Cardinals offseason positional outlook: Cornerback

A look back at 2019 and what could happen in 2020 at the position.

Things did not go as expected for the Arizona Cardinals at cornerback. They hope things improve without a lot of change in 2020. In our offseason series looking at each position group, this is our focus today.

We will look back at 2019, see who remains on the roster and answer the offseason questions there might be.

2019 review

Cornerback was supposed to be a position of strength in 2019. They signed Robert Alford to pair him with Patrick Peterson. They signed a capable veteran in Tramaine Brock and drafted Byron Murphy.

Then things went wrong. Peterson was suspended for the first six games. He came back and struggled for two months. Alford broke his leg in training camp and never played. Brock and Murphy were forced into the No. 1 and No. 2 roles and did about as well as they could.

But ultimately, the Cardinals had one of the league’s worst pass defenses — they were terrifically bad.

Peterson played the worst of his career until December and then returned to be what he has normally been. Murphy struggled as a rookie. Brock was eventually released.

However, there might not be much change in 2020.

[protected-iframe id=”49d17d02e4b4056aec890dec09602b51-112738498-106269283″ info=”https://api.spreaker.com/v2/episodes/22949040/download.mp3″ ]

Pages: 123456

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.

[protected-iframe id=”5a077b6c80e43549964e9cb25d81401e-112738498-106269283″ info=”https://api.spreaker.com/v2/episodes/21468690/download.mp3″ ]

Pages: 123

Cardinals place Tanner Vallejo, Kevin Peterson on IR; make flurry of roster moves

They add three to the roster, place two on IR and add two to the practice squad.

The Arizona Cardinals made a number of rosters moves Wednesday leading up to the start of practice in Week 16 to prepare for the Seattle Seahawks. They placed two players on injured reserve, signed two players and added a pair to the practice squad.

Linebacker Tanner Vallejo’s stint with the Cardinals didn’t last long. After playing two games, he was placed on injured reserve with an injury to his ribs. Cornerback Kevin Peterson was also placed on IR with a shoulder injury.

With these two moves and the release of Terrell Suggs last Friday, they had three roster spots to fill.

They promoted linebacker Vontarrius Dora to the 53-man roster and poached a pair of players off other teams’ practice squads. They signed cornerback Andre Chachere off the Carolina Panthers’ practice squad and linebacker Keishawn Bierria off the Jacksonville Jaguars’ practice squad.

They also added cornerback Duke Thomas and linebacker Jamey Mosley to the practice squad.

For the bios of the new players, as given by the team in a press release, go to the next pages.

[protected-iframe id=”65599ee7743ebac0198fabf66970f0d8-112738498-106269283″ info=”https://api.spreaker.com/v2/episodes/20854910/download.mp3″ ]

Pages: 123456

Cardinals inactives: Byron Murphy, Kevin Peterson set to play

Newly promoted CB Jalen Davis will not dress for the game, suggesting Murphy and Peterson are good to go against the Steelers.

The Arizona Cardinals are set to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers at home Sunday afternoon. They entered the weekend with questions about the depth at cornerback as both Byron Murphy and Kevin Peterson were listed as questionable.

The team released its list of inactive for Week 14 and both Murphy and Peterson are active.

Here is the list of inactives:

WR KeeSean Johnson
CB Jalen Davis
LB Kylie Fitts
S Deionte Thompson
OL Lamont Gaillard
OL Joshua Miles
TE Dan Arnold

With Davis inactive after getting promoted to the active roster Saturday, it suggests that both Murphy and Peterson will play.

Johnson is inactive for the second straight game, giving Damiere Byrd the second straight game to play. Byrd went without a catch last week against the Rams.

Arnold is a new addition to the team and, being the fourth tight end on the roster, is no surprise to be inactive.

Thompson is a little surprising. It means Jalen Thompson is good to go and that the team would rather have Charles Washington or Chris Banjo fill in if there is an injury.

The Cardinals and Steelers will kick off at 2:25 p.m. Arizona time.

[vertical-gallery id=427322]

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

[protected-iframe id=”ee3442976e811ebdf9032e21cf434833-112738498-106269283″ info=”https://api.spreaker.com/v2/episodes/20478076/download.mp3″ ]

Final Cardinals injury report: CBs Byron Murphy, Kevin Peterson questionable

They could be shorthanded in the secondary against the Steelers this weekend.

The Arizona Cardinals released their final injury report of the week on Friday and had two new additions to it that could affect their defense on Sunday. Both Byron Murphy and Kevin Peterson were limited and could leave the Cardinals shorthanded in the secondary.

Nobody was ruled out for the Cardinals but five are listed as questionable.

Questionable

OL Max Garcia (toe)
CB Byron Murphy (calf)
CB Kevin Peterson (shoulder)
OL A.Q. Shipley (illness)
S Jalen Thompson (concussion)

Garcia and Thompson were full participants on Friday so they should be available on Sunday. However, if Thompson didn’t get enough practice reps, fellow rookie Deionte Thompson could get the start at safety.

Shipley should be good to go. Kliff Kingsbury noted a stomach illness has been going around. J.R. Sweezy missed one day of practice but was upgraded each day, finishing the week as a full participant. Shipley missed Thursday and was limited on Friday. If the same trend follows, he should be in the lineup.

Peterson and Murphy’s injuries are new and both were limited Friday. At least one of them will have to be able to play. They only have four cornerbacks on the roster. If one can’t go, Chris Jones will see significant playing time. If the Cardinals end up signing a cornerback Saturday, it will signal that one will not be able to go.

Veteran linebacker Terrell Suggs got the day off of practice Friday. It was the first week in quite some time he did not sit out of multiple days of practice.

The Cardinals will play the Steelers on Sunday at home at 2:25 p.m. local time.

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

[protected-iframe id=”ee3442976e811ebdf9032e21cf434833-112738498-106269283″ info=”https://api.spreaker.com/v2/episodes/20478076/download.mp3″ ]

Kevin Peterson, Chris Jones get opportunity to prove themselves in final 4 games

Kliff Kingsbury says a combination of the two players will take over for the playing time Tramaine Brock used to get.

The Arizona Cardinals made a somewhat surprising move early in the week when they waived veteran cornerback Tramaine Brock. Brock wasn’t necessarily the reason why the Cardinals have struggled with their pass defense but the team felt it needed to go a different direction over the final month of the season.

“Tramaine gave us some good games and was injured,” Kliff Kingsbury told reporters in Monday. “We’re going to play some younger players. We’re always looking to turn over the roster and improve, so that’s how it came about.”

Those younger players are Chris Jones and Kevin Peterson. Jones began the season on the roster and got playing time early on. He was released and spent time on the practice squad until recently.

Peterson was acquired via a waiver claim before the season began. He took over Jones’ spot during Patrick Peterson’s suspension and has played little other than on special teams since Peterson’s return.

Kingsbury said that the playing time created by Brock’s departure would be “a combination of both” guys.

While Pro Football Focus numbers state that Brock was the team’s highest-graded cornerback in coverage, clearly there were other problems. Kingsbury said his release “wasn’t a one-game type of situation.”

Patrick Peterson and Byron Murphy typically play every snap during games. Kevin Peterson and Jones are expected now to split the snaps at third cornerback. Both will play outside cornerback. Murphy now slides inside to the slot when the Cardinals are in nickel.

From what we have seen from both this season, Jones is a more physical cornerback and a willing tackler. Peterson has made more plays on the football and seems to be superior in coverage but is not physical and doesn’t give the Cardinals much in run support.

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

[protected-iframe id=”ee3442976e811ebdf9032e21cf434833-112738498-106269283″ info=”https://api.spreaker.com/v2/episodes/20478076/download.mp3″ ]

Cardinals, Rams share 4 player connections

Each team has two players who spent time on the other team’s roster previously.

The Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams will face off this weekend at State Farm Stadium. Both teams have a pair of players who used to play for the other. There are two former Cardinals on the Rams’ roster and two former Rams on the Cardinals’ roster.

Who are they?

WR Pharoh Cooper

Cooper was drafted by the Rams in the fourth round in 2016 and played three seasons for them. He was even a Pro Bowl and All-Pro returner in 2017. The Rams cut him in 2018 and the Cardinals claimed him off waivers.

[protected-iframe id=”7c5e8594ce7da58c26fdaf8b0a9bcd70-112738498-106269283″ info=”https://api.spreaker.com/v2/episodes/20312310/download.mp3″ ]

Pages: 1234