Arizona Cardinals 2022 NFL Draft Projections, Positions Needed & Mock Draft

· Mar 28 - 5 minutes read

Arizona Cardinals 2022 Draft

The Arizona Cardinals’ offseason was filled full of drama for drama’s sake following its first-round playoff exit last season. Quarterback Kyler Murray deleted the team from his social media and grumbled about his contract before ultimately returning. Coach Kliff Kingsbury was rumored to be on his way out after the team started 7-0 before ultimately finishing 11-6. However, Kingsbury would instead be awarded an extension.

Sorting out what kind of future the Cardinals can have will all be tied to how Murray develops. If Murray fulfills his potential as a former No. 1 overall pick, Arizona can build around its foundation in an NFC West that promises to be ultra-competitive with San Francisco and Los Angeles both gearing up for runs at the Super Bowl.

Arizona Cardinals 2022 NFL Draft Projections, Positions Needed & Mock Draft

It is unlikely Arizona will make many splash signings this season due to its salary cap situation. The Cardinals have around $11 million in cap space and will be working to add some more room through restructuring other players’ contracts and releasing some high-priced free agents to save some space under the cap.

Players Leaving the Arizona Cardinals

Linebacker Jordan Hicks was already let go by Arizona. Cutting Hicks allowed the Cardinals to save $6.5 million in cap space. Hicks finished second on Arizona in tackles last season by making 116 stops while finishing tied for third on the team in sacks with four.

The Cardinals also allowed wide receiver Christian Kirk to get away in free agency. The Jacksonville Jaguars blew Kirk away with a four-year, $72 million deal to lure Kirk out of the desert. Kirk had a strong season for the Cardinals last season, catching 77 passes for 982 yards and five touchdowns.

Running back Chase Edmonds found a new home with the Miami Dolphins. Edmonds carried the ball 116 times last season for 592 yards and two touchdowns. With the Cardinals signing James Conner, Edmonds was looking for a larger role outside of Arizona.

There is a chance the Cardinals may look to move on from linebacker Devon Kennard. Releasing Kennard, who was buried on the depth chart behind two players last season, would save the Cardinals $7 million if they made the move post-June 1. Kennard appeared in 15 games last season and recorded seven tackles for loss.

Positions needed by the Arizona Cardinals

With Edmonds leaving, the Cardinals will want to find another running back to complement Conner. While Conner was outstanding last season, compiling 752 yards and 15 touchdowns, he had durability issues when he was the No. 1 back in Pittsburgh. Finding a back that can help share the load will serve the team well.

Arizona could also use some more depth at wide receiver. The Cardinals have DeAndre Hopkins and A.J. Green, but they are 33 and 29, respectively so Arizona will want to find a playmaker who can bring some youth to the offense. Top tight end Zach Ertz is also 31 so the Cardinals will also want to find depth at tight end.

On the offensive line, Arizona could use some help at guard. The Cardinals have a high-powered offense and want to make sure their line will give Murray and his weapons time to work. Arizona passed for over 4,000 yards for the season last year, while the running game was also productive, producing 4.2 yards per carry.

Cornerback will also be an area where the Cardinals would like to add more depth. Byron Murphy was productive last season, intercepting four passes, while Robert Alford was another option Arizona had at cornerback. He is currently a free agent The Cardinals would like to add a few more options to help keep opponents’ passing games under wraps.

Arizona Cardinals Mock draft

The Cardinals have eight selections to make in the 2022 NFL Draft. With Arizona’s first-round pick, they could pick one of many Georgia players that will go in this year’s draft. Edge rusher Javon Walker, who is a 6-foot-5, 275-pound defensive lineman from Georgia, had a strong junior season.

Walker recorded six sacks and recovered a fumble for the Bulldogs. He also recorded 37 tackles, 19 solo stops. Walker also batted down two passes. In the second round, Arizona could pursue depth in the secondary. Mississippi State cornerback Martin Emerson should be available in the second round.

Emerson, a 6-2, 200-pound cornerback, saw some regression as a junior only knocking down three passes and not recording an interception. Emerson’s best season came as a sophomore, when he recorded 11 passes defended and made 72 tackles, including 44 solos.

In the later rounds, Arizona could look to add UCLA wide receiver Kyle Phillips. Phillips, a 5-11 receiver, caught a career-high 59 passes for 739 and 10 touchdowns as a junior. Phillips has shown a nose for the endzone during his college career, catching 17 touchdown passes in three seasons with the Bruins. Check Cardinals’ NFL Draft odds and NFL Odds.

2022 NFL Draft Event Information

Date: Thursday, Apr. 28th (Round 1) | Friday, Apr. 29th (Rounds 2-3) | Saturday, Apr. 30th (Rounds 4-7)
Time: 8 p.m. ET (Thursday) | 7 p.m. ET (Friday) | Noon ET (Saturday)
Location: Allegiant Stadium, Paradise, NV
TV Channel: ABC | ESPN | NFL Network
NFL Draft Live Streaming: NFL Game Pass