As we dive into the month of May, the 2021 roster of the Arizona Cardinals is almost a finished product. General manager Steve Keim and his cohorts have assembled what appears to be the club’s best team in six years. There is one particular position for the Cards, however, that can certainly use an upgrade.
At the present time, Arizona’s depth at tight end leaves a lot to be desired. Any hope of improving at the spot, at this point of the offseason, would likely have to come via the trade route. With that in mind, there’s a current member of the Atlanta Falcons who would look quite good in a Cardinals uniform.
Hayden Hurst, Atlanta’s top pass-receiving option at the tight end spot last fall, could be facing a huge decline in production this coming season. The Falcons wisely used their first-round draft selection (4th-overall) on Kyle Pitts, a superstar out of the University of Florida. The 6’6, 240 pounder is a unique talent who has the tools to be a dominant tight end in the NFL for years to come.
There’s a very good chance that the spectacular Pitts will make Hurst an afterthought in the Atlanta offense. For that reason, it may be a good idea for Keim to check into the 27-year old’s availability. Now that they’ve acquired Pitts, would the Falcons be willing to listen to an offer for the 6’4, 260 pound Hurst?
Hurst is much more accomplished than any other tight end in the Cardinals locker room. In 2020, the University of South Carolina product tallied 56 receptions, 571 receiving yards and six touchdowns in 16 appearances (nine starts) for Atlanta. By comparison, Maxx Williams (Arizona’s current starter) hauled in just eight passes for 102 yards and one measly score last year for the Redbirds.
It wouldn’t cost Keim and the Cards anything to give Falcons general manager Terry Fontenot a call. Perhaps the two clubs could work out a deal that would send Hurst to the desert. The addition of a talented tight end would be a nice “cherry on top” to what has been an outstanding offseason for the Arizona brass.