Cardinals’ Steve Keim among lowest-ranked GMs in NFL for draft work

Jess Root
·2 min read
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Since Steve Keim was named general manager in 2013, the Arizona Cardinals have experienced great success and also extreme failures. He has done a great job in trades and has been solid in free agency.

However, Cardinals fans know about some of his struggles in the draft.

Only one of his first-round picks — tackle D.J. Humphries — has gotten a second contract from the team.

In fact, NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal put together GM power rankings based on how they have performed in the draft.

23 GMs are ranked, as the other nine have had one or no drafts, and Keim comes in near the bottom at No. 19.

Keim is on his third coach and third QB since taking over the top job in 2013, which is a rare feat for general managers. His first-round picks besides Kyler Murray have been famously spotty, with Robert Nkemdiche and Josh Rosen standing out as whiffs. That said, Keim still has his job because of a decisive move to take Murray only one year after the Rosen misfire. He avoided doubling down on a big mistake and the Cardinals have a franchise quarterback because of it. That said, Murray was clearly the top QB prospect in 2019, a no-brainer pick in a vacuum. So I chose to spotlight Budda Baker in the honorific above. Keim’s next-best picks since 2015 are probably David Johnson and D.J. Humphries. In short, this is not a team that has been built through the draft.

Safety Budda Baker is considered his best pick, while quarterback Josh Rosen was named his worst pick.

Cardinals fans are well aware of his draft failures. It is one of the big reasons they have not been to the postseason since 2015. They have not had the development of young talent they needed to become quality players and maintain that success.

This coming draft is critical. Another failed draft class and he might not be the general manager for long.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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