Tag: cardswire

The Cardinals released cornerback Robert Alford this week in a move that saved the team $7.5 million in cap space. However, he is back with the team, according to a report by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
The Cardinals have re-signed Alford to a one-year contract. It is likely somewhere near the league minimum and perhaps has incentives.
He originally signed a three-year, $22.5 million deal with the Cardinals in 2019 but suffered season-ending injuries in training camp each year. In 2019, he broke his leg. In 2020, he tore his pectoral muscle.
He has 10 career interceptions and 85 career pass breakups. Each year in training camp, he looked good and is a solid cornerback. If he stays healthy, he will likely start for the Cardinals

Tuesday was the deadline for NFL teams to place the franchise tag on one of their impending free agents, essentially keeping them from signing elsewhere.
For Arizona, one player they could use the tag on is linebacker Haason Reddick, who had a breakout year in 2020 with 12.5 sacks. However, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Cardinals will not use the tag on Reddick.
That means the Cardinals only have until next week to sign him to a contract or he will be able to negotiate with other teams.
Reddick, drafted in the first round in 2017, was largely a disappointment for three seasons, struggling at inside linebacker.
Moving outside in 2019, Reddick went five games with no sacks in 2020 then exploded with five in one game against the Giants and finished with 7.5 sacks in his final four games.
The franchise tag would have paid him more than $13 million in 2021

The Cardinals have the 16th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. They could land any of a number of prospects. Who are the players who could be available?.
Since we know they won’t be drafting a quarterback, let’s see who the top 10 non-quarterbacks are, per NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah.
10. Alabama CB Patrick Surtain II.
9. Miami EDGE Gregory Rousseau.
8. Penn State LB Micah Parsons.
7. Oregon OT Penei Sewell.
6. Alabama WR DeVonta Smith.
5. Northwestern OT Rashawn Slater.
4. Alabama WR Jaylen Waddle.
3. Virginia Tech CB Caleb Farley.
2. Florida TE Kyle Pitts.
1. LSU WR Ja’Marr Chase

Here are 8 Saints players who could be targets for Cardinals if cut, traded:.
CB Marshon Lattimore.
WR Emmanuel Sanders.
CB Janoris Jenkins.
DT Malcom Brown.
RB Latavius Murray.
WR Tre’Quan Smith.
TE Josh Hill.
P Thomas Morstead

The Cardinals enter the offseason with a number of positional needs. Despite having DeAndre Hopkins, they need production at receiver. They need cornerbacks and could always use pass-rushing help.
In the latest mock draft from Pro Football Focus, a dynamic receiver falls to the middle of the first round but is selected one pick before the Cardinals’ selection at No. 16.
Many Cardinals fans would love to see Alabama receiver and Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith paired with Hopkins at receiver.
He gets selected 15th overall by the Patriots. That would be heartbreaking. The Cardinals instead land a pass rusher — Penn State’s Jayson Oweh.
Oweh is another excellent athlete who has started to round out his game. He improved significantly against the run in 2020, and he’s posted back-to-back years of 80.0-plus pass-rush grades. With his get-off and length, Oweh is just scratching the surface…he may be even better in the NFL than he was in college, Pro Football Focus.
Perhaps he has a high ceiling, but selecting a pass rusher in the first round with seven total career sacks in college seems like a reach