3 free agents the Cardinals could sign before training camp

George Iloka – S

2020 Team:  Minnesota Vikings

Heading into the 2021 season, the Cardinals have one of the most talented safeties in the entire NFL in Budda Baker (well, not according to PFF). But finding someone to pair with Baker in the starting lineup is going to be one of the top priorities for Arizona during the next few months.

There are a bunch of guys already on the Cardinals’ roster that will be competing for the other starting safety spot this year. But if Arizona defensive coordinator Vance Joseph isn’t satisfied with how any of these safeties have looked in OTAs and minicamp, he might want to give a call to an old friend.

Before joining the Cardinals’ coaching staff in 2019, one of Joseph’s previous stops was with the Cincinnati Bengals when he was the team’s defensive backs coach in 2014 and 2015. During those two seasons with the Bengals, current free agent George Iloka was one of the team’s two starting safeties.

Iloka was a fixture on Cincinnati’s starting defense for five years and one of the best seasons of his career happened in 2014 when Joseph was his position coach.

During the last three years, Iloka hasn’t done much in stints with the Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys. But if Joseph is looking to add more competition to the team’s No. 2 safety battle this summer, Iloka is someone for Arizona to consider.