ARIZONA CARDINALS

Quick thoughts on Cardinals drafting Jonathan Cooper

Apr 26, 2013, 4:48 PM | Updated: 6:36 pm

With a chance to sleep on it, here are three quick thoughts about the Cardinals selection of Jonathan Cooper and what the future holds on Friday:

• Coach Bruce Arians made it pretty clear Cooper was a starter. Refreshing. One of my major pet peeves (and you know I’m not alone of this one) of the Ken Whisenhunt era was his reluctance to acknowledge that an incoming rookie might be a better football player than the one already on the roster. Competition is a great motivator and I understand the concept of making a guy earn it. But if you’re worried about a player feeling entitled to a spot just because he was drafted, then you probably drafted the wrong player in the first place.

• Watching Miami give up their second round pick (42) to Oakland to move up from #12 to #3, the natural thought is to wonder why the Cardinals didn’t do the same thing to go get their tackle. Then you wake up this morning and see the wealth of options available at #38 and you’re thrilled (at least I was) that they stayed put. On a team with as many holes as the Cardinals, trading two starters for one just wasn’t the right play. The Cards didn’t have a second rounder last year and it hurt.

• Speaking of today, it’s difficult to predict what the Cardinals will do today. It’s like an M. Night Shyamalan movie. You know the surprise is coming; now you’re just trying to figure out what it is. I’d be surprised, and disappointed, if it’s a QB.

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Quick thoughts on Cardinals drafting Jonathan Cooper