Tight end position still needs Arizona Cardinals attention
By Jim Koch
The past few weeks have been quite enjoyable for fans of the Arizona Cardinals. A bevy of acquisitions by the club’s front office has the “Red Sea” brimming with excitement. On paper at least, Arizona appears to have built a squad that’s capable of breaking the franchise’s depressing five-year playoff drought.
But despite the improved Cards roster, some holes still remain. One area that certainly can use general manager Steve Keim’s help is the tight end spot. Most of the position’s top free agents have found employment, but there are still a few options left who the Cardinals could target.
One free agent who would make the most sense has actually been with the organization since December of 2019. Dan Arnold, who appeared in all 16 games for Arizona last fall, is still searching for work. The 26-year old hauled in 31 passes for 438 yards and four touchdowns for the Redbirds in 2020.
Another interesting possibility for the Cards is a recently-released veteran who played for the team from 2013-16. Darren Fells, a 34-year old who was cut by the Houston Texans on Thursday, could find his way back to the desert. In 102 career NFL appearances (76 starts), the 6’7, 270 pounder has tallied 123 receptions,1,483 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns.
Tyler Eifert, a former first-round draft pick of the Cincinnati Bengals, is another tight end who the Cardinals could kick the tires on. The oft-injured pass-catcher, who registered 13 scores for Cincy back in 2015, finally managed to stay healthy over the past two campaigns. Eifert spent last season with the Jacksonville Jaguars, totaling 36 catches, 349 receiving yards and two touchdowns in 15 contests (four starts).
One more possibility worth mentioning is Jesse James, a former fifth-round selection of the Pittsburgh Steelers. In 88 professional appearances (54 starts), the 26-year old has 150 receptions, 1,460 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns on his resume. James was a member of the Detroit Lions for the past two seasons, after spending the first four years of his NFL existence in Pittsburgh.
At the moment, Arizona has just two tight ends (Maxx Williams, Ian Bunting) under contract in 2021. It’s imperative that Keim adds a reinforcement or two to a position that the franchise has undervalued for years. Cards followers can expect to see an addition to the spot sometime in the near future.