2018 NFL Draft: 3 scenarios for the 49ers trading down in Round 1
By Peter Panacy
Scenario No. 2: 49ers Trade with the Cardinals
Like the Bills, the Cardinals are in dire need of a quarterback. But Arizona’s different, in that it’s entering what looks to be the beginning stages of a long-term rebuild.
Sure, the Cards have oft-injured quarterback Sam Bradford under contract for one year. That’s a stopgap option, though. Not a long-term solution.
It’s rare to see inter-division trades take place, especially during the draft. But we saw it between the 49ers and Seattle Seahawks last year (linebacker Reuben Foster). And Cardinals general manager Steve Keim has to ask himself whether landing a quarterback is less important than stockpiling picks.
Here’s what he has so far, courtesy of Draft Wire:
- 1st round | 15th overall
- 2nd round | 47th overall
- 3rd round | 79th overall
- 3rd round | 97th overall (compensatory)
- 4th round | 134th overall (compensatory)
- 5th round | 152nd overall
- 7th round | 254th overall (compensatory)
The Niners wind up getting the Cardinals’ first- and second-round selections. But the draft value is a bit too much in favor of San Francisco, so John Lynch ships off a fifth-round pick to sweeten the deal a bit.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals leapfrog the quarterback-needy Bills and grabbing whatever quarterback is left atop their big board.