Pick Six Podcast: Kyler Murray’s impressive combine gives Cardinals added leverage with top pick

The NFL Scouting Combine is underway, and one of the names people have been playing the closest attention to is reigning Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray. Murray’s measurements generated quite a bit of buzz on Thursday, and the comparisons are already beginning to roll in.

That’s good news for the Arizona Cardinals, who are sitting there with a quarterback they drafted last year and the No. 1 overall pick. New coach Kliff Kingsbury has expressed interest in Murray in the past, but Josh Rosen seems to be the guy heading into next year. So what exactly does that mean for the Cardinals?

Simply put: They have all the leverage in the world with the No. 1 overall pick. A new coach opens the door to the possibility that they want to bring in his guy, while a young quarterback raises the possibility they could roll with him. Teams not know what you’re going to do first overall is a big benefit in the NFL draft.

On Friday’s Pick Six Podcast, Will Brinson discusses Murray’s day at the combine with Jason La Canfora, Pete Prisco and Jamey Eisenberg. Brinson shoots down the Giants trading up due to Dave Gettleman’s past habits, but thinks the Jaguars are definitely candidates.

The panel also discusses the risk for other teams trading for Rosen, who is a bit of a question mark. A quarterback like Teddy Bridgewater, who is on the market, may be a slightly better bet.

The Jets and Cardinals are two teams who need more than one good player, and the other appeal of the first-overall pick is the possibility of getting a defensive lineman. This draft is loaded at defensive line, and Nick Bosa may end up being even better than his brother Joey.

Ultimately, Brinson believes that it’s in Steve Keim and the Cardinals’ interest to ride it out with Rosen and take their chances with either trading the first-round pick or picking a defensive lineman. Arizona has so many options that the right one becomes difficult, but Keim should have every NFL team‘s front office in his ear right now. 

To hear the full conversation, along with the guys touching on other NFL news such as Jason Witten coming out of retirement, listen to the Pick Six Podcast below. Then subscribe for updates about the combine and the latest news throughout the draft process.