Arizona Cardinals waive goodbye to several free agents

A group of players who once contributed to the Arizona Cardinals will be performing for other organizations this coming fall

Being the general manager of the Arizona Cardinals is a job that has it’s fair share of drawbacks. Saying goodbye to players you have grown to like can’t be an easy task for Steve Keim. Doing so is a necessary evil, however, and the current offseason has been no different for the longtime Cards’ executive.

One of the most talented members of the group to exit the nest this year is edge rusher Markus Golden. The former second-round draft pick signed with the New York Giants after spending the past four campaigns with Arizona. Golden, who recorded 12.5 sacks in 2016, will join former Cardinals’ defensive coordinator James Bettcher in the “Big Apple” for the upcoming season.

Keim has already found a replacement for the 28-year old veteran. Terrell Suggs, for the time being at least, will man Golden’s outside linebacker post opposite Chandler Jones in the club’s starting lineup. That plan could change if management drafts sack specialist Nick Bosa with the first-overall pick in April.

Golden isn’t the only Big Red defender who’ll be donning a Giants uniform this coming fall. Olsen Pierre, who tallied 30 tackles and 5.5 sacks playing for Bettcher in 2017, will also be migrating to New York. The 27-year old, according to Spotrac.com, will earn $943,750 with his new team in 2019.

Deone Bucannon, the franchise’s first-round selection in 2014, was lured away in free agancy by another ex-defensive coordinator of the Cards. The inside linebacker will join Todd Bowles, who’s now running the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ defense for ex-Arizona head coach Bruce Arians. Bucannon, who was terribly misused in the desert last season, will get a fresh start in Florida with the men who drafted him five years ago.

Back in 2015, the Redbirds robbed a division rival of a Pro Bowl guard. Mike Iupati, who spent five campaigns with the San Francisco 49ers before coming to the Cardinals, will be joining another NFC West opponent. The 31-year old, who has struggled to remain healthy in recent years, will now be suiting up for the Seattle Seahawks.

J.J. Nelson appeared to have a bright future ahead of him in 2016. The undersized wide receiver (5’10,160) hauled in 34 receptions for 568 yards and seven total touchdowns for the Cards that season. Nelson, who’s career has taken a nosedive ever since, will try to get back on track as a member of the Oakland Raiders in 2019.

Free agency has turned an extraordinary number of professional athletes into nomads. Developing a fondness for a particular player is a risky proposition these days. Unfortunately, there’s a very good possibility that your favorite Cardinal of today could be playing somewhere else tomorrow.