Cardinals trade No. 3 NFL Draft pick to Texans, who pick Will Anderson

The Arizona Cardinals have dealt the third and No. 105 overall pick in the NFL Draft to the Houston Texans, who selected Will Anderson out of Alabama.

In return, the Texans sent the No. 12 and No. 33 overall picks, as well as a first- and third-rounder in the 2024 draft to Arizona.

The Cardinals then traded back up to No. 6 to select Ohio State OL Paris Johnson. Arizona sent the No. 12, No. 34 and No. 168 picks to the Detroit Lions in exchange for the No. 6 and No. 81 selections.

Just before the draft began, the Cardinals and Eagles settled a tampering investigation on Thursday involving the recruitment of former Philadelphia defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon as Arizona’s new head coach, the teams announced.

With the trades, Arizona now has a total of seven draft picks at their disposal in 2023.

Cardinals 2023 NFL Draft picks

First round:

– No. 6: OT Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State

Second round:

– No. 33

Third round:

– No. 81

– No. 94

– No. 96 (compensatory)

Sixth round:

– No. 180
– No. 213 (compensatory)

Cardinals reportedly discussed the No. 3 overall pick in the NFL Draft with “at least six teams,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on April 10.

ESPN’s Dianna Russini reported Thursday morning new general manager Monti Ossenfort was mulling trade offers.

Ossenfort has been open about keeping the team’s options open.

Two quarterback-needy teams sat ahead of the Cardinals in the draft order, with the Carolina Panthers picking Alabama QB Bryce Young No. 1 overall and the Houston Texans selecting Ohio State signal caller C.J. Stroud second overall.

Behind the Indianapolis Colts — who took Florida QB Anthony Richardson at No. 4 overall — are several other teams who could use a young quarterback sooner or later: the Seattle Seahawks (No. 5), Detroit Lions (6th) Las Vegas Raiders (7th), Atlanta Falcons (8th) and Tennessee Titans (11th).

Kentucky’s Will Levis is the last available signal caller viewed as a potential top-10 pick.

It marks the second first-round trade the Cardinals have executed in the last two years and the first by Ossenfort in his new role.

During the first round in 2022, Arizona and former GM Steve Keim surprised many with the acquisition of former Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Hollywood Brown and the 100th overall pick in exchange for the No. 23 pick.

And although Brown dealt with injury issues last season, he still paced the team in catches (67) and was second in receiving yards (709) and touchdowns (three) across 12 games played.

The 100th overall pick was later used on former Cincinnati Bearcats outside linebacker Myjai Sanders, who recorded three sacks and three tackles for losses in 13 games (four starts) his rookie year. Sanders is among the names vying for extended reps at outside linebacker this season.

Arizona has been a known mover when it comes to the NFL Draft, having made deals in eight of the last 10 drafts under Keim, who resigned from his role this offseason.

The Cardinals have a number of areas to fill on both sides of the football, most notably on both sides of the line of scrimmage.

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