The Arizona Cardinals will be looking to fill several holes in free agency. Here are three underrated names they can go after.
The Arizona Cardinals will need a lot of help if they don’t re-sign their many pending unrestricted free agents. Arizona will have a substantial amount of cap space, as they currently sit at nearly $34 million per SpoTrac at the time of this writing.
This came thanks to their releasing Chosen (Robbie) Anderson earlier this month. With so much space, it’s safe to say the Cards will go free agent shopping. And while there are plenty of big names out there fans would love to see wearing a cardinal and white uniform, there are also more than a few obscure and underrated names.
Below, we’re taking a look at three of those free agents. Keep reading to meet them. .
Arizona Cardinals: Top 3 underrated free agents for 2023
1 - D’Onta Foreman, RB
D’Onta Foreman will be 27 this season, but he never rushed for more than 100 times in a year until 2021, meaning he’s fresher than most running backs his age. At 6’1, 236lb, he also has a bit of a Derrick Henry build, and he’s also a back who could withstand a lot of carnage should the Arizona Cardinals choose to run the ball often if they need to roll with a backup quarterback early in the season.
Foreman can be that player, thanks to his dynamic performances with the Carolina Panthers last season. In 2022, he rushed for 914 yards on 203 carries, 4.5 yards per carry, and 5 touchdowns.
Because of his immense size, Foreman is a classic power back, much like Cardinals RB1, James Conner. Should Arizona opt to sign Foreman, expect them to run between the tackles a lot in 2023.
2 - Matt Ioannidis, DT
Another member of the Carolina Panthers in 2022, Matt Ioannidis logged just one sack. However, he played in just 71% of all defensive snaps last season, and posted nine quarterback hits, which should tell us that he managed to find the backfield time and again.
Better yet, he also landed a respectable 16% pass rush win rate. So despite his overall marginal statistics that included 37 tackles and five for a loss, Ioannidis has shown the ability to collapse the pocket occasionally.
Further, he’s also better than what the Cards have on their roster at the moment, notably Rashard Lawrence and Leki Fotu. We shouldn’t look at Ioannidis as a long-term signing should general manager Monti Ossenfort go after him. But he would prove more than capable of holding things down for a season or two.
3 - Jakobi Meyers, WR
One of the better receivers in the 2023 free agent class, I was surprised to see analysts list Jakobi Meyers as underrated. Last season with the New England Patriots, he snagged 67 catches on 96 targets, 804 yards, and six touchdowns.
If the Arizona Cardinals opt to trade DeAndre Hopkins, look for Meyers to find himself on the Redbirds radar if the receiver doesn’t re-sign with New England when free agency begins. There is also the possibility that Meyers will look to cash in big, so if Ossenfort wants him, he’s going to have to give up plenty of assets.
Overall, any of the above free agents would make great fits in the desert. Foreman is a sound power back who can serve as a strong supplement to James Conner, while Ioannidis can fill one of potentially two spots at defensive tackle in 2023. Meyers would fit right into the Cardinals offense, and would make a great complement to the small but speedy Marquise Brown.
Source: 2023 NFL free agency: Overrated, underrated players at every position by Scott Walder, ESPN.com.