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Cardinals DC: Malcolm Butler Could Return

September 9th, 2021 at 1:13pm CST by Zachary Links

Even after placing him on the reserve/retired list, Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph won’t rule out a Malcolm Butler return (Twitter link via Darren Urban of the team website). Joseph added that he spoke with Butler as recently as last week, a sign that he could retake the field at some point this year.

Butler has not disclosed his reasons for walking away, but Joseph said it has to do with personal matters rather than his on-field play. That checks out, considering the 31-year-old finished 2020 as Pro Football Focus’ No. 15 ranked corner in the NFL. It was a strong comeback after he missed much of 2019. All in all, he finished with four interceptions and 100 total tackles — a new career high — while playing a full 16-game slate. He also wrapped with the lowest yards-per-completion and yards-per-target numbers of his Tennessee tenure.

Butler was expected to play a key role in Arizona’s secondary after inking a fully guaranteed $3.25MM deal with Arizona. Without him, they’ll be leaning more on Byron Murphy, rookie fourth-round pick Marco Wilson, and Robert Alford for coverage.

Cardinals, Chandler Jones To Discuss Deal

September 8th, 2021 at 9:22am CST by Zachary Links

Just a couple of months ago, Chandler Jones was looking for a trade to take him out of Arizona. Now, Cardinals GM Steve Keim says he’s looking to keep the standout edge rusher beyond 2021. 

“Well, he’s coming off the injury and obviously there’s no secret there, but I think that’s one of those things that we’ll continue to have one-on-one talks with him and his agent,” Keim said (via Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic). “I don’t do those things publicly, but Chandler is a guy we love, he has the respect of the guys in the locker room, and he’s a guy I personally would like to see finish as a Cardinal. But you know how this business works. It’s not always that easy.”

As it stands, Jones is set for one more year, a base salary of $15.5MM, and a cap figure of $20.2MM. Jones flirted with a holdout during minicamp in June and, in late July, he pushed the front office for a trade.

The Cardinals acquired Jones from the Patriots in 2016 and furnished him with a five-year, $82.5MM deal in 2017. During his first four seasons in Arizona, Jones didn’t miss a game while averaging 15 sacks per season. He appeared in the first five games of 2020, collecting 11 tackles, one sack, and seven QB hits. However, a torn bicep forced him to miss the rest of the season. That didn’t help his leverage, but the Cardinals would like to keep the 31-year-old — at the right price.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/3/21

September 3rd, 2021 at 3:34pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

  • Released from IR via injury settlement: WR Deon Cain

Houston Texans

New York Jets

  • Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Jamison Crowder; Crowder contracted the coronavirus, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Cardinals Add WR Josh Doctson To P-Squad

September 3rd, 2021 at 3:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

Josh Doctson is back in the NFL. The former first-round pick latched on with the Cardinals on Friday, agreeing to join their practice squad.

The veteran wide receiver auditioned for the Cards last month. This will end a lengthy stay in free agency and give Doctson a chance to move back onto a regular-season roster for the first time in nearly two years.

Although Doctson caught on with the Jets in 2020, he opted out of last season and then saw Gang Green cut him earlier this year. Doctson’s most recent instance of being on a 53-man roster in-season came in 2019. The Vikings, however, cut him in November of that year.

The TCU product operated as a starter for multiple Washington teams in the late 2010s, eclipsing 500 receiving yards in 2017 and ’18, but the 2016 first-rounder has been unable to stick with another team for a full season since.

Doctson will join the likes of Rasul Douglas and Chris Banjo on Arizona’s taxi squad. The team also signed defensive lineman Jonathan Ledbetter, cornerback Antonio Hamilton and offensive lineman Michal Menet to its P-squad. For the second straight year, teams can carry up to 16 players on practice squads.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/2/21

September 2nd, 2021 at 7:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Thursday’s minor moves, with the list being updated throughout the day:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

  • Placed on IR: WR Aaron Parker

Cincinnati Bengals

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Las Vegas Raiders

  • Released from IR with injury settlement: LB Asmar Bial

Los Angeles Chargers

  • Released from IR with injury settlement: DT Chris Okoye, OL Tyree St. Louis

Los Angeles Rams

New England Patriots

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

  • Released from IR with injury settlement: RB Brian Hill

Washington Football Team

  • Released from IR with injury settlement: OT Rick Leonard

Cardinals Place Jordan Phillips On IR

September 2nd, 2021 at 3:28pm CST by Zachary Links

Just a few days ago, the Cardinals activated Jordan Phillips from the reserve/COVID list. On Thursday, the Cardinals parked him once again, this time on injured reserve. In a related move, offensive lineman Justin Pugh has been brought back from the COVID list.

Phillips was dealing with an undisclosed injury throughout the summer and his condition still isn’t quite clear. Last year, a balky hamstring let to two separate IR stints and a total of seven missed games. In his nine contests, Phillips registered two sacks and eleven total stops from the right defensive tackle spot.

The Cardinals furnished Phillips with a three-year, $40MM in 2020 that included $18.5MM guaranteed. Phillips enjoyed a remarkable turnaround in Buffalo, but Arizona has yet to see him at his best. In 2019, his last healthy season, he tallied 9.5 sacks and 16 quarterback hits for the Bills.

Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC West

September 1st, 2021 at 4:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These Cardinals, Rams, Seahawks and 49ers moves are noted below.

Here are Wednesday’s NFC West transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day.

Arizona Cardinals

Signed to practice squad:

Los Angeles Rams

Signed to practice squad:

San Francisco 49ers

Signed:

Placed on IR: 

Signed to practice squad:

Seattle Seahawks

Claimed:

Signed:

Released/Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Cardinals Reduce Roster To 53

August 31st, 2021 at 7:49pm CST by Ben Levine

The Cardinals have reduced their roster to 53 players after making the following moves today:

Released

Waived

Waived/Injured

Cardinals Place Malcolm Butler On Reserve/Retired List

August 31st, 2021 at 4:43pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

It appears Malcolm Butler may really be walking away from the game. The Cardinals have placed the veteran corner on the reserve/retired list, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets.

We heard yesterday that Butler was mulling retirement, and it looks like he’s made up his mind. It was reported yesterday that the former Patriot and Titan was “dealing with a personal situation,” although details were light. All we know is that Butler has been away from the team recently. Apparently both retirement and “stepping away” were both options, so it’s possible this isn’t anything permanent.

Butler is of course known for his Super Bowl heroics with the Patriots, and he spent the last three seasons in Tennessee. Even though he was cut by the Titans this offseason, he received strong marks from Pro Football Focus for his work in 2020. He landed a fully guaranteed one-year deal worth $3.25MM from Arizona, and was expected to be a starter on Vance Joseph’s defense.

The last minute change of plans will leave the Cards a bit undermanned in their secondary after they let longtime starter Patrick Peterson walk this offseason. It looks like fourth-round rookie Marco Wilson or veteran Robert Alford will now be counted on to start in Butler’s place.

Of course, we all hope that whatever Butler is dealing with off the field isn’t anything too bad, and we wish him well with whatever his future holds.

Cardinals CB Malcolm Butler Mulling Retirement

August 30th, 2021 at 6:46pm CST by Ben Levine

Cardinals cornerback Malcolm Butler is considering hanging up his cleats. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports (via Twitter) that the veteran is “dealing with a personal situation that has him mulling retirement.”

As Garofolo notes, the situation led to Butler being away from team facilities within the last week. The cornerback is still trying to work his way through the situation, and both retirement or “stepping away from the game” remain options. The Cardinals did not provide a comment to Garafolo, while the player’s agent didn’t respond to calls.

After getting cut by the Titans earlier this offseason, Butler inked a fully guaranteed $3.25MM deal with the Cardinals. The 31-year-old was expected to play a key role in Arizona’s secondary. If the veteran does indeed step away from the game, the team could be forced to turn to rookie fourth-round pick Marco Wilson or veteran Robert Alford to fill in as a starter.

Butler, 31, finished 2020 as Pro Football Focus’ No. 15 corner in the NFL. It was a strong return — he missed much of 2019, but he suited up for all 16 games last year while nabbing four interceptions and 100 total tackles (a new career high). All in all, he posted the lowest yards-per-completion and yards-per-target numbers of his Tennessee tenure.

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