Cardinals Snag Starting Cornerback in Bleacher Report Mock Trade

The Arizona Cardinals have quite a few gaps to fill.

Such is life for a 4-13 football team who will see 30 players test the waters of free agency. With a new coaching staff in town, the Cardinals have the ability to completely shift the dynamic of their roster.

That includes the trade market, as a few notable names across the league are potentially available for the right price.

Set to potentially lose Byron Murphy in free agency, Bleacher Report's latest round of NFL trade packages to create dominant defenses involves a mock trade that lands the Cardinals Byron Jones.

Cardinals Snag Byron Jones in B/R Mock Trade

Dolphins Receive: 2023 third-round pick (No. 67)

Cardinals Receive: CB Byron Jones

"The Arizona Cardinals finished 21st in ESPN's defensive efficiency, but they might not be as far from fielding an elite defense as it would seem," said Alex Ballentine.

"When you look at the individual talent the Cardinals have on defense there are plenty of names that stand out. A defense that features talents like Zach Allen, Isaiah Simmons, Zaven Collins and Budda Baker should work.

"Despite all that talent, the Cardinals defense never seemed quite as good as it should have been with Kliff Kingsbury at the helm. With former Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon taking over, that should change.

"There are some personnel changes that need to be made for Gannon to work with, though. For one, they need to improve their cornerback room. The tandem of Darius Slay and James Bradberry were crucial to the Eagles' success.

"Byron Murphy Jr. has shown flashes of being a good corner. He allowed just six yards per target in the nine games he was healthy last season, according to Pro Football Reference. Pairing him with Byron Jones would give them two outside options capable of locking down receivers.

"With the third pick in the draft, the Cards are in a perfect position to improve up front with either Alabama's Will Anderson Jr. or Georgia's Jalen Carter. The two defenders are the No. 1 and 2 prospects on Bleacher Report's Big Board.

"Jones missed all of the 2022 campaign with an Achilles injury, and Miami would save $13.6 million against the cap with a post-June 1 trade designation."

If Jones is able to regain his form, a third-round pick for his services would be a fair price tag. His elite athleticism would pair well with Murphy/Marco Wilson with Isaiah Simmons hopefully making more appearances in the defensive backfield, too.

Jones (30-years-old) is set to be under contract for two more seasons with cap hits of $18.3 and $18.7 million, respectively.

Like Ballentine pointed out, the Cardinals are set to address the front seven early in the 2023 NFL Draft. Adding to the secondary could help turn the Cardinals around sooner rather than later on the defensive side of the ball.

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