5 cut candidates the Arizona Cardinals should monitor
By Avery Duncan
Jordan Reed, TE, Washington Redskins
Cutting Reed solely depends on what the Redskins decide to do at the quarterback position. Alex Smith doesn’t look like he’ll be playing anytime soon and is on a contract that guarantees $71M over the next four years. Simply put, their decisions regarding the position will be cap strapped. However, if they do decide to pursue a quarterback on the trade block or in free agency, Jordan Reed could be a cap casualty to clear space.
Reed’s talent is rarely in question; when he’s on the field, he’s a threat to defenses as a dynamic receiving tight end. However, the key phrase with Reed is ‘when he’s on the field’ as he hasn’t yet recorded a full NFL season despite having six chances to do. He’s the third-highest-paid tight end in the NFL, but the team could cut him in 2019 and save $6M compared to just $3.6M in dead cap space.
If cut, the Cardinals would be foolish not to add another option to their offense in Reed who posted a 54/558/2 stat line. Because the Cardinals already have veteran tight ends Charles Clay, and Jermaine Gresham employed, adding Reed wouldn’t be a risky move as they can afford to look past his storied medical history.