How To Rebuild The Cardinals

As it is now Draft season and Free Agency is nearly upon us, it’ll undoubtedly be fun and exciting to lay out a plan for Arizona’s offseason. The Cardinals are being forced to rebuild for two reasons. This team’s lack of toughness and discipline showed, and the entire encapsulated job of coaching from Kliff Kingsbury.

The other reason is the GM, who spent unnecessary money on resigning guys they could’ve replaced for cheap and made poor draft selections. In addition, he didn’t do enough to build the trenches. This team was one of the worst run-blocking teams and had feeble EDGEs.

With only roughly 13.7 million dollars in cap space, but a good amount of draft capital, it is time to set this team in the direction of a Super Bowl. The Kyler Murray contract complicates things, but it is still possible to set this team up to eventually be seriously competitive. Here we go over every primary move Arizona ought to make this off-season in detail.

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~8-minute read:

Cuts And Trades

The first off-season move is going to be to trade DeAndre Hopkins. The team I’m targeting is the Giants, who have two feasible picks to offer, being their second and third-rounders. That would give the Cardinals six top-100 picks allowing them to fix many holes seamlessly. For the Giants, it’d provide them with the playmaker they desperately need on the outside.

The next trade is for D.J. Humphries. This trade is executed because Josh Jones was stellar when asked to play LT, and Humphries is now 30. You get a fifth-rounder in return from the Jets. The trade frees up 13.6 million in cap space. The first cut was evident in OC Rodney Hudson, who played way below his pay grade.

Robbie Anderson is another guy that needs to go. He was a temporary deep threat and did nothing outstanding. Cutting him frees up 12 million in cap space. The following two are Dennis Gardeck and Markus Golden. These two players are just old cap eaters and will remove reps from younger players. The next season isn’t supposed to be too competitive, so you may as well get rid of these vets now. That all allows for roughly 64.3 million dollars in cap space.

Free Agency

CB Byron Murphy is one of the few players I want to resign back to Arizona. It takes a three-year, 34.75 Million dollar deal with ten million dollars guaranteed. He is essential to resign because he should be able to play on the perimeter as a number two corner. Gannon liked only to use only one press corner on the perimeter in most plays, and Murphy can play that off-man role. Worst comes to worst, this is a short contract, and he showed he’s one of the best nickel guys in the league.

Zach Allen is a favorable guy to bring back as well. Allen developed under J.J. Watt and is coming off his best year. It only costs 40 million over four years with a 12 million dollar signing bonus. It would essentially be a three-year deal allowing Allen to thrive in the Brandon Graham role.

Jawaan Taylor, a Right Tackle from Jacksonville, is the first UFA signing besides Murphy and Allen. I am giving him a four-year, 58 million dollar deal with 34 guaranteed. Acquiring him sures up the right side of pass-pro, and he also fits the wide-zone running scheme Arizona will use. Taylor is a thick and powerful Tackle with quick and light feet. His contact may seem like a lot, but finding quality starters like Taylor is challenging. While it also seems unintuitive to trade an LT, then pay another Tackle big money, it is important to have ascending, youthful players and Taylor is only 25.

Davlin Tomlinson, the nose tackle from Minnesota, is the next priority target. Tomlinson is the exact type of physical and tough player Arizona has been missing. He is a large, powerful defensive lineman who will improve run defense tremendously. It only costs 25.5 million over three years, with a 7.5 signing bonus.

Ethan Pocic, a Center from Cleveland, is someone crucial to target. The draft isn’t an excellent class for Centers, and Pocic would fit this offensive scheme well. The contract he gets is a four-year, 30-million dollar deal with a small 8 million signing bonus. He only gave up ten pressures as a starter and was a great run blocker in 2022. This leaves 25 million in cap space for smaller free agents.

Lorenzo Carter is an EDGE that would be helpful to bring in. It would only be a cheap one-year deal worth four million. He could be a practical short-term option and be a nice rotational piece with whoever gets drafted. I am going with Nick Gates to play Guard to further address the online. He can be brought in on a cheap 2.5 million dollar deal. Cody Ford is also being brought back on a league-minimum deal.

Cornerback, Greedy Williams is an excellent option to bandage this secondary. He is a lengthy athletic corner who has experience in a similar scheme, and it only cost three million. To address Receiver, Parris Campbell is being brought in as well for only a one-year, 4 million dollar deal. This leaves roughly five million for a handful of league-minimum signings, and you enter the draft with 60 men on the roster.

Draft

I am using a PFF mock draft simulator to simulate the draft as accurately as possible. I am only doing the first three rounds, as the rest consists of backups and special teamers.

With the first-round pick at three, Jalen Carter is off the board. That leaves Will Anderson Jr. as the most clear-cut decision. As previously mentioned, Anderson Jr. would instill the toughness and leadership we desperately need. His electric movement skills and raw power are incredibly rare. This pick would be a bit of a steal as he is ranked as the best defensive prospect this year. Pairing him with Carter and Allen would do wonders for this newly assembled D-line.

With pick 34, someone that particularly stands out to me is available. That is Corneback Deonte Banks, out of Maryland, who’d perfectly fit right in. The same way James Bradbury thrived in Gannon’s scheme is the same way he can too. Banks, at 6’2, 205 lbs, is rocked up and physical. He has experience playing in an off-man system and has the ceiling of a legit number-one corner. Not many other picks would’ve gotten me as fired up as this one, as you’re getting a remarkable athlete.

After trading away Hopkins, it leaves Arizona with this extra pick alongside the 89th pick. As the interior offensive line is a considerable weakness still, it is crucial to draft someone here. Luckily Joe Tipman is available, who has the flexibility to play Center or Guard. Tippman is a player I’ve yet to evaluate thoroughly, but I am familiar with his skill set. As Arizona is now running a wide-zone offense, an O-lineman who can move block well is a necessity. Joe Tipman is a fantastic athlete and showed he could make key impact blocks on the move. With a late second, this is excellent value considering he’ll start.

Andre Carter II just happens to be sitting here, so why not double up on EDGE? Andre Carter is a lengthy but slender EDGE who is a phenomenal investment project. He won’t be much help in run defense, but on day one, he can rotate on the EDGE and bring a much-needed pass rush presence. He has an explosive get-off and the length and agility to develop some nasty moves. In round three, you can’t go wrong in taking an impressive athlete like Carter.

With pick 89 from the Giants, it’s time to address the interior defensive line further. Karl Brooks is available and could be an excellent chest piece for coach Gannon. A beefy nose tackle was already signed, and now you get a promising pass-rush presence in the middle. Brooks is ultra-quick and dominated at Bowling Green. His run defense skills are lackluster, but he more than makes up for it as a pass rusher. This is someone projected to go in round two, and to land him here is terrific for Arizona.

Michael Wilson is the final selection, with the last pick of round three at spot 96. Michael Wilson is a very intriguing receiver prospect and would be an excellent fourth receiver on day one. He put his route running prowess and athletic traits on full display at the senior bowl. Wilson would complement the skillset of Rondale Moore and Marquise Brown very well. He has a reasonable frame and would be a reliable possession guy for the Cards. Wilson is again of outstanding value as he is second-round talent.

Running back and more depth in the trenches can be found later. Overall, this draft completes a serviceable roster and puts this franchise in the proper direction.