B/R Says Cardinals Should Poach Samson Ebukam From 49ers
The Arizona Cardinals are set to conclude their 2022 regular season with one last road trip as the San Francisco 49ers play host in Week 18.
The Cardinals, having essentially locked one of the top spots in the 2023 NFL Draft up, will be on the prowl for strong defensive talent to add to their ranks with J.J. Watt retiring and Zach Allen hitting free agency.
Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox says they should simply look across the field on Sunday.
B/R Says Cardinals Should Poach Samson Ebukam From 49ers
"San Francisco 49ers edge-rusher Samson Ebukam isn't a household name, but he's been a quality contributor this season. While Nick Bosa headlines and leads the 49ers pass rush, Ebukam has been a nice complementary piece," said Knox.
"Playing 60 percent of the defensive snaps, Ebukam has chipped in with 35 tackles, 4.5 sacks, seven tackles for loss and 14 quarterback pressures.
"With a projected market value of $7.7 million annually, Ebukam figures to be a bargain for any team that seeks pass-rush help. The Arizona Cardinals are one of those teams.
"The Cardinals lost pass-rusher Chandler Jones in 2022 free agency and have logged only 32 sacks this year. J.J. Watt has produced 10.5 of those sacks, but he has announced his decision to retire after this weekend.
"'It's been an unbelievable ride,' Watt told reporters.
"With Watt on the way out, the Cardinals desperately need to reload on the edge. Sniping Ebukam from the rival 49ers would be a great start. While the 27-year-old won't replace Watt's production, he can make an impact—especially in divisional games.
"After two seasons in San Francisco following four years with the Los Angeles Rams, Ebukam knows the strengths and weaknesses of the division's offensive linemen, including his own. Three of his 4.5 sacks this season have come against NFC West foes. That's production the Cardinals can make work for them."
Ebukam is set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season - could he end up in a Cardinals uniform?
That all depends on who will be running the show in Arizona and how they value guys such as Allen, Myjai Sanders, Cameron Thomas and Markus Golden moving forward. From there, would the Cardinals be in position to grab a guy such as Will Anderson out of the draft?
There's potential for a reset across the board in the desert, but Ebukam's presence would undoubtedly be welcome to bolster the pass-rush if the Cardinals don't like other options.
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