Several Arizona Cardinals veterans could be handed their walking papers before the 2023 NFL campaign kicks off in September.
Back in January, yet another disappointing NFL campaign came to an end for the Arizona Cardinals. The squad had posted a dismal 4-13 record, forcing owner Michael Bidwill to clean house. Cards general manager Steve Keim took what turned out to be a permanent leave of absence last December, and head coach Kliff Kingsbury was fired less than a month later.
Monti Ossenfort and Jonathan Gannon were brought in to replace the pair, and the tearing down of an underperforming roster has begun. One-time Arizona starters like Byron Murphy, Zach Allen and Markus Golden are now playing for other clubs. A plethora of free-agent additions have been made, most of whom were plucked out of the bargain bin by Ossenfort and his cohorts.
By the end of the summer, several more of the previous regime's players could be following Murphy, Allen, and Golden out the door. The franchise's new hierarchy more than likely wants to start from scratch. The following are four veteran Cardinals who could be handed their pink slips before the regular-season gets underway in September.
Dennis Gardeck - Outside Linebacker
Back in 2020, the Cards believed they had found a hidden gem among their linebacking corps. Dennis Gardeck, a bona fide special teams ace, had suddenly found a role on the defensive side of the ball. The Redbirds were in desperate need of an edge-rusher after the great Chandler Jones was injured in Week 5, and Gardeck was handed a huge opportunity to shine.
Much to everyone's surprise, the 6 foot, 232 pounder proved to be quite adept at getting to the quarterback. Gardeck recorded seven sacks, despite the fact that he was on the field for just 10% of the defensive snaps. Since that success, however, the Illinois native has been credited with just one sack during his last 28 appearances (six starts) for the Arizona defense.
Though his effectiveness as an outside linebacker has disappeared, Gardeck is still one of the best wedge-busters in professional football. Even so, a $4.2 million salary-cap hit for an individual who contributes mainly on special teams may be a bit too steep. Taking all of that into consideration, there's a fairly good chance that the 28-year-old Gardeck could be playing elsewhere this coming fall.
Colt McCoy - Quarterback
There's been a lot of talk about who will be under center for the Arizona Cardinals while Kyler Murray continues to battle his way back from a knee injury. The leading candidate for that assignment is Colt McCoy, the 36-year-old who has compiled a 3-3 record as a starting signal-caller for the team over the past two campaigns. Whether the 6 foot 1, 212 pounder can hold onto the gig is an ongoing question, however.
When the Cards head to training camp next month, three additional quarterbacks will be fighting it out with McCoy to be the fill-in for Murray. Jeff Driskel and David Blough are journeyman options who have combined for a 1-16 record as NFL starters. Clayton Tune, a fifth-round draft pick who's already a fan-favorite, is also in the mix.
McCoy recently revealed that he was considering retirement following an injury-plagued 2022 campaign. The most concerning setback was the concussion that the former college football legend suffered last December. A lot that can happen between now and the season-opener, and the possibility exists that McCoy will no longer be with the Cardinals when September rolls around.
Antonio Hamilton - Cornerback
A large segment of the "Red Sea" was surprised back in March when Arizona brought cornerback Antonio Hamilton back into the nest. The veteran turned in a solid performance last fall, but there were better options available on the free-agent market. Well-respected website Ourlads.com currently lists Hamilton and Marco Wilson as Arizona's first-string cover guys, but at least one of those two could be unseated this summer.
Garrett Williams, a third-round selection who many draft experts really like, could pose a challenge for Hamilton. If the 22-year-old Williams isn't quite ready, there are several other candidates who will also be looking to start. The Cards' uncertainty at the position (and quite possibly with Hamilton) is confirmed by the fact that the organization is carrying no less than 10 corners on the current roster.
That bevy of hungry defensive backs will be looking to impress the club's new coaching staff when the Cardinals convene for training camp next month. Hamilton may have a leg up on the competition at the moment, but nothing is etched in stone. The 30-year-old will be pushed for playing time, and there's even a chance that Hamilton could fail to make it past final cuts when the final roster is formulated come September.
Kelvin Beachum - Offensive Tackle
Many eyebrows were raised back in March when veteran Kelvin Beachum made a derogatory comment about Murray. As a guest on the "Burns and Gambo" podcast, the team's starting right tackle told the hosts that the 25-year-old quarterback needed to "grow up a bit." Beachum was an unrestricted free agent at the time, and many believed that 34-year-old would not be welcomed back to Arizona following his criticism of Murray.
Just days later, the Cards signed Beachum to a two-year contract extension. Apparently, the club's hierarchy (and possibly Murray as well) had no issues with what the journeyman blocker said. One thing that Beachum may have to be concerned about is the impressive amount of depth that the franchise currently has at the offensive tackle position.
According to Ourlads, Beachum and D.J. Humphries would be the first-string tackles for the Cardinals if the season got underway today. While Humphries' job on the left side is likely safe, lineman such as Paris Johnson Jr., Dennis Daley and Josh Jones could push for snaps at the right post. If one of those three is promoted to starter, Ossenfort could ultimately decide that the money being paid to a now-demoted Beachum could be better spent elsewhere.
(Statistics provided by Pro Football Reference)