With the first few waves of free agency in the rearview, the Cardinals are in the midst of their annual draft prep. GM Steve Keim will lay the groundwork to bring in a new class of rookies to supplement the roster already built and forge a direction upon which a few more free agents are likely to be signed.
Here is the first position group breakdown.
Draft primer: Wide Receiver
Players under contract: DeAndre Hopkins, Rondale Moore, Andy Isabella, Greg Dortch, Andre Baccellia, Antoine Wesley.
Need: High
The Cardinals' situation: It's no secret the Cardinals have work to do here. DeAndre Hopkins is locked in as the primary target and Rondale Moore should receive a larger role in Year two. Keim must find a complement for Hopkins on the outside and possibly a replacement inside for Christian Kirk. Antoine Wesley re-signed on Wednesday to provide depth at the position. Andy Isabella has an uncertain future in Arizona after the team gave him permission to seek a trade earlier this offseason.
The draft class: The 2022 draft will feature several high-rated receiver prospects, which is ideal news for the Cardinals, although at least four could go before the Cardinals pick. ESPN's draft expert Mel Kiper Jr projects USC's Drake London to the Jets at No.4, Ohio State's Garrett Wilson to the Falcons at No. 8, Ohio State's Chris Olave to the Eagles at No. 16, and Alabama's Jameson Williams to the Patriots at No. 21. That would leave Penn State's Jahan Dotson and Arkansas' Treylon Burks available for the Cardinals two picks later. Western Michigan's Skyy Moore, North Dakota State's Christian Watson and Cincinnati's Alec Pierce are among other wideouts expected to be top selections.
The conclusion: The Cardinals have a few elite targets for quarterback Kyler Murray, but not enough to produce an explosive offense similar to the start of last season. Kliff Kingsbury has acknowledged how much the passing game depends on Hopkins, after the wideout missed seven games with injuries. A.J. Green was solid in the secondary outside role but never appeared on the same page as Murray throughout the year. Green could still return in 2022. While Moore will see more targets, drafting an upcoming rookie to fill the depth chart becomes essential.
Images of the top wide receiver prospects heading into the draft.
Southern California wide receiver Drake London stands in the end zone after scoring a touchdown during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Washington State, Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021, in Pullman, Wash. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)
Ohio State receiver Garrett Wilson plays against Nebraska during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 24, 2020, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams (1) reacts after scoring a touchdown against Texas A&M during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Craft)
Ohio State receiver Chris Olave plays against Maryland during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Arkansas receiver Treylon Burks (16) makes a touchdown catch against Missouri during an NCAA college football game Friday, Nov. 26, 2021, in Fayetteville, Ark. (AP Photo/Michael Woods)
Western Michigan wide receiver Skyy Moore (19) participates in a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, March 3, 2022. (AP Photo/Steve Luciano)
Penn State's Jahan Dotson reacts after scoring a touchdown on a pass reception against Michigan State during an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021, in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)
Georgia receiver George Pickens (1) warms up against Arkansas during an NCAA college football game in Fayetteville, Ark. Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Woods)
South Alabama wide receiver Jalen Tolbert catches a pass during a drill at the NFL football scouting combine, Thursday, March 3, 2022, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Clemson wide receiver Justyn Ross (8) catches a pass during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Florida State, Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021, in Clemson, S.C. (AP Photo/Hakim Wright Sr.)
North Dakota State wide receiver Christian Watson (1) claps to the music played in the stadium during the second half of the FCS Championship NCAA college football game against Montana State, Saturday, Jan. 8, 2022, in Frisco, Texas. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
Cincinnati wide receiver Alec Pierce (12) catches a pass during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Tulsa, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
Boise State wide receiver Khalil Shakir (2) during the second half of an NCAA college football game against UTEP Friday, Sept. 10, 2021, in Boise, Idaho. (AP Photo/Steve Conner)
Alabama wide receiver John Metchie III (8) runs after catching a pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Florida, Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021, in Gainesville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
Memphis wide receiver Calvin Austin III in action against Temple during an NCAA football game on Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Jason E. Miczek)
Nevada wide receiver Romeo Doubs (7) warms up before his NCAA college football game against UNLV in Reno, Nev., Friday, Oct. 29, 2021. (AP Photo/Tom R. Smedes)
Kentucky wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson (1) runs to the sideline during a NCAA college football game against Chattanooga in Lexington, Ky., Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021. (AP Photo/Michael Clubb)
UCLA wide receiver Kyle Philips (2) celebrates after catching a pass for a touchdown in front of Stanford safety Kendall Williamson (21) during the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, in Stanford, Calif. UCLA won 35-24. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
Notre Dame wide receiver Kevin Austin Jr. (4) during the second half of an NCAA football game against Florida State on Sunday, Sept. 5, 2021 in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Gary McCullough)
Coastal Carolina wide receiver Jaivon Heiligh, left, scores a touchdown past Buffalo safety Cory Gross, Jr. (1) during the first half of an NCAA football game on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021 in Amherst, N.Y. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus)
Rutgers Scarlet Knights wide receiver Bo Melton (18) runs on the field during the first half of an NCAA football game against Northwestern Wildcats on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021, in Evanston, Ill. (AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski)
Baylor wide receiver Tyquan Thornton looks to the sideline during an NCAA college football game in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019. (AP Photo/Brody Schmidt)
SMU wide receiver Reggie Roberson Jr. (8) celebrates a first down during an NCAA football game against Texas State on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019 in Dallas. (AP Photo/Brandon Wade)
