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Arizona Cardinals a top destination for 2 pending free agents

By Sion Fawkes

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 29: Deebo Samuel #19 of the San Francisco 49ers makes a catch against James Bradberry #24 of the Philadelphia Eagles during the first quarter in the NFC Championship Game at Lincoln Financial Field on January 29, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JANUARY 29: Deebo Samuel #19 of the San Francisco 49ers makes a catch against James Bradberry #24 of the Philadelphia Eagles during the first quarter in the NFC Championship Game at Lincoln Financial Field on January 29, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) /
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Matt Brown of ESPN released his Best Team Fits for his Top 50 free agents, and the Arizona Cardinals landed as a ‘Best Fit’ for two players.

A new regime equals a new hope for the Arizona Cardinals, and Matt Brown of ESPN believes two of his Top 50 free agents’ best fit is in the desert. This is great news for a team that struggled over the previous season and is likely going to see an exodus with so many players not signed for 2023 and beyond.

So who landed on the shortlist? One is a player you may already know, and another is one we’ve talked about extensively here at Raising Zona. 

1 – Zach Allen slated as a prime fit to return to the Arizona Cardinals

Ranked 24th on Brown’s list, Zach Allen has seen himself grow into a solid NFL defensive lineman over his first four seasons. Injury issues plagued him early, but in 2022, Allen played well alongside J.J. Watt, racking up 5.5 sacks and 20 quarterback hits.

He’s also proven solid at stopping the run, with his run-stop win rate sitting at 37.9% this season, placing him inside the top 40 in the category, per ESPN. Overall, don’t be surprised when general manager Monti Ossenfort signs Allen to a long-term deal in the near-future.

2 – James Bradberry could replace Byron Murphy Jr. at cornerback

Ideally, we’d love to see Byron Murphy Jr. return, but Brown has the corner signing with the Minnesota Vikings. If Murphy walks, look for the Arizona Cardinals to immediately address the position in free agency.

James Bradberry would be the preferred choice, thanks to his ties with head coach Jonathan Gannon and defensive coordinator Nick Rallis. While Bradberry is an older player who will turn 30 this year, he’s coming off a sensational year where he deflected 17 passes, collected 3 interceptions, and scored his first defensive touchdown.

Related Story. Cardinals Free Agency Primer: Targets, Timeline, Returning Players. light

Bradberry also earned Second-Team All-Pro honors, the first such honor of his career. He also made the Pro Bowl roster in 2020.

Source: 2023 NFL free agency: Best team fits for top 50 available players by Matt Brown

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