With three seasons in the books, let’s reflect on the 2020 NFL draft class
Now that we are three years removed from the 2020 NFL draft class, we can start to get a semblance of what they are as professional football players.
Why do you need three years before you fully grade out a class? It’s simple. The development of young players takes time. The college game is competitive, but also incredibly different. The speed and spacing of the game is different on a significant level.
Now that the class has had three seasons to adjust to the NFL game, we can properly assess if the Vikings picked good players at each of their 15 picks.
The Cardinals have a need at cornerback again. Here are some options to fill that void.
The Arizona Cardinals signed former first-round pick Jeff Gladney to play a prominent role at cornerback in 2022. His tragic death in a car accident in Texas leaves a void they will need to fill before the season.
As of now, the starting cornerbacks will be Byron Murphy, Marco Wilson and Antonio Hamilton.
They are likely to address the cornerback position with available free agents.
Cornerback Jeff Gladney, signed by the Arizona Cardinals this offseason to a two-year contract, has died. The 25-year-old former first-round draft pick of the Minnesota Vikings, was killed in a car accident Monday.
Gladney was the 31st overall pick by the Vikings in 2020 out of TCU. He played in 15 games with no interceptions and 81 total tackles (63 solo, 18 assisted).
On April 5, 2021, Gladney turned himself in to authorities on a felony family violence assault charge in Dallas, after he was alleged to have struck his girlfriend during an argument. He was indicted on August 3, 2021, for domestic violence.
The Vikings released Gladney after the indictment.
On March 10, 2022, he was found not guilty.
Six days later, he signed with the Arizona Cardinals.
Former Minnesota Vikings cornerback Jeff Gladney has reportedly died at the age of 25.
The former TCU standout was drafted by the Vikings with the No. 31 overall pick in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft. However, it was a short-lived stay as the team ultimately released him in 2021.
He was slated to return to the football field with the Arizona Cardinals after signing a two-year deal with the team in free agency back in March. There were videos surfacing of him getting back on the practice field and preparing to finally contribute to an NFL team after a season layoff.
Tragically, news of his passing hit social media on Monday with people beginning to respond through posts, including Gladney’s former college teammate and Philadelphia Eagles receiver Jalen Reagor.
Lost my Brother, my best friend, my right hand man… ain’t too much more I can take man damn!
The Cardinals are counting on three players with less than four years of experience in the league to be their starters.
The Arizona Cardinals’ defensive success in 2022 could be determined by the play they get at cornerback. In fact, because of how general manager Steve Keim has built the room, we get to see just how well they evaluate young cornerback talent.
Why?
They are relying on three young players to be their starters — Byron Murphy, Marco Wilson and Jeff Gladney
He ended up a starter as a rookie. He had late struggles but was more than adequate for much of the year.
They signed Gladney this offseason after his legal troubles were cleared up. Originally drafted in the first round in 2020 by the Minnesota Vikings, he missed a year after being charged with assault. He was acquitted and the Cardinals signed him this offseason.
On more than one occasion, front office executives have been bullish. Director of pro personnel Dru Grigson considers the signing of Gladney like getting another first-round pick. Vice president of player personnel Quentin Harris believes Gladney is a potential steal in free agency.
None of the three is exactly an established player.
Because the Cardinals are counting on these three players, they are banking on their ability to evaluate young cornerback talent.
They don’t have to necessarily be great, but they need to be consistent and solid. If they are not, it raises questions about how the Cardinals scout and evaluate cornerbacks.
The Cardinals have high hopes for the former 2020 first-round pick.
One of the only moves the Arizona Cardinals have made this offseason to bring in a free agent from another team was the signing of cornerback Jeff Gladney. The former first-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings signed a two-year deal to join the Cardinals.
Arizona is counting on Gladney’s upside to help the cornerback room, which dealt with depth issues late in the season.
He had an arrest to deal with last year, which led to the Vikings releasing him but he was acquitted of those charges in court. According to Cardinals vice president of player personnel Quentin Harris, appearing on The Dave Pasch Podcast, the “off-field issues have been cleaned up.”
They are excited about the addition of Gladney.
Harris said the Cardinals “loved him” when he came out in the draft in 2020.
“We feel like that’s another steal,” Harris said. “We had a first-round grade on him.”
Signing Gladney helps in other ways.
“We are getting a young player in our building,” he added. “The depth was a concern last year so I think we addressed that with adding him.
“He’s a press-corner guy and you know (defensive coordinator Vance Joseph) likes to play man defense. But also, this guy is smart. When we ask him to get into zones, he shows the aptitude for that.”
He is projected to start for the Cardinals along with Byron Murphy and Marco Wilson.
If he plays the way they believe he can, he will truly be one of the biggest steals of free agency.
Gladney, who was released by the Vikings due to domestic abuse allegations, was proven unanimously innocent in court and suddenly found himself a widely sought-after free agent. A first round selection in 2020, Gladney still has an unknown ceiling and one that could pay off well for the Cards.
They anticipate him being a starter and they love his upside.
“We got an extra first round-pick in free agency,” said Dru Grigson, the Cardinals’ director of player personnel on the Big Red Rage radio show earlier this month. “(He is) incredibly quick-footed, highly instinctive player.
“We’re getting a starter in our building without having to waste any draft capital.”
Arizona Sports 98.7’s John Gambadoro reported interest in twelve teams to sign the former TCU product. Two of those included the division rival Rams and 49ers. It’s always reassuring to have outbid multiple teams for a free agent, as it validates your view on a player.
Gladney signed a two-year, $6.5 million dollar deal, numbers that indicated he was to receive significant playing time. It has been widely reported that the Cards view him as a starter. Grigson’s comments only re-affirmed their belief in him. As of right now, Gladney projects to take Robert Alford’s position from last year, though there may still be interest in having both on the roster.
There is the potential for high upside with the signings of cornerback Jeff Gladney and guard Will Hernandez.
The Arizona Cardinals have not made a splash this offseason free agency yet. Their biggest contracts have gone to re-sign two of their own free agents — tight end Zach Ertz and running back James Conner.
They have only added three players in free agency who were not on the team last season.
Two of those additions have the potential to be big bargains, depending on their performance in the upcoming season, much like their deal with Conner last season was.
Which two of their additions have high upside with a low price tag?
Here are the details to Jeff Gladney’s two-year, $6.5 million deal with the Cardinals.
The sole move in free agency the Arizona Cardinals have made to bring in an outside player is the signing of cornerback Jeff Gladney. Gladney, a former first-round pick in 2020, signed a two-year contract with the Cardinals.
Gladney played only one season for the Minnesota Vikings, who selected him 31st overall in the draft. He played in all 16 games and had 81 tackles, three pass breakups and a forced fumble.
After getting charged and indicted on assault charges against his former girlfriend, the Vikings released him in August 2021. He was acquitted by a jury and the Cardinals signed him.
The details of his contract are out, via Over the Cap. It is a two-year, $6.5 million deal.
Jeff Gladney contract details
The two-year deal includes $4 million that is fully guaranteed.
He receives $2 million in a signing bonus.
His 2022 salary will be $1.5 million. It is fully guaranteed. It firmly secures a roster spot for him. He is projected to be a starter this season.
His 2023 salary is scheduled to be $2.5 million, $500,000 of which is fully guaranteed.
