Cardinals: 5 possibilities with 16th pick in 2021 NFL Draft

5. Wide Receiver

The Cardinals somehow managed to bring three-time All-Pro DeAndre Hopkins to the desert  in a surprising trade with the Texans prior to the 2020 season. The move helped Kyler Murray get arguably the best talent at the receiver position in the league. Hopkins made an impact in Arizona from the moment he got there. The problem is, although Larry Fitzgerald is a future Hall of Famer, he’s approaching retirement and is nowhere near the dominant player he once was.

Christian Kirk who is another solid option in the passing game put up 48 catches, 621 yards, and six touchdowns this season but, as a result of Hopkins coming in the building, his targets went down ultimately causing most of his numbers to take a dip too. Andy Isabella is also in the fold and provides more quickness exclusively from inside the slot.

Most mock drafts at this time don’t suggest the Cards are going to select a wideout at 16th overall. Despite this, Arizona has uncertainty at the position outside of Hopkins who will still be making his presence felt all over the field. When is Fitzgerald going to hang it up? Would Murray be open to getting another threat down the field? Is the team certain that Kirk has proven himself to be the best option moving forward at the WR2 spot? Arizona’s going to have to still keep an eye on the state of their receiving corps as these questions emerge.

The cream of the crop of receivers in this draft probably won’t be available by the Cardinals pick but, Kadarius Toney, or Rashod Bateman are other possible prospects who can be plugged in and immediately help take further attention away from Hopkins.

Although he’s not a wide receiver, Kyle Pitts sliding to 16 would make it hard for Arizona to pass up on a playmaker in the passing game. His comparisons to Darren Waller are respectable as he’s more of a big play tight end in the passing game who could also set up out wide and do damage with his receiver-like frame.