If Julio Jones lands in NFC West, Cardinals will regret neglecting CB need

The Arizona Cardinals didn’t prioritize the cornerback position this offseason. If Julio Jones comes to the NFC West, the Cardinals are in trouble.

While the Arizona Cardinals did address the defense this offseason, it was only the front seven. The additions of J.J. Watt and Zaven Collins will for sure have an impact. However, all Cardinals fans know that the cornerback position is still hurting even after the departure of former first-round pick, Patrick Peterson.

Adding Malcolm Butler was a great move and Byron Murphy returning is also something to have confidence in. After Murphy though, the concerns run rampant. Arizona general manager Steve Keim is trusting Robert Alford to be developed with Vance Joseph, who in his time in the desert has taken the team from 28th to 12th overall in terms of overall defense.

Of course, everyone deserves second chances and a real chance to prove what they’re worth. However, Alford’s last healthy year was 2018, and according to Pro-Football-Reference, he finished with an allowed completion rate of 67.1 percent, 105th in the league that season. This seems good until you realize the true starting corners around the NFL were either around or below 50 percent.

Julio Jones going against the Arizona Cardinals would be a nightmare

When taking a look around the NFC West, the guys over at the “Locked on Cardinals” Podcast said it best when they stated, “there really isn’t a WR1 on any of the NFC West teams besides D.K. Metcalf in Seattle”.

Imagine if the Seattle Seahawks added Julio Jones to pair with D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Would that motivate Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll to trust his offensive coordinator for once and continue to throw the ball?

If Jones went to the San Francisco 49ers, he and Cardinal-killer George Kittle would be very hard to stop, no matter who the quarterback is over there. Not to mention that their head coach Kyle Shanahan was part of the Atlanta Falcons’ recent Super Bowl run in which Jones dominated the league.

On top of all of this, the wide receiver room that would get arguably the most dangerous is the Los Angeles Rams. Adding Jones to an offensive unit with Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, and Robert Woods would have Sean McVay’s offense putting up numbers that have never been seen before. Those within the NFC West know how pesky that defense can be as well.

This Is arguably the most attention a post-June 1st move has ever had. Just know if Arizona doesn’t get a corner to stop Jones, the road to the playoffs will only be tougher.