Arizona Cardinals Consider Jonathan Cooper at Center

Could the Arizona Cardinals look to find a new center in their own ranks?

Earlier this week the question came up of what to do with Jonathan Cooper, the former first round pick who missed his rookie season with a preseason injury and then spot started since then, never turning into the high draft pick that he was. Cooper was drafted as the seventh overall pick by the Cardinals, in three seasons he’s played in 24 games, started 11, missed 27 games.

Not the best way to start your career, let alone when you did get on the field you weren’t the best option at guard for a team that has focused heavily on the offensive line over the last two seasons.

Now, word is, from FOX Sports Mike Jurecki, that Jonathan Cooper could be an option for the Arizona Cardinals at center.

This is an interesting development, but not out of the realm of possibility. Cooper has been nothing but a bust at this part of his career, and Lyle Sendlein  was signed just before the start of the regular season to start at center after the team released him earlier in the summer due to salary concerns.

Sendlein knew the offense and provided enough of a stable option at center that the team could muster through another 17 games without addressing the situation. Age is a factor as well, and with A.Q. Shipley as the primary backup who took first team reps in preseason, there had to be a desire to look at the market or look at the draft to pick up help.

Looking at the market for centers, you need only look at Alex Mack from the Cleveland Browns who opted out of his contract with three years remaining today, leaving $24 million on the table to get another big contract and get paid.

The Cardinals certainly can’t afford someone like that, so looking inside, or to the draft, or even in free agency should the right deal come along is a much better route for a team that needs to devote all the resources it can to a viable pass rush this offseason.

So what to do? At the very least the Cardinals can give Cooper a shot at during OTAs and training camp, working him into the line-up in a few preseason games to see how well he does. Transitioning from both sides of the line during his career, now he has an opportunity to get on the field and go against some of the best pass rushes in the league with the defenses in the NFC West and the teams the Cardinals will play this season.

More as this develops, and more as we get into free agency.