Cardinals free agency preview: Who will be Maxx Williams’ TE sidekick?
Mar 10, 2020, 3:02 PM
(Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
Let’s take a look at the Arizona Cardinals’ roster position by position as we near the NFL free agency period that can lead to signing beginning on Wednesday, March 18, at 1 p.m.
At tight end, the Cardinals appear to have a good lineup of options. Do they feel like they have a dynamic pass-catching threat alongside the quietly excellent Maxx Williams?
The basics
Players under contract: Maxx Williams, Dan Arnold, Darrell Daniels
Free agents: Charles Clay
What we know
It was just after Week 10 of the 2019 regular season when the Arizona Cardinals extended tight end Maxx Williams to a two-year deal worth $7 million, according to OverTheCap.com. The timing came with Arizona sporting a 3-6-1 record and spoke to the value the franchise saw in Williams’ blocking abilities in both the passing and running games.
Williams also occasionally involved himself in the passing game, catching 15 of 19 targets for 202 yards and a touchdown.
Pro Football Focus rated him as the best pass-blocker after left guard Justin Pugh and the best run-blocker after receiver Pharoh Cooper (which itself is an interesting tidbit).
Williams’ extension also came after head coach Kliff Kingsbury and general manager Steve Keim got enough evidence that the 10 personnel groupings fading into more tight-end-heavy sets mattered as Arizona rolled off a three-game winning streak after a disappointing start. Williams and fellow veteran Charles Clay had a ton to do with that.
By the end of 2019, only three NFL teams snapped the ball with two tight ends on the field more than Arizona.
Big question: Did they find a dynamic pass-catcher?
Clay quietly went about his business in 2019, catching 18 passes for 237 yards and a score. But the 31-year-old could be expendable after the rise of Dan Arnold, a 24-year-old who developed with the New Orleans Saints over the last few years before being released and claimed on waivers in December.
Arnold caught his teammates’ eyes working with the scout team, and Kingsbury quickly gave him limited duties in red zone situations. The 6-foot-6, 220-pound tight end also earned the trust of rookie quarterback Kyler Murray, who targeted him 10 times in only 59 snaps over three games.
The tight end caught six balls for 102 yards and two touchdowns, and now he could be an intriguing future piece, adding a new dynamic to a team that doesn’t have many red zone playmakers. Throw in Daniels, who shuttled between the practice squad and Arizona’s 53-man roster most of last season, and the depth is there.
It’s just a wonder if the Cardinals want another proven blocking-savvy tight end or they trust Arnold and Daniels to fill a void if the team doesn’t bring Clay back.
If they believe in Arnold as much as it appeared late in the season, there wouldn’t be much reason to go after top-tier TE veterans like Austin Hooper, Eric Ebron or Hunter Henry on the market — nor reason to pursue and pay big money to Jimmy Graham, who reportedly is expected to be released by the Packers.
Other roster holes are probably more pressing, but a value signing of a proven vet wouldn’t surprise if Clay walks.