Back in July of 2020, the Arizona Cardinals made one of their most important acquisitions of the offseason. Looking to improve at the right tackle position, general manager Steve Keim went out and signed a veteran with loads of experience. Keeping that offensive lineman around in 2021, however, could prove to be a challenging task for the Cards front office.
Kelvin Beachum, the summertime pickup who worked out well for the Cardinals, could once again test the free agent waters. The 6’3, 308 pounder was a steady presence for the blocking unit, starting all 16 games during his one and only campaign in the desert. Arizona may want Beachum to return, but finances could determine whether that’s a possibility or not.
If free agency does pry Beachum away from the Cards, the club does have a couple of in-house candidates who could take over at the right tackle spot. The most experienced option of the two would be Justin Murray, a 27-year old who started 12 contests at that post for the team in 2019. The other blocker, Josh Jones, is a third-round selection from last year’s draft who’s loaded with potential.
The Cardinals could also search the free agent market to find a replacement for Beachum. Unfortunately, the organization will need to get that done with what is projected to be a limited amount of salary-cap space.
Matt Feiler started 13 matchups at left guard for the Pittsburgh Steelers last fall, but has experience at right tackle as well. In fact, the 6’6, 330 pounder took over that position for the Steelers after the franchise traded Marcus Gilbert to Arizona back in ’19. Feiler, who also started nine games at right tackle for Pittsburgh during the 2018 season, could be a nice fit for the Redbirds.
Daryl Williams, a sixth-year professional, started all 16 contests at the position for the Buffalo Bills this past fall. The 28-year old signed just a one-year contract with the team last April, so free agency is once again on the horizon for the 6’6, 330 pounder. Williams spent the first five campaigns of his pro career with the Carolina Panthers before catching on with the Bills last year.
One more prospective free agent worth mentioning is 31-year old Mike Remmers. The 6’5, 308 pounder is a journeyman who has logged starts with the Panthers, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants and Kansas City Chiefs. The one-year, $1.187 million deal that Remmers was inked to a year ago turned out to be quite a bargain for the Super Bowl-contending Chiefs.
We’ll soon find out if the Cards would like to have Beachum back in the fold. If not, there are plenty of other alternatives out there for the 31-year old lineman who Keim could pursue.