As the 2025 NFL Draft rapidly approaches, there’s less hype surrounding the Arizona Cardinals’ position at 16 overall, but there still remains a decision to be made.
Much has been written about potential draft targets, who would bring the most value to the Cardinals at that pick, and on what position GM Monti Ossenfort might focus.
But there does lurk a third option: a potential trade down. The Cardinals have done so under Ossenfort in the past, quite successfully when looking at the impact player OL Paris Johnson Jr. has become.
So what are the upsides and downsides of a potential trade?
If Ossenfort does trade down, it provides him two options: either collect future draft picks, or multiple later-round picks in the 2025 draft. Both of those options allow him to team build with a future-oriented goal of developing young players.
If the Cardinals want to remain on the draft-and-develop track, the first-round pick designation is somewhat less important, especially when picking 16. If this was a situation in which Arizona held leverage on a top five pick like 2024, there’s much more to a potential trade.
But at pick 16, there’s less of a chance to draft a “generational” prospect who will impact Arizona in a major way right off the bat. In that instance, opting for more chances to develop young players could be more valuable than picking at 16, and a drop into the 20s in the first round is less of a penalty.
The Cardinals are entering a pivotal year with regard to their contention. While it’s fine to applaud doubling their 2024 win total with an 8-9 season to an extent, 2025 is when there’s less room for error.
The Cardinals need to be contenders sooner than later, and denying themselves the chance at a top 20 player might end up being detrimental in the short term. While it’s certainly admirable for Ossenfort to be future-minded, the time to contend is now, not years down the road.
So if the Cardinals like someone specifically at 16, a trade down could be abdicating the chance to put a bona fide impact player on their roster, especially considering the wealth of free agent additions that have been made, specifically along the defensive front.
At this stage, it feels as if the offseason has been a general success for Ossenfort. But the Draft is an entirely different animal. The Cardinals have done well with many of their rookie picks in the past few seasons, but it does still remain a risk.
One thing is for certain: whatever move is made (or not made), the Cardinals will have to balance future potential with contention in the now — just how, when, and in what manner Ossenfort chooses to do so remains to be seen.
Arizona remains one of the fastest-growing states in the country, but new migration data suggests that growth is starting to level out.
According to the latest numbers from U-Haul, Arizona ranked number seven nationwide for growth in 2025. While that is down one spot from the year before, it marks the sixth consecutive year the state has remained in the top ten.
The rankings are based on more than 2.5 million one-way moving transactions for the Arizona-based company.
What stands out in the data is how close those numbers are.
In 2025, 50.3% of U-Haul’s one-way moves came into Arizona, while 49.7% moved out. In practical terms, that means for nearly every family moving into the state, there is another one packing up and leaving.
That does not mean Arizona is losing population. However, it does suggest the margin of growth is getting thinner than it has been in recent years.
Even with that shift, the greater Phoenix metro area continues to be a major driver of growth. Phoenix ranked fifth nationwide among U.S. metro areas, fueled by job creation and new housing across the Valley.
U-Haul leaders point to continued development tied to major employers, including chip manufacturing and data centers, as well as ongoing residential construction, as reasons Phoenix remains a top destination.
Experts who study migration trends say when in-migration and out-migration numbers get this close, it can be a sign that affordability pressures are starting to play a role, especially when it comes to housing.
The latest data does not point to a mass exodus, but it does show Arizona entering a period of transition, balancing opportunity and growth with affordability concerns.
The 2026 Arizona Legacy Races in Buckeye, Ariz., are ringing in a new year for futurity horses December 30 – January 6, at the Buckeye Equestrian & Events Center. Formerly known as the MVP Futurity and Greg Olson Futurity, these two races have been a staple in many professional trainers’ schedules for decades. This year, the two events boast $22,000 in added money.
Linzie Lindsey and Fame Dancin Yola claimed the Round 1 win with a 17.577 for $1,959. Barbara Merrill rode TKW Eye Am Tess to the 2D win.
After finishing out of the 1D money in Round 1, Loralee Ward and Dark Honey ran the fastest time of the futurity with a 17.030 to claim the Round 2 win. The duo also earned the Futurity Reserve Championship for $1,652.
Lindsey and Fame Dancin Yola finished second in Round 2 with a 17.164, adding $1,603 to their futurity earnings and claiming the Futurity Championship for another $2,019.
Jenna Duhon and PMC AintSheBeautiful earned the Round 2 2D win. In the 2D Average, it was Estella Martin and Quanahs Kingdom claiming the win.
Round 1 of a very tough Derby went to Jana Bean and Feature This Goodbye with a 17.268. 2025 futurity standout Blissful Version and Lora Nichols finished second in Round 1 with a 17.282, won Round 2 with a 17.032, and claimed the Average win.
“Buddy” and Nichols were in contention for the highest money-earning futurity horse of the previous season, before the cancellation of the last two major events of the season due to EHV-1. By $7 million sire Winners Version, Buddy banked over $300,000 in his futurity year.
Megan McLeod-Sprague and Seis Corona (“Jagger”) were hot off the 2025 National Finals Rodeo. The duo won the Roohide Hot Rod with a 17.004 for $1,368. They also earned the Friday Open 1D win for $1,083.
With the first 16-second run of the weekend, Sherry Cervi and MP Meter My Fame won the Saturday Open 1D with a 16.969.
Rita Cheeney and HP Dash Ta Fairfax ran the only other sub-17-second run of the weekend, with a 16.996 that took the top spot in Sunday’s Open 1D.
Nichols and Buddy doubled down on their derby earnings, placing deep in the Open 1D both days, as well as the Roohide Hot Rod, and Big Time Boss.
Youth competitor Tabitha Dyal also had an outstanding weekend, earning Open 1D money Friday, Saturday, and Sunday aboard Slym Shady. She swept the Youth 1D on Slym Shady and earned Open 1D, Open 2D, and Youth 1D checks on Promise Me Fame Guys and Smooth Operraider. Dyal wrapped up her weekend with several checks in the Big Time Boss.
Authorities say a prominent California agriculture heir is accused of traveling to Arizona to kill his estranged wife amid a bitter divorce, a case now drawing national attention for its cross-state trail and high-profile ties.
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