Perfect Free Agent Add for Cardinals Revealed

The Arizona Cardinals have numerous needs on both sides of the ball entering free agency next week, most notably positions such as edge rusher, defensive line and offensive line.

However, the cornerback position has been discussed as a potential room to upgrade despite the Cardinals being confident in their young trio of Starling Thomas, Garrett Williams and Max Melton with veteran Sean Murphy-Bunting also in the mix.

Still, you can never have enough talent at the cornerback position, and the Cardinals could target a veteran in the free agent market to bolster the spot.

Pro Football Focus has one name in mind as a perfect fit: Buffalo Bills CB Rasul Douglas.

PFF: Cardinals Need to Target Rasul Douglas

"The Cardinals will need to address their trenches, but locking down a legitimate perimeter CB1 next to slot star Garrett Williams should also be a priority in free agency — especially considering the deep crop of available cornerbacks," wrote Bradley Locker.

"Douglas wasn’t nearly as successful during 2024, recording only a 51.6 PFF coverage grade and a 116.9 passer rating when targeted. However, he would make tons of sense, given the Cardinals’ tendency to run Cover 3, which they did on 33.8% of coverage snaps last year. Douglas’ 77.2 PFF coverage grade in Cover 3 over the past two seasons is tied for the fourth-best mark in the NFL.

"He generated a 71.5 PFF coverage grade or higher from 2021 to 2023, so there’s a real chance that he could rebound with a new team next season. Landing with Jonathan Gannon makes sense on multiple fronts."

Spotrac has Douglas' estimated annual value at $11.9 million for a new contract while Pro Football Focus has $13.25 million per season estimated.

The Cover 3 fit does make sense, as that what Arizona runs primarily in coverage. Douglas also is still just 30 years and could offer the Cardinals some solid football through the next few seasons as they try to establish themselves as an NFC playoff contender.

Some would argue Arizona should push money towards the front seven, which could only help their young and improving secondary - which is still patrolled on the backend by veteran safeties Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson.

Douglas wouldn't be a horrible option, though he'd have to play often and quite well to justify the Cardinals spending double-digit money annually on a new corner.

Arizona has north of $70 million in cap space according to OverTheCap.