Plucking One Free Agent from Each Division for the Cardinals

With several needs heading into the offseason, here is an exercise where we take one free agent from each NFL division and plug them into the Arizona Cardinals roster.

Author:
Richie Bradshaw
Publish date:
Jan 26, 2023 5:50 PM EST

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Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals needs to upgrade their roster throughout and free agency will be the team's first opportunity to do so. While there are few superstars hitting the market, there are several quality players for the Cardinals to target while also not having to fork over mega-deals.

Here, we take a look at some of the free agents from each NFL division and plug them onto the Cardinals. Note that these players being discussed are options that would make sense to upgrade the team, so don't expect to see Lamar Jackson on here.

That being said, let's start with the division we are all most familiar with...

NFC West: OL Mike McGlinchey

This feels like a shot for the moon kind of move, as I don't believe that McGlinchey will be hitting Free Agency, but that won't stop us from dreaming big. McGlinchey is one of the finer if not more underrated right tackles in the league. I suspect the San Francisco 49ers will want to pay him, but if he hits free agency the Cardinals would be foolish to not throw a bag at him to give the offensive line a massive upgrade.

NFC North: DE Dalvin Tomlinson

The NFC North doesn't have too many big-name free agents, but Minnesota Vikings' Tomlinson is flying under the radar right now and the Cardinals would be wise to snatch him up. Tomlinson is a space eater and while he isn't a major sack producer, he is a strong run defender. The Cardinals simply need to improve their defense and while Tomlinson's jersey wouldn't be flying off the shelves, he would be a great addition.

NFC South: CB Jamel Dean

Count Dean as one of the least appreciated cornerbacks in football. Dean has been a steady and reliable corner for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the last few seasons and he will be looking for a team that will value him as a starter on the outside once again. The Cardinals need for a corner will be large even if Byron Murphy returns, so this fit makes sense and the team won't have to break the bank for him.

NFC East: DT Javon Hargrave

Here is one of the biggest, no pun intended, free agents on the market. Hargrave is a massive man who plugs the run and even gets after the quarterback. He quietly has had 18.5 sacks over the last two seasons for the Philadelphia Eagles. Hargrave gives the Cardinals a massive upgrade on the defensive line and becomes one of the two best defenders on the defensive side of the ball.

AFC West: OL Orlando Brown Jr.

Brown Jr. has been voted to the Pro Bowl four consecutive seasons, though he's been an average player since leaving the Baltimore Ravens and joining the Kansas City Chiefs. Regardless, the Cardinals need upgrades on the offensive line and Brown Jr. is just that. Negotiating a contract will be complicated, but he would upgrade the tackle position.

AFC North: OL Ben Powers

Powers had one of the quietest seasons for a guard in 2022 and was playing at a near-Pro Bowl level for the Baltimore Ravens. He'll enter free agency as one of the more popular bargain bin players and the Cardinals would be wise to snatch him up and plug him into the interior of the offensive line where he will be a day one starter.

AFC South: EDGE Yannick Ngakoue

Ngakoue may not be an edge setting run defender, but all the man does is sack the quarterback. Since coming into the league in 2016, Ngakoue has had a minimum of eight sacks each year and is coming off a 9.5 sack season with the Indianapolis Colts. The Cardinals simply need to get better at getting after the quarterback and it just so happens that that's Ngakoue's forte and he won't cost a fortune.

AFC East: CB Jonathan Jones

Similarly to Dean, Jones is a fine cornerback who is underrated among his peers. In his seven seasons with the New England Patriots, Jones has intercepted 11 passes and deflected 44 passes. He isn't a massive producer in turnovers, but his quality play is exactly what the Cardinals need in their secondary.