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Arizona Cardinals: Jalen Thompson Supplemental Draft pick deepens talent

By Cody Williams

BERKELEY, CA - OCTOBER 13: Vic Wharton III #17 of the California Golden Bears carries the ball looking to avoid the tackle of Jalen Thompson #34 of the Washington State Cougars during the first quarter of their NCAA football game at California Memorial Stadium on October 13, 2017 in Berkeley, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
BERKELEY, CA - OCTOBER 13: Vic Wharton III #17 of the California Golden Bears carries the ball looking to avoid the tackle of Jalen Thompson #34 of the Washington State Cougars during the first quarter of their NCAA football game at California Memorial Stadium on October 13, 2017 in Berkeley, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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Jalen Thompson was the lone pick of the 2019 NFL Supplemental Draft, taken in the fifth round by the Arizona Cardinals, and he deepens the talent pool.

Things have changed quite dramatically for the Arizona Cardinals in the 2019 offseason. Kliff Kingsbury has taken over as head coach, Josh Rosen has been traded after the team drafted Kyler Murray with the first overall pick and the offensive weapons now around the new quarterback have been overhauled in a big way as well.

While the hiring of Kingsbury and the other moves all point to an offensive focus for the Cardinals heading into the 2019 season and beyond, Arizona isn’t a team that has left the defense out for dead. While the moves they’ve made may not be of the same magnitude, they have certainly moved on that side of the ball.

The Cardinals have added Terrell Suggs, Robert Alford, Jordan Hicks and several others through free agency. More importantly, Arizona has helped up to beef up the secondary with taking cornerback Byron Murphy in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft in addition to selecting safety Deionte Thompson in the fifth round.

On Wednesday, however, general manager Steve Keim added another piece to the mix as Arizona selected former Washington State defensive back Jalen Thompson in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Supplemental Draft (per Tom Pelissero):

As a result of the bid, the Cardinals will forfeit their fifth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Furthermore, it’s worth noting that Thompson was the only player selected in the Supplemental Draft, despite a strong group of several players that could’ve been worth fliers.

In Thompson, the Cardinals are getting an extremely versatile defensive back that can see the field as a high safety or a player who can drop down into the nickel and cover. While he’s not a strong tackler or run defender, the Washington State product is more than capable of seeing time on the field early in his career as a coverage specialist in sub-packages.

The addition of Thompson really gives Arizona a plethora of options in the secondary. While star cornerback Patrick Peterson is suspended to begin the 2019 season, the Cardinals still have Murphy, Alford, Budda Baker, D.J. Swearinger, Deionte Thompson and now Jalen Thompson in the mix. Once Peterson is able to return. that’s a strong group.

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Without question, the Cardinals have their flaws on the roster. Both sides of the ball could potentially struggle in the trenches and the linebacker play may be questionable. However, when you look at the offensive talent added this offseason and now the moves done for this Arizona secondary, it’s clear that the Redbirds are putting pieces in place to build with.

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