Arizona Cardinals Could Have Busy Free Agency
By Scott Allen
Free agency begins in the NFL on March 10th, one week from Tuesday
The Arizona Cardinals have been clearing cap space. They aren’t doing that because they don’t like spending money. They are doing that because they are expecting to be busy during NFL free agency, which starts next Tuesday, although teams can start talking to players this Saturday March 7th.
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The Cardinals haven’t come out and said specifically who or what they will be looking for or just how active they expect to be. It is my expectation though that they will be busy given the cap space they’ve been clearing and the numerous needs they have. Of course, there is also the NFL draft which begins on April 30th.
On offense, the Cardinals could be looking for a wide receiver, a running back, and maybe an offensive lineman. On defense the Cardinals likely keep their quest for finding more linebackers alive, particularly inside linebackers, and defensive linemen. The Cardinals could lose nose tackle Dan Williams during free agency. The could use another pass rusher although it seems it is a good year in the draft for pass rushers. It is a deep position this year.
Do the Cardinals go try to get a combination receiver/punt/kick returner? Green Bay Packers free agent Randall Cobb seems to fit that mold but can the Cardinals afford him? Do they go find a bruising running back like Dallas Cowboys free agent running back DeMarco Murray? He will be expensive as well.
That’s what makes this year of free agency so exciting. There a lot of good ones out there. These aren’t leftovers like it can be a lot of the time. These are top of the line starters being set free by teams that can’t afford them.
The Cardinals also just cut defensive tackle Darnell Dockett and they have said they would welcome him back if he can’t find a better deal elsewhere but I think the Cardinals are prepared to move on without him if they find someone else to take his position. I don’t think they wait to see what Dockett does.
There will be a lot of rumors from now until next Tuesday when it all starts. Of course they do need to save some money for the players they draft but the Cardinals do have holes to fill if they wish to move along further in the playoffs in 2015. Depth only went so far last season on both sides of the ball and it cost them a division title and possible Super Bowl berth in their own city.