Arizona Cardinals 2019 cornerback search set to begin

The Arizona Cardinals are armed with the salary-cap space to solve their number-two cornerback quandary, once and for all

Fans of the Arizona Cardinals have to be sick of this particular subject. The club’s long-standing, number-two cornerback dilemma remains intact. Could this be the offseason that the Cardinals front office finally puts the issue to rest?

There’s one obstacle that no longer exists. A lack of salary-cap space will not prohibit general manager Steve Keim from finding a quality cover guy to pair with the great Patrick Peterson. Limited funds have resulted in the team having to acquire band-aids for the post, a group that included Marcus Cooper, Tramon Williams, Jamar Taylor and Bene Benwikere.

Some intriguing free agent corners are scheduled to hit the market this coming March. Players that could put the finishing touch on what could become one of the best secondaries in the NFL.

Bradley Roby, a member of the Denver Broncos since 2014, would be an excellent addition to the Cardinals. The former first-round draft pick tallied 50 tackles,12 passes defensed and an interception in 2018. Perhaps new defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, Roby’s former coach with the Broncos, could entice the talented 26-year old to join him in the desert.

Steven Nelson, a 5’11,194 pounder, is fresh off of an outstanding season with the Kansas City Chiefs. The former third-round pick registered 68 tackles, four picks and 15 pass breakups for the AFC’s number-one seeded squad. The 25-year old became the Chiefs number-one cornerback after Marcus Peters was traded to the Los Angeles Rams last year.

Morris Claiborne, the sixth-overall pick of the 2012 draft, is coming off of two impressive campaigns with the New York Jets. The 28-year old amassed 100 tackles, 22 passes defensed and three interceptions during his two-year stay in the “Big Apple”. Claiborne, who spent his first five seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, was a teammate of Peterson’s at LSU.

The Philadelphia Eagles Ronald Darby is a talented defender who’s had trouble staying healthy. The 25-year missed eight games in 2017 and seven games last season. Darby’s career statistics (214 tackles, 54 pass breakups, six picks) are outstanding, but his injury history is a concern.

Some other possible targets include Pierre Desir, P.J.Williams, Jason McCourty and Orlando Scandrick. Arizona finally has the resources to address what’s been a nagging problem on the defensive side of the ball. Perhaps a solution is finally on the way.