The Arizona Cardinals were one of the biggest winners of the NFL free agency period a few weeks back, as they acquired one of the best wide receivers in the NFL in DeAndre Hopkins via a highway robbery trade with the Houston Texans.
Adding Hopkins, along with signing a few underrated defenders in linebacker Devon Kennard and defensive tackle Jordan Phillips, should help the Cardinals win a few more games in 2020, especially as quarterback Kyler Murray continues to develop.
When looking into the wide receiver room of the Cardinals, Hopkins is obviously a great No. 1 receiving option, and Christian Kirk is an above-average slot receiver, but they will need to replace an aging Cardinals icon in Larry Fitzgerald sooner rather than later.
It's no secret who Kyler Murray wants Fitzgerald's replacement to be, as Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported that Murray wants to reconnect with his former college teammate in CeeDee Lamb:
“It’s a relationship business, and there are rumblings that Kyler Murray has given the Arizona brass a glowing review of his former teammate Lamb. Would the Cardinals take one, given that they have DeAndre Hopkins, Larry Fitzgerald, and Christian Kirk on their roster, and drafted three of them last year? I’m skeptical, particularly with how nicely a big-time right tackle like Wills would fit the bill. But it’s worth keeping an eye on anyway.”
While Breer thinks the Cardinals should revamp the offensive line, the opportunity to draft CeeDee Lamb as one of the final pieces in head coach Kliff Kingsbury's Air Raid offense may be one that's too good to pass up.
Lamb is a perfect complimentary piece to Hopkins, as his elite ability to change speeds, make big plays and rack up yards after the catch works perfectly with Hopkins' abilities as a possession receiver.
Hopefully, Lamb has a large trophy case in his new house upon being drafted, cause he'll need a place to display his most recent honors as first-team Associated Press All-American, Biletnikoff Award finalist, and first-team All-Big 12 honors.
What's impressive about Lamb's final season is that even with an inferior quarterback to Baker Mayfield and Murray in Jalen Hurts, he was able to rack up his best statistical season, leading the Sooners with 62 receptions for 1,327 yards (21.4 per catch, which tops in the FBS among those with 40+ receptions) and 14 touchdowns in 13 starts.
Arizona is also an ideal place for Lamb to grow as an NFL wide receiver, as he has two high character mentors in Fitzgerald and Hopkins, as well as a quarterback in Murray who has already established chemistry in.
While this draft is filled with talented pass catchers who Arizona could wait on drafting until the second or third round, Lamb and the Cardinals seem like a match made in heaven.
A passing offense with Hopkins, Fitzgerald, Lamb and Kirk as the top-four options gives the Cardinals one of the best receiving corps in the NFL, which should help Murray's development.
Combine that with an improved defense, and it's not crazy to call the Cardinals legitimate contenders for the playoffs.
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