5 Predictions for Cardinals in Free Agency

Free agency frenzy is so close we can almost taste it, and the Arizona Cardinals have to be licking their chops as they prepare to add talent and depth to a team that desperately needs both.

This year‘s free agent pool doesn’t have nearly as many superstars as we’ve seen previously, but there are a ton of starters and overlooked studs available.

The best part? The strength of this pool lines up almost perfectly with needs for the Cardinals.

Arizona has $74.4 million in effective cap space according to OverTheCap.

Five predictions for what's to come:

5 Predictions for Cardinals in Free Agency

Arizona Breaks the Bank for Eagles Defender

Get ready to see one of the Eagles' premier defensive players cash in on a fat contract this off-season. And expect the Cardinals to be contending for each and everyone of them.

Everyone knows Josh Sweat is a young pass rusher with proven production. And of course, he’s extremely familiar with Jonathan Gannon — the coach he saw the most success under.

The Cardinals' fan base is all in on Milton Williams, and I don’t blame them on that. Williams was a fantastic player and a key contributor in Philadelphia's Super Bowl win.

Rotating with two former first-round picks in Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis shows how talented he is, as he earned the playing time and found a way to stand out from two terrific players.

Zack Baun will be available after a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year-caliber season, too.

We can call these guys “the big three“ as not only former-Eagle free agents, but as players near or at the top of their position group. And it’s just so happens that all three of them are needs for the Cardinals.

I would borderline say that adding one of them is an absolute must for Arizona once free agency comes to a close.

Cardinals Avoid a Veteran Edge Rusher

The free agent market is saturated with storied pass rushers; Khalil Mack leads the way. However, I don’t like the fit of an older pass rusher to be added to this team.

My preference is well documented for fixing the edge rusher spot: get a guy early in the draft and spend investments at the position.

Haason Reddick be a tempting name for this fan base, but I continue to stand on the side of moving on from him. Other vets like DeMarcus Lawrence and Matt Judon also do not move the needle for me.

There are some positions that make sense to add veterans, and we’ll talk about them momentarily. But the edge rushing position is not one of those spots for me. Get younger, more talented, and if possible cheaper with draft picks.

Veteran O-Line Targeted Heavily

I am among those that believes Jonah Williams will be a cap casualty, which will leave a hole open at the right tackle spot. I like the idea of getting someone with a ton of experience to hold down that spot, and Morgan Moses is my preferred target.

Moses has had a career with no shortage of success with the several teams that he has appeared with. His last three years between the Jets and Ravens shows me there’s still stuff left in the tank even as he approaches his mid 30's. He could be hard for a budget, and I am confident he can be at worst an average starter.

If there’s one name I would advise you to look out for, it’s former first-round pick Jedrick Wills.

Wills is still quite young and is a free agent after playing out his rookie deal with the Browns. He definitely didn’t play up to his billing as a top pick, but in fairness, he was dealing with a move to left tackle in the pros after spending his time on the right side with Alabama.

I believe a possible move back to his comfort zone could resurrect his career. I’d be willing to bet that Wills would be willing to take a “prove it deal“ and move to the right side for last ditch effort to show his upside and get back into good graces with NFL teams.

If Arizona doesn’t sign a veteran, I love Wills as a dice roll.

Kyzir White Leaves, Cardinals Sign Replacement

With each passing day, I become less and less confident that White will return to the desert in 2025. If that’s the case, then I would expect another veteran linebacker to be his targeted replacement.

I believe it makes sense for Arizona to grab a linebacker with more experience. For a defense that is looking to get younger, getting that signal caller in the middle of the field who’s been around for a while, makes the most sense to me.

My personal target would be Eric Kendricks, who has put together a career with Hall of Fame numbers with none of the recognition. Speaking of Hall of Famers, Bobby Wagner is also someone I would be taking a look at after a terrific season with the Commanders last year.

One more name to watch is Denzel Perryman. He’s a tackling machine and another unsung hero for the defenses he has played with in his career.

Cardinals Go Bargain Shopping For WR

This doesn’t feel like a free agent class I anticipate the Cardinals will be spending any kind of major money on a new wide receiver.

There are certainly some names on the market, such as Keenan Allen, Stefon Diggs, and potentially Cooper Kupp if the Rams decide to release him.

Those three would be good additions for most teams, but I don’t like their fit for the Cardinals because they do similar things to the guys on this roster and don’t fix the biggest problem: speed.

There aren’t a ton of speedsters available either. Marquise Brown is obviously the biggest name, but I don’t know if I envision Arizona bringing him back. Instead, I believe they’ll look for a lesser known player who can fill the void and provide depth.

My favorite option here is Dyami Brown. He had middling success to start his career, but exploded in the playoffs with Washington. I think he’ll be a more popular name than people realize, and I love the Cardinals to get in on him.

Josh Palmer (Chargers) and Tylan Wallace (Ravens) are also players to keep an eye on.