Arizona Cardinals Could Target These 3 CB's After Injury

Following Arizona Cardinals CB Starling Thomas' season-ending injury, who could Arizona turn to in free agency?

Sep 22, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. (26) walks the field before playing the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Arizona Cardinals took another blow to their secondary, as it was reported Sunday that potential starting CB Starling Thomas V suffered a torn ACL in training camp this week.

While Arizona does have a young future starter in Will Johnson, their CB room has gotten thin, after Sean Murphy-Bunting was also lost to a season-ending injury.

The Cardinals may opt to press on with the players they have, but, here are three of the available free agent options should GM Monti Ossenfort decides to go shopping for depth.

1: CB Rasul Douglas

Douglas has been a Cardinals signing suggestion since the beginning of the offseason. The 29-year-old did not enjoy his best season in 2024, but could still provide veteran experience.

"Douglas faced some challenges in 2024, but his knack for making plays on the ball ensures he'll attract significant interest in 2025. Heading into the 2024 campaign, he had recorded at least seven pass breakups in six of his seven years in the NFL and notched four or more interceptions in each of the past three seasons," Pro Football Focus wrote.

2: CB Asante Samuel Jr.

The Cardinals brought Samuel in for a workout, but opted not to sign him this offseason. There are some significant injury concerns, but Samuel is still only 25 years old with plenty of physical talent.

If Arizona isn't expecting him to be a part of the long-term future, Samuel may be one of the best options available from a talent perspective.

"After posting PFF coverage grades of 75.6 or better in each of the past two years, Samuel struggled early in his first year with defensive coordinator Jesse Minter at the helm but played just four games before being placed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury," said PFF.

"Likewise, Samuel's tackling woes - a problem that has reared its head throughout his career - were exacerbated, with the cornerback missing a whopping 22.2% of attempts. That said, Samuel's youth, pedigree and experience will still be very appealing."

3: CB Stephon Gilmore

The 34-year-old veteran can still play. Ironically enough, Arizona did sign Steven Gilmore, Stephon Gilmore's younger brother, in wake of the Thomas news. Steven Gilmore most recently played in the UFL, and may or may not be a legitimate depth option.

Stephon Gilmore, however, comes with a long history of high-level success. He may be the exact veteran type needed to elevate the entire group, and he can still cover some of the best to general success.

"It's rare for a cornerback to continue playing at a high level into his 30s, but leave it to the 2019 Defensive Player of the Year. Gilmore probably benefits from playing in defensive coordinator Brian Flores' blitz-centric scheme, but there's little reason to think he can't continue to be a veteran presence in a relatively young cornerback room," PFF said.