Arizona Cardinals Free Agent Preview: Kevin Minter
By Jeremy Meek
The Arizona Cardinals have a decision to make on linebacker Kevin Minter
This off-season promises to be a whirlwind for the Arizona Cardinals. With so many pending free agents, there will likely be plenty of turnover going into 2017. One of the guys that the team has to make a decision on is linebacker Kevin Minter.
Minter was drafted in the second round out of LSU in 2013. Though he didn’t start right away, he did play in 13 games as a rookie. In his second season he earned a starting role and then started all 16 games in both of the last two seasons.
The 2016 season was Minter’s best yet, and he recorded 81 tackles, 3 1/2 sacks, and had 4 passes defensed. He was a solid player, but he also hasn’t been a spectacular player either. The Cardinals have to decide if solid is enough.
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A technically sound player, Minter is intelligent and has good instincts for the position. The biggest problem is that he just doesn’t have the athleticism that the top inside linebackers have. He tackles well, and has good field vision, but there are times when he just lacks the burst to make the play, or over-pursues and misses the play. He also is inconsistent in coverage, which was one of the knocks on him coming out of college.
Minter’s rookie contract paid him just over $1 million last year, and he figures to get a raise for 2017. The bump in pay will play a part in whether or not he comes back.
The Cardinals have several key free agents on defense, each lined up for a big raise. There’s no way they will be able to keep all of them, so they will have to prioritize. The team has stated that they plan to use the franchise tag on Chandler Jones, and they’d love to work something out with veteran Calais Campbell. Some of their cap room will need to go to re-signing depth at other positions as well.
With needs at quarterback, receiver, and cornerback in the NFL Draft, the Cardinals might not be able to add a starting caliber linebacker, which will also factor into the decision on Minter. If he leaves, they will need a replacement.
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Re-signing Minter makes the most sense for the Cardinals, especially if they can get a good deal done. Though he isn’t a spectacular player, he is solid, and getting him back in the fold would allow the team to focus energy into filling other spots. They want to be contenders next season, and with so much potential turnover, keeping good players can only help.