Top 3 overrated free agents in 2023 the Arizona Cardinals should stay away from

3 - Dalvin Tomlinson, DT

Dalvin Tomlinson posts moderate production, evidenced by his 42 tackles in 2022. The problem? He’s rarely making plays behind the line, having recorded just three tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks last year. 

Many NFL general managers regard him as a player worthy of making top dollar, or at least close to it. The Arizona Cardinals, specifically general manager Monti Ossenfort, need to look at the fact that his run stop and pass rush win rate were average and below average, respectively, last season, and look elsewhere. 

Once again, there are better options out there than Tomlinson. Matt Ioannidis, one of the more underrated free agents at the position, is one of them. Look for the Cards to sign a defensive tackle at some point in free agency, and just hope that it’s not Tomlinson. Someone familiar to head coach Jonathan Gannon, like Javon Hargrave, would be a better option.

Overall, the Cardinals got some serious money to spend. But they can’t be reckless with it. Find quality players, dissect how well they fit into the system, study their analytics, and make informed decisions. Signing any of the three players above would be a mistake.

Source: 2023 NFL free agency: Overrated, underrated players at every position by Seth Walder, ESPN.com.