One of the most important issues for the Arizona Cardinals is to figure out who to try and keep and who to let explore free agency.
After they hire a head coach and decide on what kind of schemes they want to implement offensively and defensively, the front office will have a better idea of who to retain.
Following Steve Keim’s resignation, the Arizona Cardinals hired Monti Ossenfort as their general manager. Formerly the Tennessee Titans director of player personnel, Ossenfort will have to decide what direction this franchise will take and that direction begins with free agency. Here is a list of players for the Cardinals to consider.
Byron Murphy Jr. is one player the Arizona Cardinals should re-signin
The Arizona Cardinals must prioritize signing Byron Murphy Jr. once the free agency signing period begins. He is undoubtedly their best cover corner and it would be a wise decision to secure one of their best players for the future. He can play zone coverage and can also play press coverage as he is often matched up with the opponent’s best receiver.
It will be important for the Cardinals to ensure his position on the roster is secure, especially knowing that they will have to face the likes of Cooper Kupp, DK Metcalf and Deebo Samuel twice a season. Murphy Jr.’s versatility sets him apart as he is capable of lining up on the outside as well as in the slot.
Therefore, he can matchup with whoever, no matter where they are lined up on the field. Murphy Jr. is one of the more underrated cornerbacks in the NFL, but has struggled with injuries which only limited him to nine games on the season.
This is a player who was mentored by Patrick Peterson when he first arrived in Arizona. And he has also had to cover the likes of Larry Fitzgerald, A.J. Green, and Deandre Hopkins during practices.
Murphy Jr. also is a good tackler with great hands and good concentration. The only concern about him is when he’s defending receivers on short routes but he could improve in that area with the right coaching.
He plays with aggression and attitude, and possesses the one attribute that every elite cornerback has to have: fearlessness. The Cardinals secondary underperformed this season as they had the third most completions allowed, allowed the highest completion percentage, allowed the ninth most passing yards, and is tied for the third most TD’s allowed through the air. Signing Murphy Jr. to a long term deal is imperative.
Zach Allen
With the sudden announcement of JJ Watt’s retirement, the re-signing of Allen becomes even more important once the free agency period begins. He was second on the team in sacks behind Watt, but the most surprising stat is that Allen was tied for second on the team with eight passes defended.
It appears that Allen has been learning from Watt how to use his length to swat down passes while pursuing quarterbacks as that has been a staple of Watt’s game for a long time. Allen was also third on the team in tackles for loss and was able to become a bright spot on a disappointing team that had playoff aspirations.
He could become a force on the Arizona Cardinals defensive line for years to come. Not only is Allen athletic and versatile for his size at 6’5 and 290 pounds but he is one of the better run defenders on the team as well.
Greg Dortch
If there is any player who has shown that he deserves a spot on the Arizona Cardinals roster next season it’s Dortch. An undrafted free agent, he already had that chip on his shoulder and took advantage of his situation, especially during the suspension of Hopkins and injuries to key players such as Marquise Brown and Rondale Moore.
Dortch has proven to be a reliable target all season, as he finished third on the team with 52 catches and also finished third on the team with 467 yards to go along with two touchdowns. Dortch can still serve as a special talent on this roster.
He is better playing in the slot and he still hasn’t appeared to reach his potential just yet. Dortch also fought to gain that extra yard and was always consistent whenever his number was called. He is a physical receiver for his size and gives the offense an element of physicality in the slot.
While he does lack blazing speed he does possess good short area quickness and gets open often. The Cardinals front office would be smart to at least give Dortch another year just in case they have the same injury issues at the receiver position.
The Offensive Line
The new front office regime has some major decisions to make concerning the offensive line. Will they try to keep the current unit intact? Will they sign some key players and let the others walk? Will they try and retain their veterans or will they take their chances in the draft and free agency?
Rodney Hudson was brought in to help bring stability and veteran leadership but the three-time Pro Bowler was injured after the first four games, and was placed on injured reserve. When healthy, Hudson is arguably the best center in the NFL, and it would be wise for the Cardinals to bring him back for at least another season especially considering the fact that Kyler Murray will be returning from an ACL injury. He is a bully and dominates his one on one matchups.
Kelvin Beachum was the only offensive lineman to play in all 18 games. He is undersized for his position, but he is durable and has proven that he can handle some of the best pass rushers in the league. Beachum is 33 years old so an offer for another year or two would be ideal for both parties.
Will Hernandez should also garner consideration to bring back for another season. He is a no nonsense, hard nosed, hard working player who brings an edge to the offensive line. Hernandez is exceptionally strong and physical and is only 26 years old.
Cody Ford is another option to bring back. He is also 26, and was a former teammate of Murray’s at the University of Oklahoma. The Arizona Cardinals traded for Ford in the offseason hoping that he would still have chemistry and cohesiveness with Murray.
While only suiting up for 11 games, Ford struggled in his role. As a result, he only lined up on special teams for three of those 11 games as the coaching staff explored other options at his position. I wouldn’t expect the Cardinals to bring him back unless it’s for depth purposes.
(Statistics provided by Pro-Football-Reference)
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