Cardinals address defense in free agency first wave
The Cardinals largely stuck to their plan of focusing on defense in free agency, and while they did address some needs on offense, the team has set itself up to address other offensive gaps — like at wide receiver — in the draft.
Arizona signed cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting, linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. and defensive linemen Justin Jones, Bilal Nichols and Khyiris Tonga. Cornerback and pass rusher were their two free agency priorities, and while the Cardinals added at both positions, they still want another cornerback and edge rushers.
On offense, the team signed tackle Jonah Williams to a two-year contract after releasing longtime left tackle D.J. Humphries, who suffered a torn ACL in Week 17 and wasn’t expected to be ready when the season begins. That signing, in large part, was for need: The Cardinals couldn’t afford to have quarterback Kyler Murray get injured while waiting for Humphries to return.
The team also signed running back DeeJay Dallas as a potential backup to James Conner. Linebacker Krys Barnes and defensive lineman L.J. Collier were re-signed, and Arizona kept its depth on the offensive line with deals for Trystan Colon, Keith Ismael and Elijah Wilkinson, who was Arizona’s starting left guard last season.
The NFL as a whole saw things reshuffle with the wide receiver market Thursday, and Arizona had its hand in it. The Cardinals traded wide receiver Rondale Moore to the Atlanta Falcons for quarterback Desmond Ridder on Thursday. Later, the Los Angeles Chargers traded Keenan Allen to the Chicago Bears a day after releasing Mike Williams. Less than an hour later, former Cardinals wide receiver Marquise Brown agreed to sign a one-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs.
• Why the Bears traded Justin Fields now
• Browns banking on 2023 core
• Panthers resetting in free agency
• Saquon, Giants weren’t built to last
• Why Packers chose Jacobs over Jones
• Can Jets replace Huff’s sack production?
That left the Cardinals with Michael Wilson and Zach Pascal as leading contenders to start. Greg Dortch, an exclusive rights free agent, announced on X that he will be back next season but hasn’t appeared to sign his deal yet. Arizona and former Tennessee Titans wide receiver Chris Moore also agreed to a deal, according to reports.
They’ll add depth pieces in the receiver room, but it appears Arizona has set itself up to address the WR1 hole in the draft. The Cardinals have been linked to former Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., projected in ESPN insider Field Yates’s mock draft to land with Arizona at the No. 4 pick.
With quarterbacks expected to be the top three picks, Arizona and the Chargers — who own pick No. 5 — are possible landing spots for Harrison. The Chargers would have to leap the Cardinals to pick him, however, three NFL personnel sources don’t expect that to happen for various reasons.
One said the compensation would be too much for Los Angeles.
“You have to pay quarterback prices to get into the top 3,” the source said.
• Tracking deals, cuts, trades | Key dates
• Best remaining free agents (ESPN+)
• Grading the biggest moves (ESPN+)
• Every coach hiring | Franchise tags
• NFL draft order | Top draft prospects
A second personnel source thinks it’s too risky for any team picking ahead of the Cardinals to trade down. Currently, the Bears, Washington Commanders and New England Patriots have the picks ahead of Arizona.
If one of the top three quarterback-needy teams were to move to fifth so the Chargers could take Harrison, then the Cardinals could swap out of the fourth pick with a team that’s looking for a quarterback.
“That’s a big gamble,” the second personnel source said. “Then they would be dead.”
All three agreed that for the Chargers to jump the Cardinals, they’d have to give up a second-round pick at minimum.
With the Chargers searching for their next WR1, and if the Cardinals feel strong enough about taking Harrison, a move out of fourth would likely open the door to Arizona losing out on Harrison. However, all three personnel sources agreed that the gap between Harrison and the next two receivers in the draft, LSU’s Malik Nabers and Washington’s Rome Odunze, isn’t that big.
“These three receivers are all pretty damn good,” the second source said. “Typically, a [second-round pick] could get it done, but I can’t see the Patriots moving for a [second-round pick] and I don’t see the Chargers doing it for a receiver when there are three and two tackles that are in the same class staring at you.”
Arizona will continue to fill some of the holes on its roster holes at a much slower pace now that the initial free agency wave has slowed down, and whatever is left, it’ll have until April 25 when the draft kicks off to supplement the roster.