Alan Ball will work out for the Cardinals on Thursday, Aaron Wilson of National Football Post reports. Ball remains a free agent after playing on a one-year deal with the Bears last season, and the Cardinals may be in need of some veteran help now.
Arizona signed Mike Jenkins just before training camp but saw him break a bone in his hand, an injury which required surger
y, and he’ll be out for multiple weeks.
Beyond Patrick Peterson and Justin Bethel, the Cardinals are devoid of any healthy veteran corners. Roster Resource shows third- and sixth-round rookies Brandon Williams and Harlan Miller comprise the next two options for the defending NFC West champions. Williams is a converted running back who began playing corner full-time as a senior last season at Texas A&M.
Like Jenkins, Ball is a 31-year-old corner who began his career with the Cowboys. The two were teammates from 2008-11 in Dallas, although Jenkins joined the team as a first-round pick a year after Ball came to Texas as a seventh-rounder in 2007. Ball made 16 starts for the Cowboys in 2010 and then made 22 for the Jaguars in 2013-14.
The Bears used Ball as mostly an off-the-bench contributor last season, and the journeyman defender hasn’t been linked to any teams this offseason.
Ball has six career interceptions, two of which coming in 2013 for the Jags during a season in which he also deflected a career-high 14 passes. He made 18 tackles for the Bears last season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.