Arizona Cardinals should sign Bouye or Sherman in free agency

With free agency starting March 17, the Arizona Cardinals should look to sign two veteran cornerbacks to help the team improve.

Both Patrick Peterson and Dre Kirkpatrick will be free agents next month, possibly losing a former All-Pro in Peterson, and nine-year veteran in Kirkpatrick. That would leave the Arizona Cardinals with a handful of inexperienced corners outside of Byron Murphy, who has exceled as the nickel corner over the past two seasons.

Arizona still has Robert Alford, however, but he has not played a snap in the regular season with the Cardinals – due to injuries – since signing a three-year deal in 2019. That leaves Kevin Peterson, who was picked on this season when he had playing time.

Enter: A.J. Bouye. While the Pro Bowl corner is not the same shutdown defensive back he was during his three seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Bouye would still be an upgrade if Arizona were to lose Peterson and Kirkpatrick.

While he was with the Jaguars, Bouye had 175 tackles, eight interceptions, and in 2019, allowed 71 receptions on 106 targets. While he was with the Denver Broncos in his first and only season, he allowed 26 receptions for 316 yards, which ranked him third and second, respectively, in those categories. However, he only played seven games due to injury and suspension, which led to his release.

If the Cardinals cannot acquire him, then they have Richard Sherman to look at. The three-time All-Pro spent the last three seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, and despite being 32 years old, he proved he can still play at a Pro Bowl level.

Sherman only played five games in 2020, however, due to a calf strain he suffered at the beginning of the season. During his Pro Bowl year in 2019, however, he ranked first among cornerbacks in yards per reception allowed, and third in yards per target allowed.

Whether Arizona signs either Bouye, Sherman, neither or both, the Cardinals should make an offer to them during the free agency period, as both Peterson and Kirkpatrick’s futures with the Cardinals are unclear.