An examination of the Arizona Cardinals 2020 free agent list

The Arizona Cardinals will have some tough decisions to make regarding their in-house free agents when the offseason arrives

With just two games remaining on the 2019 schedule, it’s time for the Arizona Cardinals to start thinking about next year. Deciding which of their in-house free agents they want to retain will be one of the club’s main offseason priorities. The list of Cardinals who’ll be seeking new contracts is quite extensive, so general manager Steve Keim will have a bevy of decisions to make when the current campaign concludes.

Sometime after the season ends, Arizona will once again be waiting on Larry Fitzgerald. The legendary wide receiver is now 36 years of age, and is not completely sure if he wants to keep his NFL career going. It appears that the Cards want him to return, but Fitzgerald has yet to give the organization a definitive answer on the matter.

Another player who the team would like to bring back is Kenyan Drake. The talented running back, who was acquired from the Miami Dolphins back in October, is an excellent fit for the “Air Raid” offense. Signing Drake to a multi-year deal would likely spell the end of former starter David Johnson‘s time with the Cardinals.

It will be interesting to see what Keim does with left tackle D.J. Humphries. After four campaigns of injuries and inconsistent play, the former first-round draft pick finally turned in a solid performance in ’19. Nevertheless, it would not be surprising to see Arizona try to upgrade at the position with a blocker like the Indianapolis Colts’ Anthony Castonzo.

Center A.Q. Shipley has bounced back nicely from the torn ACL he suffered in August of 2018. At 33 years of age, however, the grizzled veteran’s best days may now be behind him. It may be time for Shipley to pass the baton to the capable Mason Cole, his 23-year old understudy.

Rodney Gunter, who entered the league back in 2015, is quietly getting it done for the Cards this fall. Bringing the defensive end back to the nest would make some sense, but perhaps management can do better. The Kansas City Chiefs Chris Jones and the Denver Broncos Derek Wolfe are a couple of attractive free agent options who the Cardinals could consider.

Any franchise that is serious about making a Super Bowl run should have a qualified backup quarterback on their roster. That being said, Arizona would probably not win many matchups if current substitute Brett Hundley was forced to lead the squad for an extended amount of time. An intriguing possibility for the gig would be the Tennessee Titans Marcus Mariota, a prospective free agent who will likely be looking for a new home in 2020.

Two wide receivers who made contributions to the offensive unit this season, Damiere Byrd and Pharoh Cooper, may also be looking to stay in the desert. Some free agents-to-be from the defensive side of the ball include Cassius Marsh, Jonathan Bullard, Zach Kerr and Brooks Reed.

It’s obvious that Keim and his helpers will have their work cut out for them this coming offseason. In the meantime, the roster evaluations will continue. Here’s hoping that each and every one of the assessments that the Cards will be making in the near future are the correct ones.