There are several unemployed veterans who could make the Arizona Cardinals much more competitive in 2023.
Following an uneventful beginning to the free-agency signing period, the Arizona Cardinals have finally begun to fill out the roster. Most of the individuals who've been acquired by general manager Monti Ossenfort are far from household names, even to those of us who are avid followers of the National Football League.
Many of the top-ranked targets have already found new homes, but a bevy of productive veterans still need to sign contracts. If the Cards front office would only act, there are several individuals who could make the squad a whole lot more respectable next season.
One thing that is still a mystery in Arizona is the new regime's exact intentions at the present time. Are Ossenfort and company really trying to win games in year one? If they are, the following are five of the remaining free agents who could help the Cardinals be much more competitive than expected in 2023.
5 remaining free agent options for the Arizona Cardinals
EDGE - Yannick Ngakoue
Ossenfort needs to realize that the Redbirds defense possesses a miniscule amount of pass-rushing ability at the moment. A total of 18 sacks have been extracted with J.J. Watt and Zach Allen no longer around, so management needs to quickly acquire someone who can put fear into opposing quarterbacks.
Yannick Ngakoue, a journeyman defensive end, is still there for the taking. The 27-year-old has spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Minnesota Vikings, Baltimore Ravens, Las Vegas Raiders and Indianapolis Colts during his seven-year pro career. Ngakoue, a 6 foot 2, 246 pounder, has applied an ample amount of pressure to the opposition's signal-callers at every stop along the way.
Last fall, Ngakoue racked up 9.5 sacks and 16 quarterback hits in 15 starts for the Colts. In 2021, the former University of Maryland product registered 10 sacks and 23 QB hits in 17 starts for the Raiders. Based off of that production, Ossenfort should inguire immediately about what it would take for Ngakoue to do the same for the Cards defensive unit next fall.
QUARTERBACK - Matt Ryan
The fact that Arizona has not attempted to find a suitable fill-in for injured passer Kyler Murray is a bit alarming. Colt McCoy, the next option on the club's depth chart, is a 36-year-old who is reportedly recovering from some type of offseason surgery. David Blough, a 27-year-old who arrived in the desert last December, has posted an 0-7 record as an NFL starter.
Matt Ryan, a four-time Pro Bowler, would undoubtedly be an upgrade over both McCoy and Blough. In 12 starts for a rancid Colts team last year, the 6 foot 4, 217 pounder completed 67% of his throws for 3,057 yards and 14 touchdowns. Those numbers would suit the Arizona Cardinals just fine, especially when you consider that Ryan would only be Murray's placeholder for a limited amount of matchups.
A one-year deal between Ryan and "Big Red" would make sense for both parties. Anyone who would like the Cards to stay afloat while Murray is sidelined should be clamoring for such an experienced stand-in.
CORNERBACK - Shaquill Griffin
Arizona's one addition to their cornerbacks room this offseason is Antonio Hamilton, a 30-year-old who played reasonably well for the organization in 2022. Retaining the cover guy is all well and good, but the Cards need additional help if they hope to hold up against the league's high-octane passing attacks.
Shaquill Griffin, a seventh-year vet, would be much more dependable in that regard. Actually, the 27-year-old would instantly become the squad's number-one cornerback if he joined the Cardinals secondary. In 76 professional starts (72 starts), Griffin has been credited with 327 tackles, six interceptions and 59 passes defensed in stints with the Seattle Seahawks and Jaguars.
Arizona has concentrated on handing out just one or two-year deals this offseason. Griffin, a 6 foot,198 pounder who was released by Jacksonville earlier this month, would likely fall in line with that type of agreement at this juncture of his professional career.
CENTER - Ben Jones
If there's one glaring need for the Cards at the current time, a starting center would certainly qualify as a top priority. The Rodney Hudson era is over, so Ossenfort needs to find a replacement for the three-time Pro Bowler as soon as possible.
There's been speculation that the Cardinals could be interested in Ben Jones, a 33-year-old who was cut by the Tennessee Titans back on March 10th. It just so happens that the 6 foot 3, 308 pounder is fresh off of the first Pro Bowl appearance of his NFL career. Arizona could use Jones as a one or two-year starter at the spot, and have a youngster waiting in the wings who could eventually take over.
Coincidentally, Ossenfort served as the Director of player personnel for the Titans during the past three campaigns (2020-22). The Cards first-year GM should be well aware of what Jones can bring to the table. A possible agreement between the franchise and the talented offensive lineman could be just a phone call away.
DEFENSIVE TACKLE - Poona Ford
If the center position is the Cardinals' main area of concern, the defensive tackle spot isn't far behind. Currently, it's a group that features Leki Fotu, Rashard Lawrence and Kevin Strong. Obviously, this is a crew that requires Ossenfort's urgent attention as well.
Poona Ford, a five-year member of the Seahawks, could be part of the solution for Arizona's pronunced problem on defense. The 5 foot 11, 310 pounder has been a solid rock in the middle of Seattle's D-line since 2018. In 76 pro contests (64 starts), Ford has tallied 181 tackles and 7.5 sacks for head coach Pete Carroll's contingent.
It goes without saying that Ford would be an outstanding addition to the Cards' front wall. Acquiring a free agent who can offer improvement for such a talent-starved segment of the defense would seem to be a necessity at this point.
(Statistics provided by Pro Football Reference)