Arizona Cardinals add safety Tyvon Branch

The Arizona Cardinals were relatively quiet on day one of free agency but did add a safety

The Arizona Cardinals were quiet for the most part on the first day of the new league year.  They did manage to add to one of the area’s they said they were wanting to add.  They added former Kansas City Chiefs safety Tyvon Branch on Wednesday.

Branch’s numbers don’t blow you away however he has a couple of intriguing intangibles.  First, he played in a smart defense under head coach Andy Reid.  Secondly, he has the height that Bruce Arians mentioned he wanted to get at the position.  Branch stands at 6-0.

Branch will provide depth on the bench but could turn into a starter if other events take place.  One of those events is Rashad Johnson signing with another team.  Johnson has been linked to the Oakland Raiders. For his part though, Johnson has said he would like to remain with the Cardinals for life.  We’ll see.

As we know, money talks.  In this case, Branch was likely offered a deal he couldn’t pass up.  He had 43 tackles with one interception and one sack in 2015.

Branch’s best days were with the Oakland Raiders, the team that drafted him in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft.  His best season came in 2010 when he had 109 tackles and four sacks with one interception.  No doubt the kid can play.  Sure, he’s not what a lot of Cardinals fans expected on Wednesday but he is no token signing either.

The Cardinals know what they are doing but they won’t overspend doing it.  At least one Cardinal welcomed Branch on Wednesday.

So there you have it. Branch was the extent of the deals the Cardinals made on the first day of free agency. There will be more, so stay tuned.