Arizona Cardinals were right to retain the aging Kelvin Beachum
By Sion Fawkes
While there will be a definite youth movement for the Arizona Cardinals in 2023, they are also wise to hang onto some key veterans.
The Kyler Murray Fan Club won’t like this one, given Kelvin Beachum’s truthful comments regarding the Arizona Cardinals quarterback. However, retaining Beachum gives the Redbirds not only a viable two-year stopgap, but also a sound leader for what is going to be a young, inexperienced football team.
Youth will be key in 2023, but that youth also needs veteran leadership, and that’s where a player like Beachum comes in. He also adds a sense of familiarity to an offensive line that should see D.J. Humphries and Josh Jones return to the lineup.
If Arizona can retain Will Hernandez, then it will give them four returning players from last season’s rotation, leaving Big Red to worry only about the center position.
Arizona Cardinals can worry about other needs after Beachum’s re-signing
With needs all over the roster, keeping Beachum allows general manager Monti Ossenfort and the rest of the front office to worry about plugging other major holes, notably along the defensive line, where they just lost Zach Allen to the Denver Broncos. This could allow Ossenfort to invest some money in the trenches on the other side of the ball.
Besides the entire defensive line, other team needs for Arizona involve the CB1 spot, RB2, QB2, and, if they trade away DeAndre Hopkins, WR. On the line, they still need a center and a guard, but that can change if they retain Hernandez and/or sign a free agent or two on the interior line.
Overall, re-signing Beachum was a good move for the Cardinals, even if those staunch Murray supporters won’t like it. Beachum has been a steady, solid presence on the offensive line, and that trend should continue for 2023. A good move from Monti Ossenfort overall to keep the tackle.
Free Agency. Cardinals better act quickly to add a quarterback to the mix. dark
Source: Report: Kelvin Beachum agrees to a two-year deal to return to Cardinals by Charean Williams, ProFootballTalk.NBCSports.com