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How Arizona Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort pulled off a pair of first-round trades
NFL fans are getting more and more behind-the-scenes access to their favorite teams in the modern social media environment. Organizations are pulling back the curtain on the draft process, starting with the combine and through the draft itself into training camps, as fans get to see how the teams build their boards, make their picks, give their new players the good news, and more.
The latest fascinating look at the draft process comes from the Arizona Cardinals. In the most recent installment of their YouTube series Flight Plan, the Cardinals share a behind-the-scenes look at the draft, as well as how their incoming rookie class is adjusting to life in the NFL.
Perhaps the most notable parts of the video come in the first five minutes, as new general manager Monti Ossenfort works the phones to pull of a pair of trades in the first round. The first such trade was a move out of the third-overall selection, a trade many anticipated.
But what people might not have anticipated was that the Cardinals would trade with the Houston Texans, allowing Houston to come back up to the third pick moments after drafting C.J. Stroud second overall. The Texans came up to draft pass rusher Will Anderson Jr., and the Cardinals slid back to the Texans’ spot at No. 12:
This is awesome: Here’s the call #Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort had with the #Texans when he traded out of No. 3 on draft night.
Access to the blockbuster trade while they were on the clock.
This content is INCREDIBLE.
(via Cardinals Flight Plan on YT)pic.twitter.com/taUindXEfy
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) June 9, 2023
The music certainly helps add to the tension.
Many have pointed out that during the discussion, Ossenfort asked the Texans for a 2024 first-round pick. Houston had two future first rounders entering the 2023 draft: Their own, and one from the Cleveland Browns that the team received in the Deshaun Watson trade. Houston included their own 2024 first-round selection in this deal, which raised some eyebrows at the time as many believe the Texans will have a worse record — and therefore a higher pick — next season.
Was the door open for Houston to include Cleveland’s 2024 first-round pick instead? Perhaps.
The other trade the Cardinals made in the first round came moments later. Arizona, looking to come up from No. 12 for an offensive lineman, worked the phones with four different teams ahead of them: The Seattle Seahawks (No. 5), the Detroit Lions (No. 6), the Las Vegas Raiders (No 7) and the Atlanta Falcons (No. 8).
Eventually Ossenfort found a trading partner in Detroit, allowing the team to come up and draft Paris Johnson Jr.:
Here’s how #Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort worked his way back up from #12 to #6 to get Paris Johnson.
He talked with SEA (5), DET (6), LV (7) and ATL (8). All happening on the fly.
Again, this is AMAZING access.
(via Cardinals Flight Plan on YT)pic.twitter.com/9EsUJ9VV7u
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) June 9, 2023
Honestly, the best part of these clips is seeing owner Michael Bidwill and new head coach Jonathan Gannon watching on in amazement as Ossenfort works this all out in realtime.
Time will tell if these moves pan out for the Cardinals — and we have already gone as far as declaring them the winners of the 2024 NFL Draft due in large part to their trade with Houston — but this is a fascinating look into the room where it happens.
