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One Arizona Cardinals Trade Candidate Nobody Is Talking About

The Arizona Cardinals have stars available, but watch for this secondary player to be traded.
Oct 11, 2026; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals cornerback Garrett Williams (21) against the Detroit Lions at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Oct 11, 2026; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals cornerback Garrett Williams (21) against the Detroit Lions at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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We're one day away from the NFL's trade deadline, and the Arizona Cardinals — as expected — have a few notable names leading the charge.

Star outside linebacker Josh Sweat continues to be a hot name on the trade block (despite his recent comments) while safety Budda Baker again is at the top of several NFL trade deadline lists.

The Cardinals have already shown a willingness to get a deal done thanks to prior trades with Jacoby Brissett and Marvin Harrison Jr. — though there's another Cardinals trade candidate nobody is talking about:

Watch for Garrett Williams Move Ahead of Deadline

Arizona Cardinals cornerback Garrett Williams
Oct 25, 2026; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals cornerback Kei'Trel Clark (13) reacts with cornerback Garrett Williams (21) during the first half against the Denver Broncos at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Cardinals cornerback Garrett Williams is slipping through the cracks of obvious trade deadline candidates.

Williams was once a hidden gem for the Cardinals, operating as one of the league's underrated cornerbacks. The third-round pick from Syracuse quickly found his footing as a versatile slot cornerback and appeared to be a pivotal part to the Cardinals' defense for years to come.

That's changed, rapidly.

Williams has now seemingly fell out of favor with the Cardinals' coaching staff. Since Week 6, Williams' snap counts have decreased on a weekly basis. Williams played just eight snaps in Week 8 before logging one snap on Sunday in Seattle.

"Yeah, just think Kalen's (King) doing a really good job at nickel right now," LaFleur said post-game on Williams. "... We have a lot of trust in G (Garrett Williams) and he's going to have another opportunity and when he gets that opportunity, he's going to be ready to roll."

Williams, entering the final year of his contract, has battled injuries since before being drafted by Arizona. He played just nine games in his rookie season after suffering a torn ACL in college. While 2024 was his cleanest (and best) season in the desert, 2025 saw him land on injured reserve with knee and achilles injuries.

Williams made a surprisingly quick recovery from his season-ending achilles tear, emerging back in Arizona's lineup in Week 2. The Cardinals slowly worked him back, though other names such as Max Melton, King and Kei'Trel Clark emerged in defensive coordinator Nick Rallis' favor.

Now, as Arizona looks to accrue more draft capital for 2027, it's become unfortunately clear that Williams appears to be available for trade. The Cardinals, due to injury history and an expiring deal, would likely have to settle for a later round pick from interested teams.

The NFL's trade deadline is Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 2:00 pm MST.

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Donnie Druin
DONNIE DRUIN

Donnie Druin is the Publisher for Arizona Cardinals and Phoenix Suns On SI. Donnie moved to Arizona in 2012 and has been with the company since 2018. In college he won "Best Sports Column" in the state of Arizona for his section and has previously provided coverage for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona State Sun Devils. Follow Donnie on Twitter @DonnieDruin for more news, updates, analysis and more!

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