The NFL Free Agency “legal tampering period” begins today. Although deals can only be made official on Wednesday, the start of the new league year, teams can begin negotiations with players’ agents over the coming days – sparking a frenzy of reports, rumours and tweets as news breaks about who is going to end up where.
The Arizona Cardinals are expected to have a busy couple of weeks ahead as they attempt to rebuild the team after a 4-13 record in the 2022 season. There will be a large turnover of players with 30 of the current roster becoming free agents and while some will be re-signed, others will need to be replaced or improved upon in the first offseason of the Ossenfort Era.
The club have a reported $36m (according to Spotrac) in cap space as things stand, with the releases of Robbie Anderson and Markus Golden creating much needed capital during the last week, as well as the restructuring of DJ Humphries’s contract.
Before we have a look at some of the potential options open to the Arizona Cardinals as the team enters the free agency period, there’s some parameters that might be helpful to follow.
Despite the team having the 5th highest available cap space at the time of writing, with so many holes to fill, that money will be eaten up a lot quicker than would normally be expected especially if either of Zach Allen and Byron Murphy re-signs.
The new look Cardinals front office will have to be savvy rather than splashy as they begin to put together the roster.
It would be great to line up next season with the additions of Javon Hargrave, Dre’Mont Jones and Jamel Dean, but it’s not going to happen so we’ve focused on players who should command a mid-tier price.
Though they are positions of need there are incredibly slim pickings at right tackle (if Kelvin Beachum doesn’t return) and wide receiver (when DHop is traded) meaning the team will be better served by prioritising them in the draft.
Cardinals fans are also more aware than most about how detrimental papering over the cracks with old, declining talent with name value can be so there’s nobody here above the age of 30. Well, there’s one exception that will be mentioned later on.
All estimated contracts are taken from PFF’s free agency rankings.
Quarterback
Jacoby Brissett – 30 years old – 2 year contract, $8m average/yr
With Kyler Murray likely to be sidelined until the middle of the 2023 season at earliest, the Cardinals will need someone under center who can keep them relatively competitive until the franchise QB can return.
Who better than Jacoby Brissett who did exactly that under the watchful eye of new AZ offensive coordinator Drew Petzing for the Cleveland Browns last season?
The quarterback started 11 games for the Browns in 2022, gaining a 88.9 QBR after throwing for 2608 yards and 12 touchdowns (with 6 interceptions) before Deshaun Watson returned to the league after his suspension. He also rushed for 238 yards and two extra touchdowns.
In that time, Brissett led 2 game winning drives over the Panthers and the Buccaneers as the Browns ground out a 4-7 record before switching to Watson.
After Petzing served as his quarterbacks coach last year, Brissett would be familiar with his offensive ideas and could also mentor Kyler Murray in working more from under center – something he did for Watson. The 30-year-old is a 4th & 1 monster who is second only to Jalen Hurts in the QB sneak which could become a prominent weapon for the Cardinals going forward.
The only concern for the Cardinals would be the possibility that another team may gamble on giving Brissett fulltime starting responsibilities rather than acting as a fill-in.
Gardner Minshew – 27 years old – 1 year contract, $3.5m average/yr
The critical issue with adding a fill-in quarterback as we wait for Murray’s return is that this team will end up losing more games than it wins to open the season because of it. Maybe a dash of Minshew Mania would make the medicine go down easier, like a spoonful of moustachioed sugar.
The former Jaguar has made 24 starts in the NFL, playing at a higher bar than many of the other options available to the Cardinals. As the backup to Jalen Hurts in Philly, Minshew has made 4 starts in two years, recording a 83.4 QBR in two games last year.
The Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year in 2018, Minshew would represent a steady hand that is familiar with Jonathan Gannon’s expectations having spent time with him at the Eagles.
CENTER
Bradley Bozeman – 28 years old – 3 year contract, $4,5m average/yr
Rodney Hudson is expected to retire (no he didn’t actually retire last year), leaving the Cardinals without a recognised center. The team will likely address this in the draft but they will still need a veteran in place in case they miss out on their top targets and/or the draftee in question needs time to acclimatise to the NFL standard.
Without Bradley Bozeman in the starting line-up last season the Panthers had a 1-5 record and were averaging 90.3 rushing yards a game. When the 28-year-old took over at center, the Panthers went 6-5 in their next 11 games and improved to a rushing average of 151.6 yards per game.
A dominant force in the run game, Bozeman has been a reliable starter since his sophomore year in the league, first with the Baltimore Ravens and then with the Panthers. He accumulated 1000+ in three of his four years at the Ravens.
The Alabama alumni would also give the Cardinals increased depth at left guard, another position of great need, having acted as the Ravens guard for two seasons before shifting to center.
Bozeman has been earmarked as a priority re-signing for a Panthers team preparing to draft their franchise QB though which would be a roadblock for any move.
Ben Jones – 33 years old – 1 year contract, vet minimum with incentives
Now, yes okay, we outlined the need to make this team younger earlier but rules are meant to be broken.
The Tennesse Titans recently parted company with Pro Bowl center Ben Jones citing a “failed physical” designation after Jones suffered a pair of concussions in 2022 forcing the previously ever-present lineman to miss five games.
The Titans gave Jones the option to retire or be released with Jones opting to test the free agency market, showcasing the character and leadership that could make him an invaluable addition to the rebuilding Cardinals – where he would link up with Monti Ossenfort, who was previously Director of Player Personnel at the Titans.
Jones isn’t a declining player either having been voted to his first Pro Bowl last year while also posting his 10th successive PFF grade of 70+ (72.6).
That level of play and experience would translate to a fantastic learning resource for any young center.
Left Guard
The Cardinals need help at both guard spots with only Marquis Hayes, Lecitus Smith and Hayden Howerton under contract.
Under the proviso that they bring back Will Hernandez who performed admirably on an ever-changing, dysfunctional offensive line, left guard would be the guard spot in most need of replenishment.
Ben Powers – 26 years old – 4 year contract, $10m average/yr
A free agent favourite of Cardinals fans, Powers saw a major improvement in his pass protecting capabilities last year with his 86.5 PFF pass block grade ranking second amongst all guards.
The former 4th round pick does need to improve on his run-blocking but if he was able to start for the Ravens then he should be good enough to start on any offensive line in the league.
The 6’4, 338 pound titan only allowed 1 QB hit all season and didn’t give up a single sack despite the Ravens having to rotate through their signal callers due to injury.
Recruiting Powers would also give Kyler Murray a familiar face to work behind when he returns, with Powers having been the starting LG on the Oklahoma Sooners OL when Murray won the Heisman Trophy.
Nick Gates – 27 years old – 2 year contract, $4.5m average/yr
If Jonathan Gannon wants “ass kickers” on his team, he could do worse than bringing Nick Gates to the desert.
A man who personifies resilience and grit, Gates overcame a frightening leg fracture, an injury so severe the leg may have been amputated, to become the starter for the Giants in 2022.
Primarily a center before his injury, which again would add depth on an Oline in need of bodies, Gates let up 1 sack and 10 pressures over 368 snaps after returning as he grew into the role of left guard which may point to his best football being ahead of him.
Right Guard
Nate Davis – 26 years old – 4 year contract, $9.5m average/yr
If the Cardinals decide not to bring back Hernandez or are outbid, Nate Davis would arguably represent an upgrade at the right guard position.
Another old face from Monti Ossenfort’s previous team in Tennessee, Davis is an athletic lineman who can get to the second level quickly which could fit in well with Petzing’s plans on offense if he incorporates similar schemes to the Cleveland Browns.
Davis is a better run blocker than pass protector but he did show improvement in pass-pro in 2022.
Near enough a Day 1 starter for the Titans after being drafted out of Charlotte, Davis would bring plenty of experience in spite of his age, logging 3709 snaps in Titan blue.
He may represent a significant expenditure at the position but adding youthful, ascending talent is never a bad thing.
Defensive Line
Even if Zach Allen signs a new deal with the Cardinals, they will need to make major investment across the defensive line, which was already a weak point of the team to begin with. JJ Watt has retired, Rashard Lawrence can’t stay healthy and Leki Fotu hasn’t progressed beyond being a rotational piece at best.
Sheldon Rankins – 28 years old – 2 year contract, $6m average/yr
The Jets had one of the better defensive crews in the league last year and Sheldon Rankins was the unsung hero of that unit.
Hitting a career best 33 tackles, the former first-rounder is solid in the run game and as a pass-rusher without being sparkling at either. Even that would be an improvement on the current Cardinals DLine.
In the last year of his 2 year deal with the Jets, Rankins had an 8.5% pressure rate as he recorded 3 sacks, 4 QB hits, 17 hurries and 25 pressures showing an ability to cause disruption up the middle.
With 31 starts over the past two seasons, in which he’s recorded at least four tackles for loss, Rankins has been a dependable option for both the Saints and the Jets.
Matt Ioannidis – 29 years old – 2 year contract, $6.5m average/yr
Ioaniddis is a consistent pass rusher who can play across the defensive front who ranked 44th out of 126 interior defenders according to PFF rankings in 2022.
With 25.5 sacks in 82 games during his 7 year career, Ioaniddis would provide the experience to help mentor Cam Thomas, Myjai Sanders and any rookie pass-rushers this year while also still offering effective on-field performances.
Playing with the Panthers in 2022, the 29-year-old was 31st in PFF’s pass-rush grading (69.1) with 26 hurries, combining well with nose tackle Derrick Brown. With a number of big, beefy boys available in the draft, the Cardinals could recreate something similar this time around.
Cornerback
With Byron Murphy looking at offers upwards of $16m a year in free agency according to NFL reporter Tom Pelissero, it’s unlikely he’ll be back in Cardinal red next season. That places increased importance on the Cardinals investing wisely in the secondary in free agency and the draft.
James Bradberry – 29 years old – 2 year contract, $12m average/yr
Super Bowl defining penalty aside, Bradberry was in stunning form for the Philadelphia Eagles last year, with Jonathan Gannon as his defensive coordinator.
2022 was one of the better seasons of the Samford graduate’s career, being the third in the row resulting in 17+ pass break ups and a league leading 4.7 yards allowed per pass completion.
His 46% completion allowed was 4th best amongst all CBs while Bradberry’s 19 forced incompletions ranked 2nd. That top-tier level of performance was rewarded as the 29-year-old was named Second Team All-Pro.
The 6”1 corner is aware of the type of culture that Jonathan Gannon will be developing within the building, he will be familiar with the defensive concepts that Nick Rallis will put in place and there aren’t many better cornerbacks available on the market.
It just makes too much sense.
Shaquill Griffin – 27 years old – 1 year contract, $2.5m average/yr
Griffin’s big money move to Jacksonville did not work out. After signing a three-year, $44.5m contract in 2021, the former Seahawk was released earlier this month after spending most of 2022 on injured reserve after a back injury in training camp.
When healthy, Griffin is still a capable option on the boundary and will have to take a much cheaper “prove it” deal that could end up being a bargain if he re-discovers the kind of form that saw him named to the Pro Bowl in 2019 and post a 72 PFF rating in 2021.
Sean Murphy-Bunting – 25 years old, 2 year contract, $3.75m average/yr
After battling injuries in 2021 and 2022, Murphy-Bunting bounced back in the final four games of the season, with 6 passes defended, an interception and forced fumble as Bucs fans saw flashes of the young star who lit up their Super Bowl winning run.
The injuries are a concern having led to Murphy-Bunting missing 12 games in two years, but across his first four campaigns the corner has still managed to feature in 53 games with 36 starts. In that time, SMB amassed six interceptions, twenty-one passed defended, four forced fumbles and six tackles for loss.
Comfortable inside or outside, the 25-year-old represents a promising reclamation project for a team who is willing to bet on him.
Photo Credits: Charlotte Observer, Rich Schultz, Getty Images, Baltimore Ravens
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