ESPN: Cards’ ‘dream scenario’ is finding quarterback of the future

With Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer entering his 14th season in the NFL at 37 years old, many around the Cardinals’ organization have alluded to finding a potential successor sooner rather than later.

That’s why ESPN writer Dan Graziano believes Arizona’s “dream scenario” for the first round of Thursday’s NFL Draft would be to find a quarterback of the future.

Arizona probably would have taken Paxton Lynch in the first round last year if he’d fallen to them, and they’re in position this year to find a guy they like and can groom behind Carson Palmer for a year or two. Let’s say it’s Patrick Mahomes — a project quarterback who’s going to need time before he’s ready. The Cardinals believe they have that time and need someone to follow Palmer whenever he’s done. The second key part of the Cardinals’ dream is that Palmer stays healthy and has one more really big year left in him. But that feels like the part of the dream that you’re just about to get to when you wake up to use the bathroom, and then by the time you get back to bed you can’t remember what you were dreaming about even though you know it was good and you were desperate to find out what was about to happen next. Hate that.

The Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, Houston Texans and Pittsburgh Steelers’ dream scenarios also involve taking a quarterback in the first round.

Arizona thus far has held private workouts or visits with North Carolina’s Mitchell Trubisky, Clemson’s Deshaun Watson, Texas Tech’s Mahomes, Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer and California’s Davis Webb.

This could be the list head coach Bruce Arians was referring to when when he said there were “maybe five or six” potential starting quarterbacks in this draft class.

Mahomes leads all prospects with 11 of the 50 mock drafts tracked by Arizona Sports since April 1 having the Red Raider going to the Cardinals in the first round. Watson comes in tied for second with eight selections, while Kizer has three and Trubisky has two.

The raw athlete from Texas Tech was described by ESPN’s Mel Kiper as “really the hot guy right now” earlier this week. He led the country in passing yards last season with 5,052 in the Red Raiders’ wide-open offense and accounted for 53 total touchdowns.

Of course, the Cardinals still have potential needs at a litany of other positions, including wide receiver, linebacker and cornerback, and Arizona vice president of player personnel Terry McDonough recently advised against believing spring draft talk, but a quarterback may be tough to pass up if the team finds one it loves.