Category: Arizona Cardinals offseason

DeVante Parker makes interesting potential trade target for Cardinals

The Cardinals need a receiver. The Dolphins have a lot and Paker makes more than they probably want to pay a No. 4 WR. It is a potential fit.

The NFL saw another big-time trade happen in the offseason. After stars Russell Wilson and Davante Adams were traded, the latest is receiver Tyreek Hill, who was traded from the Kansas City Chiefs to the Miami Dolphins.

The Chiefs moved Hill, who wanted a contract extension for five draft picks.

He got a huge contract extension and joins a talented Dolphins team that has been extremely active this offseason.

They have Hill, second-year wideout Jaylen Waddle and tight end Mike Gesicki. They also added receiver Cedrick Wilson in free agency.

That potentially could open a trade market for receiver DeVante Parker, who has played seven seasons for the Dolphins.

The Cardinals have a need at receiver. They need someone to replace A.J. Green to play the ‘Z’ position. Someone with some length and speed would be ideal and Parker has both.

He is 29 years old, under contract for two more seasons and is making a modest $6.25 million in salary and bonuses in 2022 and $6.3 million in 2023.

He had 40 receptions for 515 yards and two scores last season. His best season was in 2019 when he had 72 receptions for 1,202 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging 16.9 yards per catch.

He has some length at 6-3 and can run. He would fit the role A.J. Green had a year ago.

Parker makes more money than most teams want to pay for a No. 4 receiver.

What would it take to acquire Parker? The Cardinals don’t have a fourth or a fifth-round pick. Would they be willing to give up a third-round pick? Would the Dolphins take a combination of late-round picks or maybe accept a player like Andy Isabella, who could be that lower-cost No. 4 wideout for a team like the Dolphins?

But Parker makes a lot of sense. He has been productive. He doesn’t cost a lot of money. He is under contract for two more seasons. He probably would not cost much in terms of trade capital.

It is a call that general manager Steve Keim should make.

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Cardinals LS Aaron Brewer salary, contract details, salary cap implications

Brewer signed a one-year contract for a little more than the league minimum and the team gets some cap relief from his contract.

One of the Arizona Cardinals’ many re-signings was long snapper Aaron Brewer. He returns to the team for his 11th NFL season and seventh with the Cardinals.

He signed a one-year contract and will hold down long-snapping duties.

Thanks to Over the Cap, we have the details of his contract. Those numbers and the implications for the salary cap are below.

Aaron Brewer contract details

Brewer’s one-year contract is for the league minimum. He will make $1.12 million in salary. He also receives a signing bonus of $152,500, bringing total compensation to a little more than $1.27 million.

He was coming off a four-year, $4.15 million contract.

Salary cap implications

Brewer’s contract qualifies for the veteran benefit, so his cap hit is less than his total payout.

Instead of a cap hit of $1.27 million, his contract counts more than $1.04 million. They get $225,000 in cap relief as part of the veteran benefit.

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5 younger pass rushers still available in free agency for Cardinals

The Cardinals want to get younger at outside linebacker. These are a few possibilities.

The Arizona Cardinals have not done much yet in free agency when it comes to signing new players. They have added cornerback Jeff Gladney and linebacker Nick Vigil.

They have not signed a pass rusher despite the departure of Chandler Jones, who is now 32 years old.

Head coach Kliff Kingsbury, with comments at the NFL combine, suggested that there would be a priority on getting younger at outside linebacker.

There aren’t many younger pass rushers with established production, but if there are a few to consider. They mostly are players who could surprise.

Here are some possibilities.

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Cardinals have not yet found high-performing, younger OLB yet in free agency

Head coach Kliff Kingsbury spoke of the need to get high-performing, younger player at outside linebacker.

The Arizona Cardinals lost Chandler Jones in free agency, who signed a three-year deal to join the Las Vegas Raiders. Thus far, the Cardinals have done nothing in free agency to replace him.

It is interesting they have not even been connected to any pass rushers on the open market, especially considering comments that head coach Kliff Kingsbury made at the NFL combine.

He was asked about Chandler Jones and the pass rush and he noted two important keys for the defense.

“We’re always trying to improve,” he said. “That’s an area that, in (defensive coordinator Vance Joseph’s) defense, it’s one that we really need to play at a high level and if we aren’t able to sign Chandler, and even if we are, to get younger there would probably be a good thing.”

There aren’t many solid options out there. Za’Darius Smith would have qualified, who agreed to sign with the Baltimore Ravens and then signed with the Minnesota Vikings. So would have Dante Fowler, who signed with the Dallas Cowboys.

One could believe that the comments would suggest on the draft, but it is nearly impossible to count on selecting a particular position with the 23rd overall pick and, since that player needs to perform at a high level as a rookie, that is tough to count on, especially since the Cardinals like to bring on their defensive rookies slowly.

Perhaps there will be a trade in the works or a surprise signing that will go under the radar.

But for now, it appears that one of their offseason priorities has gone unaddressed, at least initially.

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POLL: What do you think of the Nick Vigil signing?

The Cardinals signed veteran LB Nick Vigil. What do you think of the signing? Vote in the poll and tell us in the comments.

The Arizona Cardinals added veteran linebacker Nick Vigil in free agency on Tuesday. The team already has a bunch of linebackers on the roster with Zaven Collins, Isaiah Simmons, Tanner Vallejo, Joe Walker and Zeke Turner.

Collins and Simmons are expected to be the starters and Vallejo got a bunch of playing time last season, so the addition was not considered a large need.

However, having been a starter most of his career, he can give the defense starting-caliber play if either Collins or Simmons gets hurt or is ineffective. He ideally is a better option on the field than Vallejo.

We have not seen the contract numbers yet, but it is not likely to be expensive. He had 85 tackles last season and 111 in 2019.

What do you think of the signing? Vote in the poll and give your thoughts in the comment section below.

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Cardinals sign former Vikings LB Nick Vigil

Vigil had 85 tackles last season for the Vikings and had a pick-6 against Kyler Murray in Week 2. He gives the Cardinals veteran depth at LB.

The Arizona Cardinals have finally signed a free agent. It is once again a former Minnesota Viking and it is also at a position that doesn’t really have a big need.

The team announced the signing of linebacker Nick Vigil, who played last year for the Vikings.

Vigil has been in the league since 2016, drafted in the third round by the Cincinnati Bengals. He played four seasons for the Bengals, then one season for the Los Angeles Chargers and then last season for the Vikings.

In 2021, he played in 16 games and started 12 of them. He had 85 tackles, a sack and an interception he returned for a touchdown. That pick-6 was against the Cardinals in Week 2.

He has been a starter for most of his career.

How does he fit in with the Cardinals in 2022?

Assuming Zaven Collins and Isaiah Simmons are expected to be the starters, Vigil gives the Cardinals experienced depth and could compete for a starting job. And if the Cardinals move Simmons around at all, it gives defensive coordinator Vance Joseph a more established player to use.

He will compete with Tanner Vallejo and Joe Walker for playing time.

He also plays on special teams. He played 198 special teams snaps last season and 216 in 2020 for the Chargers.

We will have to wait and see on the contract. He signed a one-year, $1.75 million deal last season for Minnesota.

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Former Cardinals trainer John Omohundro to be honored by Hall of Fame

Omohundro, who worked for the team from 1967-2009, will be part of the initial “Award of Excellence.”

John Omohundro worked for the Cardinals from 1967 to 2009. 37 of those 42 years, he was the head athletic trainer. His time spanned from the time when Jim Hart was the starting quarterback in St. Louis to Kurt Warner leading the Cardinals to two division titles and a Super Bowl.

Omohundro will be honored by the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year with four other trainers in the inaugural “Award of Excellence” Class of 2022.

From the Cardinals’ press release:

The “Award of Excellence” is part of the Hall’s effort to recognize outstanding contributions from members of four groups vital to the game’s success on the field and behind the scenes. The honor goes to individuals who have spent their football careers as assistant coaches, athletic trainers, equipment managers and public relations personnel.

Each of the four groups developed its own selection committee and criteria for the award. Those committees each chose five members for the inaugural Class of 2022. The other four athletic trainers joining Omohundro in the inaugural Award of Excellence class are George Anderson (Raiders), Otho Davis (Eagles), Jerry Rhea (Falcons) and Frank Zamberletti (Vikings). The five combined had over 150 years as professional athletic trainers in the NFL.

Recipients of the Awards of Excellence will be invited to the 2022 enshrinement week in August in Canton, OH and their names will be placed on display inside a designated area of the Hall of Fame Museum.

In addition to earning a permanent spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Omohundro and the four other trainers were also named to the inaugural class of the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Society (PFATS) Hall of Fame.

Omohundro worked 838 games over the course of his Cardinals’ employment with his final contest being Super Bowl XLIII in February of 2009.

What an honor for someone who spent so much time with the team. Congratulations to him, the team and to his family.

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Andy Lee’s contract is half guaranteed

The Cardinals re-signed Lee to a one-year deal. He has been the Cardinals’ punter since 2017.

The Arizona Cardinals brought back punter Andy Lee on a one-year contract. It will be his sixth season with the Cardinals.

His contract is straightforward. There is no signing bonus, no roster bonus but there are guarantees.

The contract numbers are out and it is a basic one-year, $1.5 million deal. It is the same salary he made in 2021.

Half of his salary, $750,000, is guaranteed, which is more than the $650,000 that was guaranteed last season.

His contract, being a one-year deal with no bonus and no void years, counts $1.5 million against the salary cap.

But that is the extent of the deal. It is a simple deal. The guaranteed salary makes it such that it will be highly unlikely the Cardinals move on from him.

Lee averaged 49.0 yards on 51 punts last season. It was his highest average since joining the Cardinals in 2017.

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Maxx Williams’ contract is a steal for Cardinals

Williams returns for his fourth season with the Cardinals making little more than the league minimum.

One of the nine players the Arizona Cardinals have re-signed this offseason in free agency is tight end Maxx Williams. He signed a one-year deal to return for a fourth season with the Cardinals and it is an absolute bargain.

The contract numbers are out and he is basically making the league minimum.

His salary qualifies for the veteran salary benefit, which means his cap hit will be less than what he is paid.

He will be paid the league minimum at $1.12 million. He does not have any guarantees.

He does not get a signing bonus, but he can earn more than $150,000 in bonuses.

If he makes the 53-man roster, he will earn a $15,000 roster bonus. If he is active in Week 1, he will make another bonus of $52,500. He will also earn $5,000 per game he is active in roster bonuses.

The total of his contract is worth more than $1.27 million in maximum earnings. However, his cap charge will only be $920,000.

It is an absolute steal for the Cardinals.

Williams was having a career season in 2021 before he tore his ACL in Week 5. He will be the Cardinals’ No. 2 tight end behind Zach Ertz, but his return will be huge for the offense in 2022.

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Chandler Jones ‘thought a lot about staying with Cardinals’ in free agency

In the end, the Raiders made a great offer, he gets to be paired with Maxx Crosby and he knows the coaches.

Linebacker Chandler Jones departed the Arizona Cardinals in free agency to sign a three-year, $51 million deal with the Las Vegas Raiders. He had a few options.

While it did not seem like the Cardinals showed a lot of effort to re-sign him, returning was always a possibility.

He spoke about his decision with reporter Jordan Schultz.

“A lot went into it honestly,” said Jones, according to Schultz. “We spoke with the Jets and Bills – others too – and I obviously thought a lot about staying with the Cardinals.”

Jones’ departure is perhaps the most impactful loss the Cardinals have suffered this offseason. He had 10.5 sacks a season ago and became the franchise’s all-time leader in sacks.

Why did he ultimately choose the Raiders? The contract obviously helped.

“I thought, ‘okay, here’s an opportunity to play with a young superstar in Maxx Crosby,'” he told Schultz. “I thought that would be really special. He’s a transcendent young player and I think pairing up with him would make it very difficult for teams to game plan us.”

There is also familiarity with Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham and head coach Josh McDaniels.

In the end, “Vegas came in with a plan and offer that I couldn’t resist.”

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