Cardinals could bring Robert Alford back for another season
By Jim Koch
Robert Alford could be brought back to bring some much-needed experience to the Arizona Cardinals cornerback room in 2022
With the regular season now just eight weeks away, there’s a genuine belief that the Arizona Cardinals will add an experienced cornerback to their defensive unit sometime soon.
One player who could fit that role is Robert Alford, the snakebitten cover guy who finally got on the field for the Cards in 2021 after missing two consecutive campaigns. Could general manager Steve Keim bring back the 33-year-old free agent who suffered season-ending injuries in 2019 and 2020?
Actually, there’s a decent possibility that Alford could return to the Cardinals for another year. The squad’s top three corners (Byron Murphy, Marco Wilson, and Josh Jackson) are all under 27 years of age. So adding a veteran to that group who has been around the block for a while certainly seems like a good idea.
This Isaiah Simmons interception of Ryan Tannehill on Sunday (pass breakup by Robert Alford) was the first pick in an Arizona Cardinals season opener since 2017 in Detroit. pic.twitter.com/ozCHIFCu2D
— Bo Brack (@BoBrack) September 15, 2021
Robert Alford could provide a veteran presence at cornerback for the Arizona Cardinals.
Alford was playing well for the Redbirds last fall until the injury bug struck again. A torn pectoral muscle ended the former Atlanta Falcon’s season after 13 games. Alford’s final numbers for the ’21 campaign included 37 tackles, an interception, and four passes defensed.
Arizona appears to be willing to head into the 2022 schedule with a couple of youngsters (Murphy and Wilson) starting at corner. However, Keim passed on attractive free-agent possibilities such as J.C. Jackson, James Bradberry, and Stephon Gilmore this past spring.
The Cards brought Alford in for a visit back in March, but the Louisiana native left the desert without a contract. Perhaps the 5 foot 10, 186-pounder wasn’t happy with the club’s offer at the time, but the fact that he’s still available in July would not figure to help his bargaining power.
It’s possible that another meeting between Alford and the Cardinals could lead to a new deal. Of course, acquiring a scrappy cover guy with 81 career starts on his NFL resume could never hurt.