Dream NFC East Trade Targets That Could Transform Cardinals

Let’s take a stop to the NFC East and see the kind of talent the Arizona Cardinals could potentially add via trade.

It won’t take long to notice that all four teams ranging from the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles to the bottom feeder New York Giants have face of the franchise players — all of whom would make the Cardinals not just better, but take them but take them to the next level as contenders.

And the best part? They have answers at every position.

In need of offensive weapons? Take your pick from any team. Need some better offensive lineman? We can fill out all five positions. Defensive upgrades? All three level levels are covered.

Even if Arizona wanted to upgrade their quarterback position, they have multiple options, too.

It made shopping in this division a ton of fun, but definitely difficult to single out just one player let alone one position.

Dallas Cowboys

Micah Parsons

Parsons has been swirling around trade rumors all offseason and I say it’s time a team pulls a trigger. Let that team be the Cardinals.

Few if any pass rushees in the league have been as consistently effective as Parsons has in four seasons, and he is the very definition of a generational player who alters your team. The Cowboys' defense has had its ups and downs, but they haven’t had to worry about their pass rush thanks to Parsons.

Parsons is pound for pound exactly what Arizona is missing for their defense. The consistent past rushing effort and production that Parsons would provide is what Arizona has been lacking for several years.

It is of course worth noting that Parsons is playing a Hall of Fame level, which makes him much more valuable. And that factor is what would make trading for him tricky. But if he’s available, and you’re interested, then you go all in.

New York Giants

Malik Nabers

I originally had Abdul Carter listed here, but made a last second pivot to Nabers. The decision has nothing to do with the amount of time one player has spent in the league or another, but rather that I see Nabers filling and checking every box the Cardinals currently need at wide receiver.

We saw in his rookie season how quickly the LSU product can take over the field. He was a vacuum for the football whenever it was in his area and he attacked all three levels of the field. I don’t know what it is about those LSU receivers and the way they dominate immediately in the pros… But it’s been a thing for years and Nabers is the most recent example.

Arizona being able to snag Nabers and slide him opposite of Marvin Harrison Jr. is what dreams are made of. Nabers is able to do the things that Harrison cannot, which would allow the ladder to do the things he does best as a route runner and RAC producer.

To any fans who are critical of the team selecting Harrison over Nabers because of his “name value“ could finally have satisfaction with Nabers arrival to the desert. But that would also mean Harrison would be unleashed to his maximum potential, and that could stir the pot even more.

Philadelphia Eagles

Jalen Carter

Take your pick of who you want from the Eagles. You can get a drastic upgrade at quarterback with Jalen Hurts. You can get a top receiver to pair with Harrison in either AJ Brown or DeVonta Smith. You could add the best running back in the league with Saquon Barkley and dealer's choice of any offensive lineman.

On defense, you can snag breakout linebacker Zack Baum or rookie sensation Quinyon Mitchell. Edge rusher Nolan Smith stayed healthy and has begun to realize his potential as a pass rusher.

Yet none of them has the value, talent, upside and everything else that Carter does.

Carter could’ve been justified as the number one overall pick in the NFL 2024 Draft based off his talent, but there were off-field question marks with him. It’s been no surprise to see him dominate so quickly.

Sure, the Cardinals loaded up the interior of their defensive line this offseason, but several of those additions are short-term answers and none are as proven as Carter is. Sliding him next to Walter Nolen would give Arizona the most dynamic defensive tackle duo in football and perhaps one of the best the league has ever seen.

Washington Commanders

Jayden Daniels

The Heisman Trophy winner has a big arm and the ability to run, which places him in such a unique category across the league. Yes, it’s too soon to say he’s Lamar Jackson or Josh Allen, But there’s not much that should/will stop him from arriving there quickly.

Daniels dominated the league with subpar weapons at his disposal. Terry McLaurin was the lone saving grace for an offense that featured an average at best rushing attack, a well below average offensive line and no notable pass catchers.

And yet, Daniels ran away with Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.

Some could argue Arizona is not much of an upgrade offensively, but that’s flat out incorrect. Providing him MHJ and Trey McBride already provides him better options. James Conner is a better runner than anything the Commanders have, and the team's offensive line, at worst, is as good as a Commanders — But at least the Cardinals have Paris Johnson Jr. at left tackle.

Daniels would be set up for much success in the desert. He’s the kind of quarterback that alters your franchise forever, and the Cardinals would be perennial contenders with him under center.