Two New York castoffs could help Arizona Cardinals
By Jim Koch
A couple of recently released players from the Big Apple could find themselves to be a perfect fit with the Arizona Cardinals
Thanks to a rebuilding project in New York, there’s help available for the Arizona Cardinals if they act quickly. The New York Jets are suffering from a lack of talent at the quarterback position, and it doesn’t appear they believe they’ll be winning any time soon. Their release of two productive veterans in the past week is evidence of that.
Center Nick Mangold and kicker Nick Folk, two mainstays of the Jets organization, are now free to negotiate with any team they choose.
Mangold, a seven-time Pro Bowler, instantly becomes the top available center on the market. There should be no shortage of clubs vying for his services. Which, unfortunately, may hurt Arizona’s chances of landing the 33-year old.
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For a team that believes they will once again be contending for a Super Bowl title this upcoming season, Mangold makes sense. Their 2016 starter, A.Q.Shipley, is also a free agent. Shipley performed admirably last year, but Mangold would be a significant upgrade.
Folk, the Jets’ second all-time leading scorer, was given his walking papers after seven seasons. He’s no stranger to the Valley, having played his college ball at the University of Arizona.
The 32-year old is coming off another fine campaign, despite dealing with the swirling winds of Giants Stadium. He connected on 27 of 31 field goal attempts and 24 of 26 extra points. He’d be a fine addition to the struggling Arizona special teams.
Current Cards’ kicker Chandler Catanzaro had a rough season, hitting on just 21 of 28 field goals and 43 of 47 extra points. His 24-yard, overtime shank against the Seattle Seahawks in October still resonates. He did kick the game-winner in the Seattle rematch late in the year, but his 11 total misses have put his reliability in question.
Two solid possibilities for the Cards in 2017. Both are seeking employment, so the ball’s firmly in General Manager Steve Keim’s court. Let the aggressive offseason begin.