NFL.com analyst: Antonio Cromartie would give Arizona Cardinals a ‘very formidable’ secondary
Mar 17, 2014, 9:17 PM | Updated: Mar 18, 2014, 1:10 am
As of now, the Arizona Cardinals have a combined four Pro Bowl appearances from the members of their secondary thanks to Patrick Peterson (3) and Justin Bethel (1).
They could nearly double total that with just one signing.
Antonio Cromartie, the former New York Jet and San Diego Charger, was in for a visit with the team last week, and while no contract has been signed, he would seem to remain a viable option for the team.
A guest of the Dan Bickley Show with Vince Marotta on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Monday, NFL.com analyst Bucky Brooks said the three-time Pro Bowl selection would not be a bad addition to the team.
“When you talk about Antonio Cromartie, you’re talking about the price to acquire the player,” he said. “If he comes in at a sensible price tag, I think he could absolutely be a complement to what Patrick Peterson is.”
Peterson, of course, is the Cardinals’ number one cornerback and usually assigned to the opponent’s top receiving threat.
“If Antonio Cromartie is your number two corner,” Brooks said, “a Pro Bowl-caliber player playing opposite Patrick Peterson, you certainly can compete with some of the top dogs in the NFC West.”
Brooks said what the Cardinals would be able to do would not be unlike what the Seattle Seahawks can, with big cornerbacks who can press receivers at the line of scrimmage.
Peterson is listed at 6-foot-1 and 219 pounds, while Cromartie is 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds.
“I’m not saying the Cardinals will want to mimic what Seattle does, but the ability to walk up and put your hands on people with two big corners, two guys who are over six foot, six-two, that gives you the opportunity to match up with any receiving corp in the league.
“I think that’s certainly a good thing, particularly when you add in Tyrann Mathieu coming back from injury as your nickel safety-type guy, I think that makes it a very formidable secondary.”
