Cardinals could trade down or up in NFL Draft if opportunity arises

As the Arizona Cardinals work out their decisions for the NFL Draft, they’re keeping an open mind about what moves they would consider making.

“To be able to pick up another pick, as long as it meets requirement on the trade chart and you feel like you’re getting better as an organization, I’m always up for making that trade,” Arizona Cardinals general manager Steve Keim told reporters over Zoom on Wednesday.

Right now, the team is slated to select No. 8 in the draft.

Multiple mock drafts see the Cardinals selecting an offensive tackle like Tristan Wirfs from Iowa or Jedrick Wills from Alabama.

“There are certainly opportunities that we’ll look at if they present themselves and trading back is one of them,” Keim said.

Trading down isn’t the only option that they’d consider.

“We’ve even had some conversations about trading up if the opportunity presented itself and a player we coveted was there at that spot,” Keim said. “Again, we’ll take everything into account and make the best decision for this organization on draft day.”

Earlier mock drafts pointed to the Cardinals going after a wide receiver like Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb.

Then, the Cardinals appeared to have filled that need when they traded running back David Johnson to the Houston Texans in exchange for wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Keim, as a GM might do to keep his cards close to the vest, said that didn’t change Arizona’s approach to the draft.

All positions are up for upgrades.

“If there’s a player that we covet and it’s at the right spot and somebody that we’re high on, we’ll certainly take advantage of that,” Keim said. “I say this every year, your needs are always changing.

“Just because it looks like on the surface that we’re not as needy at wide receiver, that could change pretty quickly.”

Follow @AZSports