49ers 2019 NFL Draft: Latest news, rumors and reports
By Peter Panacy
49ers Aren’t Biting at Idea of Cardinals’ Confusion at No. 1
Kyler Murray, or not Kyler Murray? That is the Cardinals’ question.
Not long ago, the Oklahoma quarterback seemed all but destined to be Arizona’s top pick in this year’s NFL Draft. There was plenty of smoke behind these NFL rumors, and Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury is already on record saying he’d take Murray No. 1 overall if he could.
Well, now he can.
Earlier this week, however, another report broke the Cardinals would not select Murray first overall.
This has led some to believe Arizona has no clue what it’s doing with the top pick in the draft, yet the 49ers don’t seem to be buying that notion.
At least not according to ESPN’s Josina Anderson:
A #49ers source last night laughed at the notion #Cards hv no clue on #1 pick. In their opinion, source feels they hv at least a main plan & draft night contingency plans to date, while still keeping ears open. Was told, "being that we are division rivals, I hope they mess it up"
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) April 24, 2019
So, why would the Cardinals create this kind of smokescreen anyway? There doesn’t appear to be much of a benefit here, right?
According to NFL insider Benjamin Allbright, who appeared on San Diego’s Mighty 1090 AM (h/t 49ers Webzone), Arizona is trying to entice the Niners to trade up one spot:
"Everything I’ve heard is (Arizona selects) Kyler Murray. I know there was a report out there by somebody saying that they were considering taking Nick Bosa, but from what I understand and what I’m told, that’s a smokescreen. The Cardinals are trying to get the Niners to move up one spot the same way the Niners got the Bears to move up one spot for a quarterback a few years ago."
It doesn’t appear as if general manager John Lynch and the 49ers are biting, however.