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Arizona Cardinals News & Rumors

Cardinals’ Patrick Peterson On Free Agency

February 9th, 2021 at 11:59am CST by Zachary Links

This week, there were rumblings about Patrick Peterson and the Cardinals agreeing to part ways. However, that was nothing more than a “dirty rumor,” according to the cornerback (via the team website). 

“There is no real update,” Peterson said on his All Things Covered podcast. “It is just…a dirty rumor. Me and the team haven’t talked about contracts, we haven’t talked about parting ways. That’s just what it is, a dirty rumor.”

Peterson, 31 in July, is set to hit the open market in March. In 2020, he counted for a $13.2MM charge against Arizona’s salary cap. With a new multi-year deal, the Cardinals could have the flexibility to spread out the hits over time, provided that they want to move forward with him.

Drafted fifth overall by Arizona back in 2011, Peterson has become a franchise icon over the past decade. After eight Pro Bowls, three first-team All-Pro selections, and countless flare-ups with team brass, P2 says he’s open to a new arrangement. He could wind up anywhere, he concedes, but one thing is for sure — he wants to keep playing. In fact, his goal is to keep it going for another six seasons to solidify what he says is a “Hall of Fame resume.”

Cardinals To Sign Cole McDonald

February 4th, 2021 at 11:31am CST by Zachary Links

The Cardinals are signing quarterback Cole McDonald (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). McDonald will provide offseason depth for Arizona as he begins his push to make the fall cut.

The former University of Hawaii standout has yet to see live action in the NFL. The Titans snagged him in the seventh-round of last year’s draft, but dropped him in August to make room for Trevor Siemian. While with the Rainbow Warriors, McDonald finished third in the nation in passing yards. Most evaluators chalked that up to Hawaii’s highly-aggressive offense, but McDonald is out to prove that he deserves a good chunk of that credit.

There’s a path for McDonald to stick on the depth chart. Backup Chris Streveler stumbled in the season finale as he filled in for Kyler Murray. Meanwhile, Brett Hundley is out-of-contract. The Cardinals didn’t sign McDonald immediately after his December audition, but it seems that he made a strong enough impression on Kliff Kingsbury & Co.

Cardinals’ Larry Fitzgerald: “No Timeline” For Decision

February 4th, 2021 at 9:58am CST by Zachary Links

Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald still isn’t sure about his plans for 2021 and beyond. When asked at a Pro-Am tournament in Arizona, Fitzgerald stressed that he isn’t in any rush to announce his retirement or return. 

“I’m just playing golf right now, that’s all I’m worried about,” Fitzgerald said. “No timeline. I’m just taking it day by day. Honestly I haven’t given it much thought.”

Speculation about Fitzgerald’s future has become something of an offseason staple. In 2017, Fitzgerald was thought to be on his farewell tour. Then, midway through the year, he inked a one-year extension worth $11MM. A few re-ups later, Fitzgerald is still going. In his age-37 season, Fitzgerald was still reasonably productive with 54 catches for 409 yards and one touchdown. The 11-time Pro Bowler has pretty much done it all, save for capturing a Super Bowl ring.

“You wouldn’t see me around here anymore if [we win the Super Bowl],” Fitzgerald said last September. “Another catch, another touchdown, another yard is not going to make more whatever – my legacy is pretty much cemented. I just want to win a championship, I want to compete for a division title. Those are the things that are important to me.”

The chase could lead him to return for his age-38 campaign but, for now, he’s keeping the focus on his family and his short game.

Markus Golden Wants To Stay With Cards

January 29th, 2021 at 6:34pm CST by Sam Robinson
  • Markus Golden‘s sack total dropped from 10 in 2019 to 4.5 in 2020, and the Cardinals saw Haason Reddick complete a contract-year breakout. Still, the older Arizona edge rusher would like to return. “It gave me another shock of energy just being back home,” Golden said of the trade that sent him from the Giants to the Cards, via Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. “Being here where I know my heart is, it really matters to me to be in Arizona on the Cardinals.” Golden, who signed with the Giants in 2019 and stayed in New York via the rare UFA tender last year, is set for free agency for a third straight year.

NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/21/21

January 21st, 2021 at 7:48pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s reserve/futures deals:

Arizona Cardinals

New Orleans Saints

Tennessee Titans

  • WR Mason Kinsey

Updated 2021 NFL Draft Order

January 18th, 2021 at 11:08am CST by Zachary Links

With the Divisional Round in the books, the 2021 NFL Draft order is mostly complete. The Rams, Browns, Ravens, and Saints now have their draft spots locked in, though the Rams’ first-round pick belongs to Urban Meyer and the Jaguars. The Rams traded those rights to Jacksonville as a part of the Jalen Ramsey blockbuster.

Here’s the updated draft order, through the top 28:

1. Jacksonville Jaguars
2. New York Jets
3. Miami Dolphins (via Texans)
4. Atlanta Falcons
5. Cincinnati Bengals
6. Philadelphia Eagles
7. Detroit Lions
8. Carolina Panthers
9. Denver Broncos
10. Dallas Cowboys
11. New York Giants
12. San Francisco 49ers
13. Los Angeles Chargers
14. Minnesota Vikings
15. New England Patriots
16. Arizona Cardinals
17. Las Vegas Raiders
18. Miami Dolphins
19. Washington Football Team
20. Chicago Bears
21. Indianapolis Colts
22. Tennessee Titans
23. New York Jets (via Seahawks)
24. Pittsburgh Steelers
25. Jacksonville Jaguars (via Rams)
26. Cleveland Browns
27. Baltimore Ravens
28. New Orleans Saints

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/13/21

January 13th, 2021 at 4:59pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor transactions:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

  • Activated off reserve/COVID-19 list: C Alex Mack

Cleveland Browns

Houston Texans

2021 NFL Draft Order

January 11th, 2021 at 8:54am CST by Zachary Links

Wild Card weekend is in the books and 75% of the NFL’s 2021 Draft order has been set. Here’s the rundown, thus far:

1. Jacksonville Jaguars
2. New York Jets
3. Miami Dolphins (via Texans)
4. Atlanta Falcons
5. Cincinnati Bengals
6. Philadelphia Eagles
7. Detroit Lions
8. Carolina Panthers
9. Denver Broncos
10. Dallas Cowboys
11. New York Giants
12. San Francisco 49ers
13. Los Angeles Chargers
14. Minnesota Vikings
15. New England Patriots
16. Arizona Cardinals
17. Las Vegas Raiders
18. Miami Dolphins
19. Washington Football Team
20. Chicago Bears
21. Indianapolis Colts
22. Tennessee Titans
23. New York Jets (via Seahawks)
24. Pittsburgh Steelers

Cardinals Notes: Peterson, WRs Coach

January 10th, 2021 at 9:34pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg
  • The Cardinals are keeping Kliff Kingsbury, but his staff isn’t remaining entirely intact. The team is letting receivers coach David Raih go, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets. Raih spent the past two years in Arizona after previously serving the same role in Green Bay.
  • The Cardinals also have a bigger decision ahead of them, what to do with star cornerback Patrick Peterson. Peterson is set to be a free agent this spring, and he recently acknowledged he might’ve played his last down in the desert. “Everything is going to take care of itself. I’ve done all I can to present that I would love to be here. But at the end of the day, it’s up to (the Cardinals),” Peterson said, via Darren Urban of the team’s official site (Twitter link). Peterson also said the potential salary cap drop due to COVID-19 could play a role in where he lands this offseason. Drafted fifth overall by Arizona back in 2011, Peterson has become a franchise icon over the past ten seasons. He’s made eight Pro Bowls and earned three first-team All-Pro selections, but he hasn’t been as good the past couple of years and is now on the wrong side of 30. It’ll be very interesting to see what his market looks like come March.

S Antoine Bethea Announces Retirement

January 7th, 2021 at 4:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

Antoine Bethea partook in a November workout with the Ravens but did not end up playing this season. The veteran safety will not opt to circle back to the NFL in 2021, announcing his retirement instead (Twitter link).

Despite coming into the NFL as a sixth-round pick from a Division I-FCS program (Howard), Bethea proved to be immediately reliable and incredibly durable. He started 16 games in 10 of his 14 seasons and was a backup for just nine games in his career.

A Colts 2006 draftee, Bethea played much of his career with Indianapolis. But after eight Colts seasons, he became a three-year 49ers starter (2014-16), spent two years with the Cardinals (2017-18) and wrapped up his run as a 16-game Giants first-stringer at age 35. Bethea landed a Colts extension in 2010, signed a four-year, $24MM 49ers deal in 2014 and secured a three-year Cardinals contract in 2017.

Bethea finished with 25 career INTs and ventured to three Pro Bowls — two with the Colts and one with the 49ers — and started in 13 playoff games during his Indianapolis tenure. During his 200-start career, Bethea managed an impressive eight 100-plus-tackle seasons. He finished with 110 stops during his age-35 season with the Giants. Bethea also notched four postseason interceptions, including two as a rookie during the Colts’ Super Bowl XLI championship campaign.

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