NFL teams
Josh Weinfuss, ESPN Staff Writer 6y

Could Cardinals trade into top five? It'll cost them

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Trading up, especially into the top five in this week's NFL draft, may be easier said than done for the Arizona Cardinals.

This year's quarterback class may make it enticing for Arizona to inquire about moving up the draft board Thursday, but finding a trading partner among the four teams in the top five could be a challenge. Any move into the top five would take a hefty offer.

According to Jimmy Johnson's trade chart, the Cardinals' 15th pick is worth 1,050 points. The top five picks, respectively, are worth 3,000, 2,600, 2,200, 1,800 and 1,700 points. So based on the trade chart, the Cardinals have a better shot at trading for a pick at No. 4 or lower without having to mortgage their next few drafts -- and Cardinals general manager Steve Keim knows that a quarterback worthy of taking in the top five will require just that.

"If it's a dynamic player at that position that is a game-changer, they're not going to take anything short of the mortgage for the house, the farm and everything to come up," Keim said.

If the Cardinals tried to lure the Cleveland Browns into trading the No. 1 pick, they'd, in theory, have to trade a combination of this year's and next year's first- and second-round picks, at minimum, with the possibility of adding a third-round pick or later, as well.

The dealing, according to the trade chart, would get easier as the picks decreased, but in all likelihood, the Cardinals would have to give up at least one first-round and second-round pick.

So, would they find a trade partner? I asked Browns reporter Pat McManamon, New York Giants reporter Jordan Raanan, New York Jets reporter Rich Cimini and Denver Broncos reporter Jeff Legwold what it would take for their teams to trade with the Cardinals and if they would do it.

Here's what they said:

Cleveland Browns

What it would take: The top pick would take a ransom, starting with this year's first- and second-round picks and then adding next year's first- and second-round choices. Even that's just a start. The Rams traded two 1s, two 2s and two 3s for the first overall pick that became Jared Goff in 2016. Inflation probably has increased the price this year. When it comes to the fourth pick, the price is lower only by degrees. Last year, the Browns got Houston's first-round pick in 2017 and '18, which turned into the fourth overall pick.

Would the Browns make the trade: I don't see it happening. The Browns do not want to trade down. They've had a bad history in trading away from picks going all the way back to the draft they passed on receiver Julio Jones. Though John Dorsey has given every indication he'll listen, it's hard to see him making a move down when he has two premium picks. Arizona has the 15th overall, so perhaps the Cardinals could make the move with that pick and a couple of second-round choices, to start. But the Browns have three picks in the second round already, so I'm not sure what they'd gain by moving to 15 because they would lose a premier player, like defensive lineman Bradley Chubb of North Carolina State. Dorsey has made it clear he would listen to all trade offers. He said he's gotten some calls. But he hasn't made a deal. That tells me the price for these picks in this draft is pretty steep. I don't see the Browns doing it. -- McManamon

New York Giants

What would it take: A lot. The No. 2 pick is valuable. Look what the Browns got for it two years ago. The Eagles paid what turned out to be the No. 8 pick, a future first, a second and a third for the rights to draft Carson Wentz. It would take something similar to get the Giants out of No. 2 this year. They're intent on landing a "gold jacket" guy. Hard to do that outside the top 10.

Would the Giants make the trade: Probably not. Only if it were for a boatload. And only if the Giants were then able to parlay their newfound assets into a move back into the top 10, perhaps for a shot at Notre Dame offensive lineman Quenton Nelson. The Cardinals are really going to have to make it worth it for the Giants to even consider moving down. The 15th pick is likely too far. -- Raanan

New York Jets

What would it take: A miracle. Maybe they'd consider it if Kurt Warner came out of retirement, turned back the clock 10 years and demanded a trade to the Jets. Otherwise, there's nothing that could tempt the Jets to move back 12 spots.

Would the Jets make the trade: Determined to draft one of the top quarterbacks, the Jets traded three second-round picks to move up from No. 6 to No. 3, so they're not about to deal themselves out of that prime position. They must come out of this draft with a quarterback and they'd be taking a huge risk if they swap places with the Cards. -- Cimini

Denver Broncos

What would it take: Whenever John Elway says something like "I'm open to trading," he's really saying the numbers have to match up. In his tenure, the Broncos have made a trade or two during the draft weekend when the numbers on the various draft charts tilted slightly away from the Broncos, but Elway did it because it was to acquire a player the Broncos had rated more highly than the spot they were picking in at that moment. So, for the Broncos to move down from No. 5 to No. 15 would mean none of the players they would select at No. 5 are still on the board. The top eight or nine picks in this draft hold the highest value and for the Broncos to move out the player, or players, they wanted would have to be gone or the deal would have to be so good Elway couldn't pass it up.

Would the Broncos make the trade: Elway was asked Thursday what his criteria would be to either move up or move down and he offered this: "If we're going to move back, we've got to go back and look and say, ‘What do we think we're going to get if we move back.' We've got to go through every different scenario. If we move up, what is it going to cost us to move up and is it worth it to move up." So, it is strictly going to be a value judgment. Elway is willing to do most anything in free agency or by trade -- he's already traded a Pro Bowl cornerback in Aqib Talib and cut a 1,000-yard rusher in C.J. Anderson a week before the draft in this offseason alone -- so you can never rule anything out with him. But he also knows the Broncos need value picks who can contribute immediately for a team that was 5-11 last season. His chances are far better at No. 5, especially if a cluster of quarterbacks are selected among the top four picks because that would leave some of this draft's best players to choose from at No. 5. If Bradley Chubb, Denzel Ward and Saquon Barkley, as well as quarterback Baker Mayfield are all off the board by the time he's on the clock at No. 5, he'll take a look at a move down. If one or more of those players are still available, think the chances they'd deal diminish greatly. -- Legwold

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