trey McBride has emerged late in his sophomore season, the Cardinals don't really have a great wide receiver to complement him. Marquise Brown is a good player but probably best served as a number two than a one, and he is a free agent who the Cardinals may not choose to retain. Marvin Harrison Jr. would instantly walk in the building and be the building block of the Cardinals' offense next to Kyler Murray. He would be a grand slam pick for the Cardinals.
Kool-Aid McKinstry, Cornerback
The Cardinals need wide receivers and they need help defending opposing wide receivers. The Cardinals have overtaken the Washington Commanders in ineptitude defensively, ranking as the league's worst team in EPA allowed per dropback. A big reason is their lack of depth at cornerback, where rookies like Kei'Trel Clark and Garrett Williams have been called upon to play a lot of reps.
This is where Kool-Aid McKinstry comes in. He might have growing pains of his own, but the Alabama corner has been stout all season long and could be the shutdown corner the Arizona defense desperately needs. Kool-Aid McKinstry still has a lot to improve upon, but he has all the tools and athleticism to do just that. He'd be a great selection for the Cardinals in the middle of the first round with that Houston pick.
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