Cardinals Draft Jeremiyah Love No. 3, Test His Role Early in OTAs

The Arizona Cardinals made a bold organizational move in the 2026 NFL Draft when they selected running back Jeremiyah Love with the third overall pick, signaling an immediate commitment to reshaping their offensive identity. The high selection came with expectations that Love would become a centerpiece of the franchise moving forward.

As the team opened organized team activities, however, Love’s early usage drew attention for an unexpected reason. The rookie was observed participating in kick return duties during the first day of OTAs, a role not typically associated with a top-three draft pick.

The observation, reported by PHNX, raised questions about how the Cardinals intend to balance development, workload, and risk management for a player expected to be a long-term offensive foundation. While OTAs are voluntary and exploratory by nature, the decision still stood out given Love’s draft status.

Under new head coach Mike LaFleur, the Cardinals appear to be evaluating multiple ways to integrate their newest offensive weapon, even if those looks are temporary. The early stages of the offseason are often used for experimentation before roles are formally defined.

1. Early Experimentation At OTAs

Love’s appearance as a kick returner on the first day of OTAs appeared to be part of a broader evaluation process rather than a permanent assignment. Teams frequently use early offseason practices to test athletic versatility before refining roles closer to the regular season. For a player selected third overall, the usage was notable because of the investment attached to his selection. The Cardinals committed nearly $54 million in projected contract value, underscoring expectations that Love would be a foundational offensive piece rather than a special teams contributor. Still, OTA environments are typically low-pressure settings where coaches assess conditioning, adaptability, and comfort in various roles. In that context, Love’s involvement on special teams may reflect nothing more than early-stage evaluation under a new coaching staff. Even so, the optics of the situation naturally sparked discussion, given the contrast between draft position and on-field deployment. For Arizona, managing perception will be nearly as important as managing workload as the offseason progresses.

2. Balancing Risk And Long-Term Value

The primary concern surrounding Love’s early usage is injury risk management. Players selected at the top of the draft are typically protected from high-impact special teams roles to preserve their long-term availability and development trajectory. Given the financial commitment and expectations tied to his selection, it would be unusual for the Cardinals to rely on Love as a regular-season return specialist. The potential upside of his offensive production far outweighs any marginal benefit from special teams contributions. That reality suggests the OTAs experiment is likely temporary, designed more for evaluation than implementation. Teams often explore positional flexibility early before narrowing focus as training camp approaches. As the offseason progresses, the Cardinals are expected to define clearer boundaries for Love’s role, especially as offensive installations increase and game planning begins to take shape.

3. Offensive Foundation And Player Profile

Despite the questions surrounding his early usage, Love’s offensive role in Arizona is not in doubt. He is widely viewed as a focal point of the team’s future, particularly as the franchise continues to evaluate its long-term quarterback direction. Love arrives with an accomplished collegiate résumé from Notre Dame, where he totaled 2,882 rushing yards and 36 touchdowns on the ground, along with 594 receiving yards and six additional scores. His production demonstrated both consistency and versatility across multiple offensive schemes. In his final season in 2025, Love elevated his profile significantly, earning Unanimous All-American honors and winning the Doak Walker Award. He rushed for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns while adding 280 receiving yards and three more scores, reinforcing his dual-threat capability. For the Cardinals, the priority moving forward will be integrating Love as the centerpiece of the offense rather than a situational contributor. As his role becomes more clearly defined, the expectation is that his involvement in high-risk special teams situations will diminish in favor of a featured offensive workload.