The Cardinals intend to bring in more veteran help for their secondary. They plan to host Prince Amukamara on a visit in the next few days and hope to sign him, should he successfully navigate COVID-19 testing protocols, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. The sides already have an agreement in place (pending testing), per ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano (on Twitter).
Amukamara has been a free agent since the Raiders released him this summer. The Bears made the longtime starting cornerback a cap casualty earlier this year.
Arizona struggled in coverage against Carolina and for much of Patrick Peterson‘s stay has experienced issues at its other outside cornerback spot. The Cards signed Dre Kirkpatrick late in the offseason. The team, however, ranks 23rd in pass defense DVOA through four games.
This would be a homecoming for Amukamara, who grew up in Glendale, Ariz. He has played regular-season games for three teams — the Giants, Jaguars and Bears — and spent time with four, if his few months with Las Vegas count. The Giants, per ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan, expressed interest in a reunion recently — something Amukamara coveted after his Raiders release — but it appears the Cards will land him (Twitter link).
The 31-year-old defender has started 99 career games. Although he submitted modest work in 2019, Amukamara was one of the NFL’s better corners in 2018. Pro Football Focus graded the former first-round pick as an upper-echelon coverage man and an elite run defender. Quarterbacks throwing at Amukamara collectively compiled a 75.3 passer rating in 2018 — 30 points lower than the rating Amukamara allowed in 2019.
Dealing with the Titans’ outbreak and having seen the Patriots lose two of their best players to COVID-19 positive tests, NFL has strengthened coronavirus protocols. Free agents need six days’ worth of negative tests to move forward with teams, so Amukamara would not be able to join the Cardinals until next week.
Amukamara has excelled in one particular area in the past, and that was in press against larger receivers. Though he was often the subject of criticism with the Giants, he was one of the few corners who played well against Dez Bryant when matched up with him. It’s not a coincidence that he has a strength in tackling as well, given his physicality. That’s the area where Amukamara works best, and not in any area where a wideout’s speed can expose him.