Biggest Need: No. 2 Cornerback
They’ve been seeking this for years, trying everyone from untested guys like Justin Bethel and Brandon Williams to back-nine veterans like Tramon Williams and Jerraud Powers. None have handled the much-targeted job opposite Patrick Peterson. New head coach Steve Wilks runs a zone scheme. Those don’t usually require first-round corners, but Wilks’s zones are fire zones, meaning there are six defenders in coverage instead of seven. The Cards need pass defenders who can win one-on-one in space.
Hidden Need: Safety
The need at safety is as critical as the need at corner if last year’s second-rounder Budda Baker winds up playing the slot, which seems likely given how well his blitzing would fit Wilks’s system.