Tag: Robert Alford

Why the Cardinals should trade for Desmond King

With Robert Alford going down with a season-ending injury, the Cardinals could target a quality player in the trade market.

Following cornerback Robert Alfords’ season-ending pectoral injury, there is a big hole at the second starting cornerback spot for the Arizona Cardinals. Many fans have been wanting the Cardinals to sign Logan Ryan who is surprisingly still available. Many see him as the best player available, but there are a few reasons why that might not work out. Ryan said he wants to play safety and if he is fine with playing cornerback, he is best suited for the slot where Byron Murphy has been practicing. Plus, the Cardinals only have around $5 million in salary cap space to spend currently and Keim usually likes to keep around that much during the season in case of injuries.

Another option would be to acquire Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Desmond King. Let’s see why it could work.

Why it makes sense for the Cardinals

King would be a great and realistic option for the Cardinals to replace Alford. The 25-year-old cornerback carries a cap hit of just $2.2 million this season, making him an affordable option for Arizona. King is very talented at his position, having just been a First-Team All-Pro in 2018. He can play both slot and outside giving the team flexibility. Given that he is a free agent after this season, he wouldn’t cost much in a trade either.

Why it makes sense for the Chargers

King is currently scheduled to be a free agent following the 2021 season and, looking at the Chargers’ long and talented list of impending free agents, it is unlikely they will be able to offer him a contract. The Chargers also already have a great cornerback room after they signed Chris Harris to a contract. They were rumored to be shopping King earlier in the offseason. It would make sense for the team to trade him now and try and net a second or third-round pick rather than keep him then let him walk for nothing. 

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and

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Cardinals held tryout for veteran CB B.W. Webb

The 30-year-old veteran has played for eight teams since 2013 and has been fairly effective in the slot.

The Arizona Cardinals have lost starting cornerback Robert Alford for the season, as he tore a pectoral muscle in practice on Sunday. This leaves a big void in the defense they will need to fill.

Some veteran free agent cornerbacks are available, including some who have some experience with defensive coordinator Vance Joseph or a similar defense in their careers.

While they did not take a look at any of those players, they did bring in a veteran cornerback for a tryout.

According to SI.com’s Albert Breer, citing the NFL’s tryout list, the Cardinals brought in B.W. Webb.

Webb has been in the NFL since 2013 and has spent time on eight NFL rosters. Most recently, he played 15 games, starting 12 games, for the Cincinnati Bengals. He had 37 tackles, an interception and seven pass breakups.

He has also been a starter for the New York Giants and New Orleans Saints, starting 33 games over the last four seasons.

He is much more effective as a slot cornerback, so if he is signed, that could move Byron Murphy, originally slated to play nickel this season, to the outside full time.

Webb is 5-11 and 188 pounds, and has four career interceptions and 27 career pass breakups.

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

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Report: Robert Alford out for season with torn pectoral

He will have missed two straight seasons because of injuries suffered in training camp.

Arizona Cardinals cornerback Robert Alford will miss the entire season for the second year in a row. After it was reported he suffered a pectoral injury on Sunday in training camp, an update tells us it is the worst-case scenario.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Alford’s injury is a torn pectoral. He will need surgery and will miss the entire 2020 season.

It will be the second straight season he misses the entire year. Last year in training camp, he broke his leg and never played a down.

Alford was signed in 2019 to a three-year deal after being released by the Atlanta Falcons. He will make $5.95 million in salary in 2020 and counts $7.5 million against the cap.

Now the task will be to find his replacement. Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph recently said the health of his starting cornerbacks would be “critical” to their success in 2020. Now they are down a starting outside corner.

Currently, the backups are Chris Jones and Kevin Peterson, who both played last season, 2019 practice squadder Duke Thomas and undrafted rookies Zane Lewis and Jace Whittaker.

They might feel it is necessary to go out and sign a veteran.

The Cardinals seem to lose at least one starter for the year in the preseason every year in training camp.

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

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and

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Health starting CBs ‘critical’ to Cardinals’ defensive success, says DC Vance Joseph

Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph says the defense looks completely different with Patrick Peterson and Robert Alford.

The Arizona Cardinals had the league’s worst pass defense in 2019. Of course, they started the season with Tramaine Brock, rookie Byron Murphy and an undrafted second-year player in Chris Jones playing all their snaps at cornerback. Patrick Peterson was suspended for six games and Robert Alford broke his leg in training camp and would miss the entire season.

Things are different this year. Peterson will start the season on the field. Alford is healthy.

It gives a completely different look for the defense.

“It’s nice to have our two starting corners,” said defensive coordinator Vance Joseph after practice on Thursday in training camp. “A couple of months ago, I watched every practice from training camp and it was Pat P. and Alford, and it’s a different defense when you’ve got two mature corners that can win their one-on-ones.”

Joseph’s defensive scheme works when he has guys who can cover on the outside.

“That makes a 3-4 defense go,” he said. “If you can play man coverage, it makes calling games easier, it makes gameplans a lot easier.”

They don’t have proven depth, which could be an issue. They need their starters to stay on the field.

“You need three or four corners to play well for you,” he said. “We’ve got three guys in my mind that are proven. (We’re) trying to find a four and a five. Having those corners healthy Week 1 is critical for our success.”

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

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WATCH: Atlanta Falcons All-Decade CB highlights

The Atlanta Falcons have been rolling out their All-Decade team over the past few weeks while the country collectively tries to remember what it was like when things were normal.

The Atlanta Falcons have been rolling out their All-Decade team over the past few weeks while the country collectively tries to remember what it was like when things were normal.

Atlanta’s defensive starting lineup has been announced, and as the team did with its All-Decade safety and defensive line groups, Twitter released a highlight video of starting cornerbacks Robert Alford and Desmond Trufant.

Check it out below.

Alford was drafted in 2013 and played for the Falcons until 2018, recording 303 tackles (250 solo) and 10 INTs in six seasons. Trufant, who was released in the offseason for salary cap space, played from 2013-2019 and made a Pro Bowl in 2015.

In 2020, Alford will suit up for the Arizona Cardinals, while Trufant just signed with the Detroit Lions.

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Potentially empty stadiums won’t faze Cardinals CB Robert Alford

He joked that games in college at Southeastern Louisiana barely had fans in the stadium.

If the NFL season begins this season, it is possible games will have to be played in empty stadiums because of the coronavirus pandemic. It would create an interesting situation for the players, who are used to crowd noise and fans cheering.

It might rattle some players, but not Arizona Cardinals cornerback Robert Alford.

“I’m self-motivated. You have to be self-motivated. Wher I come from, I come from a small school, so there weren’t hardly any fans in the stands anyway,” he said in a video conference with reporters.

Alford played collegiately at Southeastern Louisiana. Attendance at their games was under 10,000 regularly.

Alford said he has always played “with a chip on (his) shoulders.”

While some might believe that the play on the field might change because of the lack of fan energy in the stadium, Alford says it is about motivation.

“Once you have a dream or you have a goal that you have set for a team, I don’t think that it really matters as far as playing with fans,” he said. “I think you just have to be self-motvated and you have to motivate each other each and every day that you step on the grass. For game purposes, if there’s not fans, you have to be self-motivated.”

Ideally, when the Cardinals take the field this season, there will be fan. But if not, Alford will help lead the Cardinals to playing at a high level for each other.

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

Ep. 267

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Ep. 266

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‘The sky’s the limit’ on defense for Cardinals after new additions, says CB Robert Alford

He likes the upgrades in the front seven and the continuity in the secondary.

Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson made some noise recently, saying this version of the team is the best, at least on paper, that he has been on since he entered the league in 2011. Another Cardinals cornerback is optimistic for the type of the season the team can have in 2020.

Robert Alford, who missed all last season with a broken leg, also sees huge potential in the team.

“I feel like the sky’s the limit for us,” he said on a video conference with reporters this week, referring not only to the defense but also the offense, although he was asked about the defense. “We’ve all just got to go out and just compete and bring W’s.”

He is confident in the additions the Cardinals made in the offseason to the defensive front seven, signing defensive lineman Jordan Phillips, linebacker De’Vondre Campbell and linebacker Devon Kennard, as well as drafting linebacker Isaiah Simmons.

“I’m very confident in the front that we have now,” he said. “(Defensive coordinator) Vance (Joseph) and the guys, they have done a great deal this offseason in bringing in the new guys and I feel like they are going to translate and help us out a lot.”

The secondary, though, remains unchanged in terms of personnel. That is helping in the virtual meetings, where he says everyone is on top of the playbook.

“We pretty know what each of us is thinking,” he said.

They haven’t been able to get on the field yet. But if the front seven is better, and it should be, that will help the secondary, who all know their roles better.

That doesn’t guarantee a championship defense, but it does take away the talent barriers they had a year ago.

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

Ep. 267

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Ep. 266

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Cardinals CB Robert Alford didn’t let injury keep him from being part of team in 2019

“I’m on top of the playbook,” he said. “Everything is second nature now.”

The Arizona Cardinals were unfortunate to lose cornerback Robert Alford for the entire season to a broken leg in practice during training camp. He was supposed to be the team’s No. 1 cornerback while Patrick Peterson was suspended for the first six games.

Often, when a player has an injury that keeps him out for the whole year, he can become a little isolated from the team and it can be a lost season.

That wasn’t the case for Alford.

Despite the injury, he made sure he maintained a mental focus as if he was playing.

“Last year when I was out, I still treated it like I was actually going into a game setting each and every week and playing,” he explained to reporters on a video conference.  “I was still going to meetings. I was still going to practice. I just made sure that I was still in tune with the team. I didn’t want to let the injury keep me say or make me feel like that I wasn’t a part of the team.”

As a result, despite not having played a down in the Cardinals’ defense under coordinator Vance Joseph, he doesn’t feel like a newcomer.

“I was still going through everything like I was still playing, so, pretty much, I’m on top of the playbook,” he said. “Everything is second nature now.”

Alford will be the one “new” face in the defensive backfield, as the Cardinals have added no one who wasn’t on the team a year ago. But he isn’t new to the playbook.

Part of what the Cardinals are banking on are players like Alford in the secondary playing well from the start of the season.

Alford is already integrated. He knows the playbook.

If comes back from the broken leg and plays like a solid No. 2 corner, the Cardinals’ defense will be much better.

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

Ep. 267

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Ep. 266

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Cardinals CB Robert Alford completely healthy, waiting for offseason program

“Right now I’m ready to rock. I’m just ready for them to set the date we can come back for the offseason and start things rolling.”

The Arizona Cardinals have not signed any cornerbacks to the roster this offseason in free agency but do essentially get a new player. Robert Alford, signed last season after being released by the Atlanta Falcons, is back and ready after missing all last season with a broken leg.

He can’t wait for things to start up this offseason after restrictions are lifted related to the coronavirus pandemic.

“I’m feeling good. I’m 100 percent,” he told Lisa Matthews in an interview on On the Fly. “Right now I’m ready to rock. I’m just ready for them to set the date we can come back for the offseason and start things rolling.”

Alford broke his leg in an outside practice in training camp so he hasn’t done any football activities since last August.

It won’t be like he is a newcomer, though. He is familiar with the Cardinals’ defense.

“Pretty much I was able to grasp the playbook with me being out,” he said.

If things go as expected, Alford will join Patrick Peterson as the two starting border cornerbacks and 2019 second-round pick Byron Murphy will be the team’s slot cornerback.

It was the secondary the team envisioned after last year’s draft, but with Alford’s injury and Peterson’s six-game suspension, the Cardinals were without their two top corners for nearly half the season.

Alford promises some fun with Peterson.

“We’re going to give them something to cheer,” said.

He is like the rest of us when it comes to football.

“I’m just ready to go.”

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

Ep. 263

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Ep. 262

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The best and worst contracts on the Cardinals roster

See where the Cardinals have made good deals and not so good deals.

Free agency in the NFL in the year 2020 is off to an exciting start and the Arizona Cardinals have been extremely involved in the process.

The Cardinals have done over $100 million in deals in the 2020 offseason and still sit at around $9 million in remaining cap space according to Spotrac.

While every deal isn’t necessarily a great deal, here’s a look at some of the best and worst contracts that the Cardinals’ currently have on their roster:

Best: WR DeAndre Hopkins

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This one is an absolute no-brainer.

The Cardinals have arguably the best wide receiver in the league at a very reasonable cost in former Houston Texans All-Pro receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Hopkins was sent to the Cardinals from the Texans in a controversial and widely criticized trade involving former Cardinals star running back David Johnson where the Texans would receive the Cardinals’ 2020 second-round pick and their 2021 fourth-round pick. The Cardinals would also receive the Texans’ 2020 fourth-round pick in the trade.

What makes this contract so valuable is the fact that Hopkins has the eighth-highest salary at his position at $16.2 million. To put it into retrospect, Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones has the highest average yearly salary at $22 million. Hopkins’ yearly average is lower than notable players such as Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green ($17.865 million) and Cleveland Browns receiver Odell Beckham Jr. ($18 million).

The interesting caveat is that Hopkins has no dead cap, meaning that if the Cardinals somehow cut him or trade him, they would not face any dead money hit for doing so.

This may be the biggest value trade in the entire NFL for years to come.

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