ARIZONA CARDINALS

Rapoport: Undecided Cardinals could draft Kyler Murray, keep Josh Rosen

Apr 3, 2019, 12:48 PM
(Getty Images)...
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

Josh Rosen or Kyler Murray?

That question has been on the minds of Cardinals fans since it was announced the team would be picking first in the 2019 NFL Draft.

But what if Arizona ended up keeping both? At least at first?

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the idea of having both quarterbacks on the roster isn’t as far-fetched as it sounds.

“[The Cardinals] could in fact keep both quarterbacks until they decide not to,” Rapoport said Wednesday. “They’re not going to give Josh Rosen away. When they’ve compared Rosen to the other quarterbacks in this draft, besides Kyler Murray, they think Rosen’s better anyway.

“This is a guy who they really, really like so it is going to take a very good offer for them to trade Rosen if that is the direction they decide to go in, which of course they haven’t decided yet.”

While it isn’t set in stone as to what the Cardinals will do come draft day — the team has a two-day meeting set up with potential No. 1 pick Nick Bosa and spoke with him at the combine — keeping both quarterbacks could give Arizona a better look at both players in Kingsbury’s system.

And although the Cardinals have a conditioning program set for Monday, Rapoport doesn’t believe the Cardinals are in a rush to choose their franchise QB.

“There’s a couple things that I am told,” Rapoport said. “First of all, next week’s offseason conditioning program is not an actual deadline.

“They do not feel they need to trade Josh Rosen by then or else. It’s not being treated like anything. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if next week came and went and nothing really happened.”

Rapoport isn’t the only person on record saying the team could potentially keep both if given the opportunity.

Pro Football Focus compiled a list of every NFL team’s greatest needs and offered up the idea of rostering both quarterbacks as well, letting the duo battle it out in camp to decide the starter.

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