Is there anything left on the WR free agent market for the Cardinals?
Mar 20, 2018, 8:59 AM | Updated: 2:31 pm
(AP Photos)
(AP Photos)
The Arizona Cardinals have addressed a couple of their needs in free agency.
General manager Steve Keim has added two veteran quarterbacks in Sam Bradford and Mike Glennon to help fill what was an empty position room after the 2017 season.
He’s tinkered with the offensive line, adding guard Justin Pugh from the Giants, tackle Andre Smith from Cincinnati and restructuring guard Mike Iupati’s deal to make it more cap-friendly.
But there is a position that hasn’t been touched just yet: Wide receiver.
The Cardinals have seen two of their own free agents leave, and that was probably by design. John Brown signed a one-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens, while Jaron Brown hooked on with the division-rival Seattle Seahawks.
Larry Fitzgerald, J.J. Nelson and Chad Williams, who played just 98 offensive snaps as a rookie last season, are the only receivers on the roster who saw playing time a year ago.
Finding capable pass catchers remains an item that needs attention for Arizona.
There was an early run on receivers when free agency opened on March 14. Jarvis Landry, who had been franchised by Miami, was traded to the Cleveland Browns. Allen Robinson inked a deal with the Bears while Sammy Watkins cashed in on a massive contract with Kansas City.
There are still a few targets that could make sense for Keim and the Cardinals, should they choose to pursue a free-agent receiver.
Tuesday, it was reported that Jacksonville is cutting veteran Allen Hurns. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Hurns is just two years removed from a breakout season during which he caught 64 passes for 1,031 yards and 10 touchdowns — ranking among the league’s leaders. He has been slowed by injuries the past couple seasons and has been limited to just 74 grabs over 21 games since the beginning of 2016.
Terrelle Pryor, who topped the 1,000-yard plateau in 2016 before a disastrous season in Washington, remains unsigned. The converted quarterback has visited with the Seahawks and the Jets as he looks for a new home. While he’s still learning the nuances of the position, his size (6-foot-4, 228 pounds) and athletic ability are very intriguing.
Veteran Eric Decker, 31, also remains unsigned. Decker’s production took a dip in 2017, his first season in Tennessee. He caught 54 passes for 563 yards and only one touchdown in the Titans’ run-heavy scheme. Decker has played in the slot — a position manned by Fitzgerald — so his fit in Arizona could be questioned. Decker was erroneously linked to New Orleans, but is actually visiting the Oakland Raiders as free agency rolls on.
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The Cardinals have shown interest in free agent Jordan Matthews, formerly of the Eagles and Bills. Matthews had knee and ankle injuries which hampered his one and only season in Buffalo and limited him to just 25 catches for 282 yards and a touchdown. In his first three seasons in Philadelphia, the former second-round pick racked up 225 catches for 2,673 yards and 19 touchdowns.
Other names to consider:
• Mike Wallace: The speedster, who is 31, probably would have fit better in Arizona if Bruce Arians was still the head coach. He caught 52 passes for 748 yards and four touchdowns in 2017.
• Kendall Wright: The 28-year-old put up decent numbers with the Bears last season, catching 59 passes for 614 yards and a touchdown.
• Brice Butler: Butler has good size (6-foot-3, 220 pounds) but hasn’t produced big numbers in five years in the league with Oakland and Dallas. Over the last two seasons, Butler had only 31 catches for Dallas, but six of them went for touchdowns — four of which were red-zone scores.
