Cardinals have decisions to make at wideout position in 2022

The Arizona Cardinals could look much different at the wide receiver position when the 2022 season gets underway next September.

Once again, the front office of the Arizona Cardinals will have a bevy of difficult decisions to make over the course of the 2022 offseason.

One particular area of the squad that will demand the attention of Cards general manager Steve Keim is the wide receiver position. In fact, there’s a possibility that the team could look a whole lot different at the spot when a brand new NFL campaign gets underway next September.

Arizona has quite an extensive list of individuals who’ll be seeking new contracts, and two players, in particular, happen to make a living out of catching footballs. Both members of the duo made significant contributions to the Cardinals offense in 2021, but it remains to be seen how hard the club’s management will work to bring both receivers back into the nest in ’22.

Christian Kirk and A.J. Green have expiring contracts with the Arizona Cardinals

Christian Kirk, a second-round draft choice of the Redbirds back in 2018, is currently performing under an expiring contract. The 25-year-old is enjoying his finest season as a professional, and after Week 18, he finished the 2021 campaign with a career-high 982 receiving yards.

Another noteworthy pass-catcher who the Cards will have to make a decision on is A.J. Green, a free-agent pickup of the franchise back in March. This past fall, the 33-year-old turned in his most productive campaign since 2017, but another year in the desert for Green is far from guaranteed.

DeAndre Hopkins, Rondale Moore, and Antoine Wesley are three wideouts who’ll be back with Arizona next season. If Kirk and Green aren’t offered new deals to re-join that threesome, there are several intriguing free agents that Keim could take a run at as replacements for the pair.

The biggest name who could potentially hit the market is Davante Adams, a five-time Pro Bowler from the Green Bay Packers. A receiving combination featuring the 29-year-old stud and Hopkins would make the Cardinals passing attack almost unstoppable, but early reports indicate that Green Bay will slap Adams with the franchise tag to prevent him from leaving.

Some other wide receivers who may be available for the Cards include Chris Godwin, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Mike Williams, and Odell Beckham Jr. Second-tier options like Allen Robinson, Jamison Crowder, Cedrick Wilson, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling could also be possibilities.

Keeping quarterback Kyler Murray equipped with a proficient group of pass-catchers should be an offseason priority for Keim and his cohorts. Figuring out what to do with in-house candidates such as Kirk and Green will be the first step towards achieving that goal.