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.

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7 potential salary cap casualties for the Cardinals in 2020

If the Cardinals want to add even more cap space this offseason, these are players who could be cut or traded.

The Arizona Cardinals will have as much as $74 million in salary cap space when the new league year begins, depending on what moves they make with their own pending free agents before then.

They can increase that cap space by curring or trading players.

Who are potential salary-cap casualties?

RB David Johnson

Johnson’s cap hit in 2020 is more than $14 million. However, the Cardinals can’t simply cut him or they will lose more than $4 million in cap space because it would generate more than $18 million in dead money because his 2020 salary is fully guaranteed.

Cutting him is not an option, but trading him is. In a trade, they would save more than $8 million in cap space, although it would generate $6 million in dead money.

His future with the team is perhaps the most pressing question of the offseason.

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The many 2019 player disappointments for the Cardinals

There some bright spots, but there were nearly a dozen players who didn’t work out the way they were expected to.

The Arizona Cardinals had many bright spots to the 2019 season but there were a number of disappointments. Many players didn’t work out the way they should have.

Who are the disappointments of 2019?

DL Darius Philon

(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Philon was a key free agent addition and looked impactful in a short time in training camp. However, he was arrested for allegedly threatening a woman with a gun and he was immediately released. He was supposed to be the best player on the defensive line.

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Cardinals use second return from injury designation on OL Brett Toth

He gets to practice with the team for the final three weeks of the season.

A minor note this week with the Arizona Cardinals clarified a potential return of injured cornerback Robert Alford. The Cardinals used their second injury designation for return on offensive lineman Brett Toth.

Toth had been on the non-football illness list since cornerback Patrick Peterson was reinstated from his six-game suspension.

Because they designated Toth to return and previously did so with offensive lineman Jordan Mills, it means Alford, who broke his leg in training camp, is done for the season and cannot return.

The move meant Toth could return to practice. It allows the Cardinals to evaluate him before the season ends and decide if he has a place in their future.

Teams typically must reinstate a player designated to return within 21 days. Because there are fewer than 21 days left in the Cardinals’ season, Toth will not have to be reinstated before the season ends.

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. 251:

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Ep. 250:

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