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Arizona Cardinals News & Rumors

Ted Ginn Retires From NFL

July 16th, 2021 at 5:50pm CST by Zachary Links

Veteran wide receiver Ted Ginn has announced his retirement from football. Ginn, the No. 9 overall pick in 2007, enjoyed 14 seasons in the NFL with six different teams. 

“It was a hard decision, but it was one that had to be made,” Ginn said at a Friday press conference (via News5 Cleveland). “I’ve been gone 20 years, not being able to have some of the joys that you’re supposed to have as a man —being able to enjoy your parents, being able to enjoy your kids, your wife and just yourself,” Ginn said.

Ginn’s blazing speed made him one of the most intriguing prospects in the ’07 class. He didn’t quite live up to all the hype, but he outlasted many of his first-round peers. Over time, Ginn found his footing as a return man, racking up seven touchdowns on special teams plus countless highlights.

Last year Ginn spent some time with the Bears but see much action in his six games. His last full season came in 2019 with the Saints, when he caught 30 passes for 421 yards and two touchdowns. After that, New Orleans signed Emmanuel Sanders, and Ginn was pushed out.

All in all, Ginn leaves football with 33 receiving touchdowns for the Dolphins, 49ers, Panthers (2x), Cardinals, Saints, and Bears. We here at PFR wish Ginn the best in retirement.

2021 Cap Space For All 32 NFL Teams

July 12th, 2021 at 12:27pm CST by Zachary Links

There are still plenty of quality free agents left on the board as we look ahead to training camp. Cornerback Steven Nelson, tackle Russell Okung, and longtime Legion of Boom leader Richard Sherman headline the list, along with accomplished edge rushers like Justin Houston, Melvin Ingram, and Olivier Vernon. That list will only grow larger, of course, as more teams shed veterans to redirect their funds elsewhere.

With that in mind, here’s a look at every NFL team’s cap situation, starting with the league-leading Jaguars:

  1. Jacksonville Jaguars — $32.7MM
  2. Denver Broncos — $28.9MM
  3. New York Jets — $28.5MM
  4. Cleveland Browns — $20.6MM
  5. Los Angeles Chargers — $19.9MM
  6. Detroit Lions — $17.9MM
  7. San Francisco 49ers — $17.8MM
  8. Cincinnati Bengals — $17.4MM
  9. Washington Football Team — $16.7MM
  10. Indianapolis Colts— $14.3MM
  11. Carolina Panthers— $14.3MM
  12. Minnesota Vikings — $13.5MM
  13. Pittsburgh Steelers — $13.1MM
  14. New England Patriots — $13.1MM
  15. New Orleans Saints — $11.4MM
  16. Arizona Cardinals — $11.3MM
  17. Buffalo Bills — $10.5MM
  18. Baltimore Ravens — $8.8MM
  19. Atlanta Falcons — $8.6MM
  20. Seattle Seahawks — $8.3MM
  21. Tennessee Titans — $8.3MM
  22. Kansas City Chiefs — $7.9MM
  23. Los Angeles Rams — $7MM
  24. Chicago Bears — $6MM
  25. Dallas Cowboys — $6MM
  26. Miami Dolphins — $5.3MM
  27. Green Bay Packers — $5MM
  28. Houston Texans — $5MM
  29. Las Vegas Raiders — $3.3MM
  30. Philadelphia Eagles — $3.2MM
  31. New York Giants — $2.4MM
  32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers — $489K

Fitz Remains Undecided On Playing An 18th Season

July 9th, 2021 at 9:43pm CST by Sam Robinson

With the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Finals, the national media has descended upon the Cardinals’ home turf. The franchise’s most famous Arizona-era player made himself available for a status update Friday but offered little on this front.

During an interview with ESPN’s Rachel Nichols (via Pro Football Talk), Larry Fitzgerald said he has not made a decision on retiring or playing an 18th NFL season. He has been a free agent since March.

“I haven’t decided anything,” Fitzgerald said. “Training camp starts in a few weeks. I’m excited. It’s going to be another great year for the NFL.”

The future Hall of Fame wide receiver’s phrasing here is interesting, but he has yet to publicly commit either way. At the American Century Classic celebrity golf tournament Saturday, Fitzgerald added that he has stayed in shape for a possible return (h/t Ben Volin of the Boston Globe). So the door still appears to be open here.

The Cardinals may have made Fitz’s decision — at least regarding a return to the team — for him. With Fitz undecided in March and April, the Cards signed A.J. Green and drafted Rondale Moore in the second round. They will team with DeAndre Hopkins and Christian Kirk.

Fitzgerald has taken a year-to-year approach with his career since 2016, but the latest he previously decided on returning was late January (in 2019). Going into mid-July with the same uncertain stance he had in February is not a great sign for the soon-to-be 38-year-old star’s prospects of playing in 2021. In each season since 2016, Fitzgerald has made $11MM in salary. His numbers from 2020 — 54 catches, 409 yards, one touchdown reception — and the juncture of the calendar would require him to sign for substantially less.

Although Fitzgerald has said in the past he would only play for the Cardinals, it will be interesting to see if he would entertain a return elsewhere — potentially if a contender loses a key target in training camp — now that the Cards added multiple key receiver reinforcements. Jerry Rice and fellow Hall of Famer Charlie Joiner are the only wideouts to play at least 18 seasons. Joiner played 18; Rice played 20.

The expectation around the league in April pointed to Fitz retiring, and while that would make sense, the NFL’s second-leading all-time pass catcher continues to keep fans in suspense about his choice.

Latest On Cardinals RB “Competition”

July 7th, 2021 at 5:03pm CST by Ben Levine

The Cardinals running back competition might not be much of a competition after all. Adam H. Beasley of ProFootballNetwork.com writes that the “battle at running back might be a battle in name only,” with Chase Edmonds expected to earn the starting gig.

Edmonds, a 2018 fourth-round pick out of Fordham, had a career season in 2020, finishing with 850 yards from scrimmage and five total touchdowns. However, he mostly platooned with Kenyan Drake, and while the veteran may have left Arizona this past offseason, the team still replaced him with former Steelers starter James Conner.

However, Conner dealt with a long list of injuries during his stint with Pittsburgh, and sources tell Beasley that the free agent addition was already banged up at the beginning of minicamp. While it was assumed that Conner would be replacing Drake, his injury concerns could result in him serving primarily as a backup in 2021. Plus, as Beasley notes, the organization’s decision to pass on a running back during this year’s draft (coupled with Conner’s low salary) is a strong indication that they’re committed to Edmonds as their starter.

Really, the competition in the Cardinals running back room will come toward the end of the depth chart. Behind Edmonds and Conner, the likes of Jonathan Ward, Eno Benjamin, Tavien Feaster, and Khalfani Muhammad are competing for only a couple of roster spots.

Finding A Zach Ertz Destination

July 2nd, 2021 at 10:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Months after Zach Ertz‘s name popped up in trade rumors, he remains with the Eagles. The three-time Pro Bowl tight end is not viewed as likely to be part of this year’s Philly team and did not report for the team’s offseason program. Despite a lengthy delay in this saga, a separation still feels imminent.

Ertz has one season left on the five-year, $42.5MM extension he signed way back in January 2016. The veteran lobbied for a new deal last year, but he and the Eagles could not agree on terms. Those disagreements became rather noticeable as well. Even if some suitors cannot presently afford Ertz’s $12.7MM cap number, which could cause the Eagles to finally release him, the team will likely try to work a trade for a bit longer.

Where will the 30-year-old pass catcher be come Week 1? Here are a few candidates:

Arizona Cardinals

This franchise has not shown a strong interest in bolstering this position in many years, and Kliff Kingsbury — with A.J. Green and Rondale Moore joining DeAndre Hopkins and Christian Kirk — may well opt to deploy more four-receiver sets. That said, the Cardinals’ additions of Green, J.J. Watt, Rodney Hudson, Brian Winters and Malcolm Butler illustrate a commitment to adding veterans to help the cause in a loaded NFC West. The Cards, who have Maxx Williams (304 yards in two Arizona seasons) as their top tight end, have not had a tight end surpass 600 yards in a season since moving to Arizona in 1988.

Buffalo Bills

The team most closely connected to Ertz this offseason, Buffalo has not received much from the tight end position in recent years. And the defending AFC East champions have lacked a higher-end receiving threat at this spot for much of its existence. Five Ertz receiving totals would eclipse the best tight end showing (726 yards) in the Bills’ 61-season history. While the Bills’ Stefon Diggs–Emmanuel Sanders–Cole Beasley–Gabriel Davis quartet leaves it well-stocked for aerial targets at present, the tight end position has come up as one the franchise would not mind bolstering.

Dawson Knox led Buffalo tight ends with 288 yards last season; the team lost Tyler Kroft in free agency and has second-year player Tommy Sweeney coming off a season in which he encountered severe COVID-19 issues. With the Bills in position to aim for a Super Bowl berth again, another weapon makes sense.

Indianapolis Colts

With Doug Pederson out of the NFL at the moment, the Colts serve as the reunion spot for Ertz. Carson Wentz played with Ertz for five seasons and helped him set a tight end record with 116 catches in 2018. Frank Reich coached Ertz the previous two years, and the Colts could certainly use another viable weapon — even if they figure to lean heavily on the run game.

Indianapolis re-signed T.Y. Hilton and has 2020 second-rounder Michael Pittman Jr. coming off a promising finish to his rookie season, but the team has not been able to keep injury-prone ex-second-rounder Parris Campbell on the field. Ninth-year tight end Jack Doyle and Mo Alie-Cox combined for just 645 yards last season. The Wentz trade, assuming he stays healthy for most of this season, will cost Indianapolis a first-round pick in 2022. Bringing in his former top target at a low cost would enhance the relocated QB’s comfort level and help justify the lofty investment.

Jacksonville Jaguars

This spot differs from the rest mentioned here, with the Jaguars coming off a 1-15 season and in clear rebuild mode. But Jacksonville drafted Trevor Lawrence and has no proven tight end to pair with him. The team leads the NFL in cap space ($38MM) as well.

Exiting draft weekend, Urban Meyer expressed concern about his team’s tight end depth chart. The Jags drafted Ohio State’s Luke Farrell in Round 5 and did go on to sign Tim Tebow. While this would seemingly not be a desirable spot for Ertz as a free agent, the Jags could make sense as an unorthodox trade destination.

Tennessee Titans

Ertz trade compensation would not approach what the Titans paid for Julio Jones, and even after acquiring the all-time Falcons great, the team was on the lookout for tight end assistance. The Titans lost Jonnu Smith and did not add a notable replacement. The Jones trade shows the Titans are committed to contending this season, even after losing Smith and Corey Davis. Even after a disappointing 2020 season, Ertz would provide a substantial upgrade over Anthony Firkser.

Cards To Keep Byron Murphy In Slot

June 26th, 2021 at 4:17pm CST by Sam Robinson
  • The Cardinals lost All-Decade cornerback Patrick Peterson, a 10-year starter, in free agency. Fellow 2020 Arizona boundary starter Dre Kirkpatrick is gone as well. However, the Cards want to keep top holdover Byron Murphy primarily in the slot, Kyle Odegard of AZCardinals.com notes. GM Steve Keim called Murphy one of the league’s top inside defenders earlier this year, and the former second-round pick fared much better in 2020 than he did as a rookie in ’19. Murphy’s snap rate, however, dropped from 98% in 2019 to 72% last season. The Cards also signed Darqueze Dennard this offseason; Dennard mostly played in the slot with the Bengals. It will be interesting to see how DC Vance Joseph deploys Murphy, whom he called his top corner, in the Washington product’s third season.

Poll: Who Is Bucs’ Top NFC Challenger?

June 22nd, 2021 at 6:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

While the Chiefs reside as the clear favorites in the AFC, multiple successful rebuilds have strengthened the conference and created considerable depth going into the 2021 season. In the NFC, depth is harder to find.

The Buccaneers operated aggressively this offseason, bringing back every starter and most of their top off-the-bench contributors to chase another championship, and late-June betting odds reflect this. Tampa Bay resides as the clear NFC favorite, per Las Vegas. The team did not enter 2020 on this pedestal, but the NFC landscape looks less imposing a year later.

The Saints exited the 2020 season in a new tier of salary cap hell, and although GM Mickey Loomis navigated it, their 2021 team may take a step back. Oddsmakers certainly believe this will be the case in the franchise’s first post-Drew Brees season. New Orleans has been the NFC’s most consistent team over the past four years, going 49-15 in that span, but its future Hall of Fame quarterback retired. Tampa Bay’s path back to the Super Bowl also may not involve another Canton-bound passer — Aaron Rodgers — which further muddles the equation.

January’s Matthew Stafford trade seems a good place to start. The Rams dealing two first-round picks and change for the longtime Lions passer provides Sean McVay with a quarterback upgrade, and the team perpetually unconcerned with first-round selections is operating like an all-in contender. Los Angeles, which Bovada gives the NFC’s second-best odds to advance to Super Bowl LVI, also re-signed top edge rusher Leonard Floyd. While the Rams’ penchant for big swings and big extensions led more key role players out of town in free agency, with safety John Johnson and defensive lineman Michael Brockers exiting, they return four starters from Pro Football Focus’ No. 3-ranked offensive line.

But the NFC West may be the NFL’s toughest division. No rebuilds are taking place here, separating it from most of the league’s divisions, and the 49ers rank alongside the Rams — per Bovada — in Super Bowl odds. San Francisco endured vicious injury fortune last season but has Super Bowl LIV starters — Nick Bosa, George Kittle, Deebo Samuel — due back from injury. And the team kept Trent Williams — on an O-line-record contract. Kyle Shanahan‘s squad also moved the needle at quarterback, bringing in Trey Lance at a historic cost. Lance’s readiness may determine the 49ers’ outlook. Although Jimmy Garoppolo was effective (12th in QBR) when fully healthy in 2019, he missed 23 games over the past three seasons.

The Seahawks diffused Russell Wilson trade rumblings and added veteran guard Gabe Jackson. Their defense will be without Jarran Reed and probably K.J. Wright next season, however. Seattle has not advanced to an NFC championship game since Wilson’s rookie-contract years but still has the division’s most accomplished quarterback. The Cardinals brought in multiple impact starters, in future Hall of Famer J.J. Watt and Pro Bowl center Rodney Hudson, in an effort to capitalize on Kyler Murray‘s rookie-deal window. But Murray struggled down the stretch last season, and Arizona will have two new cornerback regulars.

Rodgers’ commitment to being done in Green Bay represents the NFC’s biggest domino. The reigning MVP has not budged, and this standoff is expected to drag on to training camp. The Packers trading Rodgers, or the superstar passer being out of the picture while the team retains his rights, will probably take them off the board as a Super Bowl threat. Given the Packers’ 26-6 performance over the past two seasons, Rodgers’ status looms large in this year’s Super Bowl equation.

What sleeper teams realistically factor in here? The Cowboys extended Dak Prescott and hired a new defensive coordinator (Dan Quinn), but they have won one playoff game during their now-wealthy starter’s tenure and allowed a franchise-record 473 points in 2020. Washington boasts one of the league’s best defenses but opted against trading up for a quarterback in Round 1. Ryan Fitzpatrick will turn 39 this year and has never made a playoff start. The Bears did trade up for a passer, and the Vikings retooled their defense. The Giants made multiple splashy receiver additions but have big questions up front. Do any of these teams qualify as legit Bucs obstacles?

Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your NFC assessments in the comments section.

Minor NFL Transactions: 6/21/21

June 21st, 2021 at 6:33pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor NFL transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

  • Waived from IR: WR Donte Sylencieux

Denver Broncos

Jacksonville Jaguars

New England Patriots

Philadelphia Eagles

Cardinals First-Round Pick Zaven Collins Arrested

June 21st, 2021 at 3:41pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

There’s a potential headache brewing for the Cardinals in the desert. Rookie first-round pick Zaven Collins was arrested in Arizona over the weekend, TMZ reports.

Details are light right now, but cops told TMZ that the linebacker “was speeding and driving dangerously.” He was allegedly driving 76 mph in a 35 mph zone. “A traffic stop was conducted, and Mr. Collins was placed under arrest for the violations,” the police said later in a somewhat cryptic statement.

The Tulsa product just signed his rookie contract, worth more than $14MM, a couple of weeks ago. A unanimous All-American this past season, the Cardinals drafted him 16th overall. The incident doesn’t sound particularly serious initially, but if more damaging details end up coming to light it could result in some league discipline.

Collins had four sacks last year, but we heard recently the team isn’t planning on using him as a hybrid pass-rusher and will instead have him playing strictly inside. Assuming everything goes according to plan, he should play a large role on Vance Joseph’s defense in Year 1.

Alford Signed For Minimum, Eager To Return To AZ

June 13th, 2021 at 9:27pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg
  • Cornerback Robert Alford has dealt with a lot of adversity the past couple seasons. Alford signed a three-year, $22.5MM deal with the Cardinals in 2019, but has yet to play a down for the team. He missed all of 2019 with a broken leg, and all of 2020 with a torn pec. He was unsurprisingly released this offseason, but quickly re-signed on a one-year deal. As it turns out that new deal is for the veteran’s minimum, as Darren Urban of the team’s official site writes. It also turns out Alford never had any intention of leaving. “He basically told us ‘Hey I want to come back, I owe you guys, so I’ll come back for whatever deal because I owe the organization, I owe the Cardinals and want to prove y’all were right about me,” head coach Kliff Kingsbury said, who added “we respect that a ton.” It sounds like Alford is going to be playing with a chip on his shoulder, and here’s to hoping he can stay healthy in 2021. The 32-year-old was a quality starter in Atlanta before the injuries derailed his career in the desert.
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