SO SAD: ARIZONA CARDINALS 2 KEY PLAYERS ARE VERY ANGRY AND DECIDE NOT TO PLAY AGAIN…
With the matchup for Super Bowl LVIII set, most NFL franchises are already in full offseason mode.
Scouting events will begin en masse in January, leading up to the NFL Scouting Combine in late February.
The legal tampering window and free agency follow in mid-March, and the 2024 NFL draft is in late April.
Teams will use those tentpole events to try to fix whatever ailed them in 2023.
We spent all season chronicling each team’s biggest weaknesses on a weekly basis.
This offseason, B/R’s Alex Ballentine (AFC) and Kris Knox (NFC) will provide updated analysis for all of the ways each team can improve ahead of the 2024 campaign.
Free agency activity and the draft will dominate the offseason, but trades will be a big part of the equation, too.
We’ve seen several blockbuster deals over the past two offseasons, including those involving Russell Wilson, Tyreek Hill, Aaron Rodgers and the No. 1 overall draft selection.
This week, we’ll examine each team’s top trade candidates and trade targets based on team needs, salary cap projections and potential cut candidates.
The Arizona Cardinals appear poised to build around quarterback Kyler Murray for the foreseeable future. Even with a fair amount of cap space, the Cardinals could look to trade off a few pieces to achieve that goal.
Safety Budda Baker is one of the better players on Arizona’s defense. He’s also entering the final year of his contract and would likely bring a sizable return from a team closer to title contention.
Trading offensive tackle D.J. Humphries would be more about creating cap space, though, to a tackle-needy team, he’d have some value. Trading Humphries would save $9 million in cap space.
The Cardinals could also look to move down in April’s draft, something they did a year ago, netting the Houston Texans’ 2024 first-rounder in the process.
Top Trade Targets: DE Josh Sweat, CB Carlton Davis, WR Keenan Allen
With a defense that ranked 29th in yards per carry allowed and 30th in net yards per pass attempt allowed, Arizona could use help all along the defensive line.
Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Josh Sweat would be a sensible trade target, as he can set the edge, rush the passer and has experience under head coach Jonathan Gannon.
Sweat is entering the final year of his contract, as is Tampa Bay Buccaneers corner Carlton Davis.
The Bucs aren’t facing a dire cap situation, but with an extension for Baker Mayfield looking likely, they could try to generate some space.
