Special teams unit could look quite different for Cardinals in 2021

Their kickers, punter and seven of their top special teams players are all scheduled to be free agents this offseason.

The Arizona Cardinals have had stability in their special teams unit over the last couple of seasons. That could change this offseason.

Almost all their top special teams players are free agents.

Kicker Zane Gonzalez and punter Andy Lee are scheduled to be free agents. There is question as to whether the Cardinals want Gonzalez back, but his late-season replacement, Mike Nugent, is also a free agent.

Trent Sherfield, Dennis Gardeck, Ezekiel Turner, Chris Banjo, D.J. Foster and Charles Washington, all of whom have been core special teams in almost all their special teams units, are all scheduled to hit free agency.

Sherfield, Gardeck and Turner are restricted free agents. Gardeck is also recovering from a torn ACL.

If you also add Tanner Vallejo, who also will be a free agent, all their field goals, punts and 67 of their special teams tackles this season are all going to be free agents.

Aside from Gonzalez’ struggles last year in the kicking game, special teams has been pretty strong. That might change if they lose too many of these key contributors this offseason.

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Contracts for S Charles Washington, DL Trevon Coley completely unguaranteed

Both will make $825,000 in 2020 if they make the team. Neither received any signing bonus.

Two players with whom the Arizona Cardinals agreed to one-year contracts are safety Charles Washington and defensive lineman Trevon Coley. Washington returns to the team after playing one year, having been acquired off a waiver claim before the 2019 season. Coley is a new addition to the defensive lineman but was a starter for the Cleveland Browns in 2017 and 2018.

The details for both their contracts are in and the Cardinals have taken zero risk on either player. According to Over the Cap, neither player was given a signing bonus and neither has any salary guarantees for 2020.

Washington will make $825,000, the league minimum for a fourth-year player.

Coley’s contract is identical. He got no guaranteed money or signing bonus and will make $825,000 for the 2020 season if he makes the team.

Washington was a core special teams player in 2019 but missed several games with injuries. He did not play at all on defense.

He will have to prove his worth on special teams again to make the team.

Coley has a chance to make the team and be at least a rotational player on the defensive line.

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Cardinals announce return of S Charles Washington for 2020

He played exclusively on special teams in 2019 and picked up a career-high seven special teams tackles, which was tied for second on the team.

The Arizona Cardinals have announced the return of another of their own free agents. On Tuesday, along with guard Max Garcia, the team announced safety Charles Washington agreed to terms on a one-year contract to come back for the 2020 season.

Washington was acquired after the 2019 preseason on a waiver claim after being cut by the Detroit Lions.

He appeared in 12 games for the Cardinals last season, playing exclusively on special teams. He had seven special teams tackles, tied for second on the team. It was a career high in that category for him.

Washington was a restricted free agent but was not tendered a qualifying offer. He still chose to return.

Adding Washington gives the Cardinals five safeties on the roster. They have projected starters Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson, 2019 fifth-round pick Deionte Thompson, Washington and Chris Banjo, who agreed to terms on a contract to return in 2020. Banjo and Washington are core special team players.

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Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Sub scribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.

Ep. 261

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Ep. 260

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What should the Cardinals do with their 3 restricted free agents?

Only one is worth offering a tender to protect the possibility of him signing elsewhere.

The Arizona Cardinals have three players who will be restricted free agents. If the Cardinals tender them they will have the possibility to match any offer another team gives the player and, depending on the type of tender, can receive draft compensation if they let the player sign with the other team.

Based on Over The Cap’s projections, the three tenders will pay a player the following:

First-round tender: $4.667 million
Second-round tender: $3.278 million
Original round tender: $2.144 million

The Cardinals do not use the tenders often. In recent years, they used them on safety Tony Jefferson, receiver Jaron Brown and safety D.J. Swearinger.

Knowing this, what should the Cardinals decide to do with their three pending restricted free agents?

S Charles Washington

Washington is a core special teams player, but there are dozens of players like him in the league. He wouldn’t be anything more than the last or second-to-last safety on the roster. That isn’t necessarily a player a team would want to pay more than $2 million unless he is a Pro Bowl-caliber player.

He is a nice player to have, but the Cardinals shouldn’t tender him. He is certainly worth trying to sign to a deal for less than the tender, but not worth tendering.

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