Five free agents that make sense for the Arizona Cardinals

Kevin Zeitler, guard

I’m not the first Raising Zona contributor to suggest that the Cardinals should pursue Cincinnati Bengals free agent guard Kevin Zeitler – and for good reason. The Cardinals have a need for a starting right guard, and Zeitler is widely considered to be the top free agent at the position.

Furthermore, there is speculated that he will not be back with the Bengals in 2017. If he does hit the open market, Zeitler will undoubtedly be one of the most coveted players in free agency. Subsequently, he will command a massive, multi-year contract. This will not dissuade Steve Keim.

Zeitler is precisely the kind of free agent that Steve Keim has shown he is willing to pay. He will be 27 years old at the start of the 2017 season, and is an elite talent at his position. Additionally, Keim has demonstrated that he is particularly committed to investing in the offensive line. Just as he opened up the checkbook for guard Mike Iupati, Keim will likely be willing to pay the going rate for a guard of Zeitler’s caliber.

Moreover, signing Zeitler is the sort of move that offers an ideal balance of short-term impact, and long-term value – something Keim recently noted as a priority. In the short term, he is a massive upgrade at a position of need – and one that will have cascading effects on the production of key skill position players like Carson Palmer and David Johnson. In the long-term, he is in the prime of his career, and could be a fixture on the Cardinals offensive line for years to come.