Cardinals Haven’t Received Serious Trade Offers for Top Draft Pick — Yet

The Arizona Cardinals are just days away from being on the clock with their third overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and it's anybody's guess as to what general manager Monti Ossenfort could potentially do.

The Cardinals are options to address positions such as right tackle, edge rusher or even running back near the top of the order. While the two picks ahead of them feel fairly solidified in some form of Fernando Mendoza and David Bailey/Arvell Reese, the Cardinals truly feel like they'll really get the draft chaos started.

That also includes a possible trade down the order, which is always a possibility for Ossenfort.

When meeting with reporters ahead of the draft, the Cardinals' general manager says there's been some discussions but nothing serious — yet.

“I would say really nothing concrete like at this point. It’s not that I'd say that's not unusual," he said.

"These discussions—at least in my experience, maybe other people are different— but in my experience doing this the last few years, those discussions really don't start happening until next week. And even then, it’s more kind of ideas. Then once you get closer to be on the clock, that's when things really start to solidify.”

This wouldn't be the first year the Cardinals traded out of the third overall pick, as Arizona moved down from No. 3 to 12 in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Where exactly the Cardinals land remains to be seen, as we've seen teams ranging from the Washington Commanders at No. 7 to the Dallas Cowboys at No. 12 as possible trade partners.

Who Arizona may target in a trade down also will very much factor into the Cardinals' decision to potentially move down. If Ossenfort does pull the trigger on a deal, potential players to watch range from offensive tackles in Miami's Francis Mauigoa/Utah's Spencer Fano to Miami edge rusher Rueben Bain Jr..

There's an argument to be made for the Cardinals simply sticking and picking at No. 3, as Ossenfort is entering his fourth season that very much could be his last if 2025 results are replicated. However, that doesn't feel to be the case with how Arizona operated this offseason.

However the cookie crumbles, the Cardinals are sure to keep things interesting up until the very moments until it's time for Ossenfort to make a decision.