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Cardinals To Sign LB Mykal Walker

March 12th, 2025 at 3:32pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Cardinals are signing veteran linebacker Mykal Walker, per FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz.

Walker appeared in 17 games for the Commanders in 2024 with more than 80% of his playing time coming on special teams. In Arizona, he will likely compete for a role on defense while serving as a core special teams contributor.

Walker was originally a fourth-round pick by the Falcons in 2020 out of Fresno State. He started eight games across his first two seasons before carving out a full-time role in 2022 with 12 starts.

His 107 tackles ranked third on Atlanta’s defense, but the team waived him during training camp the following summer. Walker then spent time with the Bears and the Raiders before receiving his next playing opportunity with the Steelers.

Pittsburgh signed Walker to their practice squad in October 2023 and earned a promotion to the active roster in November. He appeared in the Steelers’ last eight games of the regular season with five starts and even started their wild card loss to the Bills.

Despite earning a starting job, Walker was not retained by the Steelers and instead hit free agency last spring. The Commanders signed him to a one-year deal, but also chose not to re-sign him this offseason.

Cardinals To Sign QB Jacoby Brissett

March 11th, 2025 at 4:37pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett is planning to sign with the Cardinals, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The 32-year-old will serve as Kyler Murray‘s backup in Arizona in 2025.

Brissett has 53 career starts under his belt, per Fowler, including 11 in Cleveland in 2022 when Drew Petzing was the Browns’ quarterbacks coach. Petzing took over as the Cardinals’ offensive coordinator in 2022 and will now reunite with Brissett as his QB2.

Brissett’s contract in Arizona will be two years in length, per Ben Volin of the Boston Globe. The Cardinals are his sixth team since 2020, with his most recent stint coming in New England as Drake Maye‘s backup in 2024. Brissett appeared in eight games with five starts last year, completing 95 of his 161 passing attempts for 826 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception.

He was originally a Patriots third-round pick in 2016, but was traded to the Colts after his rookie year in exchange for Phillip Dorsett. Brissett then started in place of an injured Andrew Luck in 2017 but returned to a backup role upon Luck’s return in 2018. The former No. 1 pick’s surprise retirement during the 2019 preseason put Brissett back as the starter with one year remaining on his rookie contract. The Colts signed him to a one-year, $28MM extension in September 2019, but moved onto Philip Rivers in 2020 after a disappointing year from Brissett.

Brissett then signed with the Dolphins in 2021, kicking off the second half of his career as one of the league’s top backup/bridge quarterback. He played the same role for the Browns in 2022 and the Commanders in 2023 before reuniting with the Patriots in 2024. Brissett sought more security on his latest contract, opting for a two-year deal rather than the single-season contracts he played on over the last four years.

Cardinals Re-Sign WR Zay Jones

March 11th, 2025 at 3:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

Zay Jones joined the Cardinals on a one-year deal last offseason. That has proven the be the case again on his latest Arizona pact, but the veteran receiver has earned a raise for 2025.

Jones has agreed to a one-year, $4.4MM deal, Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz reports. That marks a healthy bump in pay compared to the $2.25MM pact he played on in 2024. The 29-year-old will be counted on to remain a secondary member of the team’s passing attack. The deal is now official, per a team announcement.

Jones’ most productive season to date came during his first of two seasons with the Jaguars in 2022. He recorded 823 yards and five touchdowns on 82 catches. After a less impactful follow-up campaign, Jones was released, leading to his one-year run with the Cardinals in 2024. That did not get off to a welcomed start, of course, as he was hit with a five-game suspension to begin the campaign.

Upon returning to the lineup, Jones made 11 appearances but he only saw a snap share of 35%. That sparse usage resulted in just eight scoreless catches, but a raise will no doubt come with increased expectations in 2025 for the former second-rounder. Arizona ranked 18th in passing yards last season, and Jones will have a role in aiming to improve in that department.

The Cardinals have 2024 No. 4 pick Marvin Harrison Jr. along with Michael Wilson at the receiver spot. Tight end Trey McBride (who could soon have an extension near the top of the position’s market in place) is in line to remain a focal point of the team’s offense. Jones should occupy a secondary role in the passing game, and increasing his production from last year will help his free agent market in 2026.

Vikings, G Will Fries Agree To Deal

March 11th, 2025 at 8:37am CST by Sam Robinson

The Vikings added one former Colt along the offensive line in the form of center Ryan Kelly yesterday, and another is also headed to Minnesota. Guard Will Fries has a deal in place, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports.

This will be a whopping five-year, $88MM pact, Fowler adds. KTSP’s Darren Wolfson’s reported yesterday that the sides were discussing a deal, so it comes as little surprise one has now been worked out. Fries will face massive expectations upon arrival given the nature of this commitment.

Fries does not have a connection to Ryan Grigson like Kelly does, as Fries is a first-time free agent who had joined the Colts in the 2021 draft. Despite not joining a team on Day 1 of the legal tampering period, Fries will cash in. While this is on the longer end of the term-length spectrum — especially as the cap has climbed like his has this decade — Fries is receiving a big number to join the Vikings. Guarantees will provide more illumination, but it is clear Minnesota eyed Fries from the start.

The Vikings have been busy Tuesday, agreeing to deals with two high-profile street free agents (Jonathan Allen, Javon Hargrave) to beef up their defensive line alongside Harrison Phillips while adding Fries as their other new piece with Kelly. The two Colts defections come as Indianapolis added long-rumored Minnesota Sam Darnold fallback option Daniel Jones. As Jones prepares to take a run at another starting job, two Colts blockers will prepare to help J.J. McCarthy transition after missing his rookie season.

A Colts starter for roughly two seasons, Fries is coming off a season-ending injury. He sustained a broken leg early last year; that halted considerable momentum. The fifth-year veteran is not yet 100%, per ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder, but all indications point to him having no issues being ready for next season on time. This contract certainly displays Vikings confidence on this front. The Vikings needed to go big for Fries, whom the Colts tried to re-sign. Pushes from the Patriots, Giants, Seahawks and Cardinals drove the market to this place, SI.com’s Albert Breer notes, as Fries did very well for himself despite the early-season injury.

Fries, who emerged out of the 2021 seventh round, graded as the league’s second-best guard (per Pro Football Focus) and had won his run- and pass-blocking matchups at a career-best rate (per ESPN) before the Week 5 setback. This came after a 17-start 2023, as Fries had taken over for less effective starter Danny Pinter during the 2022 season.

Not on the younger end among this year’s free agent class, Fries (27 in April) will be asked to start at one of the Vikings’ guard spots. Former second-round pick Ed Ingram‘s Vikings future is in doubt, after a 2024 benching, and Dalton Risner — who has not seen free agent markets come close to Fries’ new level — is again out of contract.

Adam La Rose contributed to this report.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/10/25

March 10th, 2025 at 10:41pm CST by Ely Allen

Here are today’s minor NFL moves that may have been missed during an otherwise extremely busy first day of the tampering period:

Arizona Cardinals

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Cardinals To Sign Josh Sweat

March 10th, 2025 at 2:21pm CST by Sam Robinson

The top edge rusher on the market has not needed to wait long to find a destination. Josh Sweat has reached a deal with the Cardinals, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

This will be a four-year, $76.4MM deal, Schefter adds. Sweat will collect $41MM guaranteed. Coming off a strong 2024 regular and postseason with the Eagles, he will be counted on to add a considerable boost along the edge in Arizona.

One of the top free agents entering the week, Sweat will parlay a dominant Super Bowl LIX performance into a nice third contract. The Cardinals will reunite the seven-year Eagles EDGE with Jonathan Gannon, Sweat’s DC for two seasons in Philly. The Eagles have now lost both Sweat and Milton Williams. Especially since the Super Bowl champs re-signed Zack Baun, these defections are not unexpected.

Sweat’s contract looks similar to Shaquil Barrett‘s after his Super Bowl rampage. The Buccaneers had agreed to a four-year, $72MM deal to bring back Barrett, who had pressured Patrick Mahomes throughout a Super Bowl LV blowout. Sweat did not do as well, but he also does not have a sack title on his resume like Barrett did. Still, Sweat did well to rebound after taking a pay cut to stay with the Eagles last year.

Carrying only one double-digit sack season on his resume (11 in 2022), Sweat still led a championship-winning Eagles team in sacks (eight) before registering 2.5 more against the Chiefs. Sweat pushing Kansas City LT Joe Thuney into Mahomes, forcing a Baun second-quarter interception, rounded out a banner night for a player who hit free agency at just 27. Sweat did well to only sign a three-year contract (worth $40MM) in 2021, keeping him squarely in his prime to cash in as the cap exploded. The cap has gone up by an astonishing $97MM since Sweat’s last contract.

The Cardinals re-signed Baron Browning just before free agency but will slide the ex-Bronco to the sidekick role upon landing Sweat. Stepping into Gannon’s system should bring familiarity, as Sweat’s best season came under Gannon. Sweat’s 11 sacks helped Philly threaten the 1984 Bears’ single-season sack record, and he became the player retained last year — ahead of a Haason Reddick separation. The Eagles still have Nolan Smith rostered, but Myles Garrett rumors turned out to be irrelevant after the latter’s record-smashing Browns extension.

Philly may need to add a piece to its edge rush, as little experience exists after Smith. A Cardinals team that has not effectively rebounded after the exists of Chandler Jones, J.J. Watt and Zach Allen acquired a proven pass rusher. More work remains on Arizona’s defensive line, but Sweat represents a building block in Gannon’s third season.

Cardinals To Re-Sign OL Evan Brown

March 10th, 2025 at 10:35am CST by Sam Robinson

The Cardinals have prevented Evan Brown from testing the market. The veteran offensive lineman has a deal in place to stay in Arizona, Tom Pelissero, Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo of NFL Network report.

This will be a two-year, $11.5MM deal. Brown operated as a starter in 2024, his debut campaign with the Cardinals. Handling first-team duties will be expected moving forward with a notable raise having been worked out.

Brown had roamed around the NFC over the past three years, playing for the Lions, Seahawks and Cardinals in that span. He had filled in for Detroit starters at center and guard during his time in the Motor City and stepped in as a Seattle center starter in 2023. Winning the left guard starting job in Arizona out of training camp, Brown started 17 games for Jonathan Gannon’s team.

Brown has yo-yoed between center and guard over the past four seasons. He was Frank Ragnow‘s primary injury replacement in 2021 before taking over at RG for Halapoulivaati Vaitai in 2022. The Cardinals added him with the intent on a guard path, after the Seahawks had used him as a replacement for the retired Austin Blythe.

Monday’s agreement also will bring a raise for Brown, who played for $2.25MM in 2023 and $2.35MM in 2024. Originally a Giants UDFA, Brown is going into his age-29 season. The Cardinals have given both he and center Hjalte Froholdt midlevel paydays to stick around on a line fronted by first-round left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. and $15MM-per-year RT Jonah Williams. Will Hernandez is again a free agent, though the veteran RG has battled injuries during much of his desert stay.

Pro Football Focus graded Brown 30th at guard last season, and the Cardinals will keep supplying continuity for third-year OC Drew Petzing. With Brown coming back, Arizona is on track to have four of its five O-line starters in place for 2025. Hernandez re-signed with the Cardinals previously, but after he missed 12 games in 2024, the team may have some reservations about authorizing another accord.

Cardinals Re-Sign OLB Baron Browning

March 9th, 2025 at 12:58pm CST by Ely Allen

The Cardinals didn’t get to see a ton from outside linebacker Baron Browning after trading for him last year. Regardless, they brought him in for a reason and, with that in mind, they will reportedly bring him back in 2025, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The new contract is a two-year, $15MM deal that can be worth up to $19MM. The team has since announced the news.

Howard Balzer of CardsWire commented on an interesting note that the early reports of the deal fail to mention any guaranteed money. While the numbers will eventually come out, the guaranteed numbers may not be super favorable for Browning as he still has plenty to prove after a relatively down 2024 season.

Browning originally came to the NFL as a third-round pick out of Ohio State. The former five-star recruit earned plenty of starts over his first three seasons, logging 26 starts in 38 appearances. As a rookie, the Broncos played Browning exclusively as an off-ball linebacker. He was fairly average in the position, totaling 58 tackles, two tackles for loss, and a quarterback hit.

A year later, Denver moved Browning to an edge rushing role. With eight starts in 14 games at his new position, Browning tallied five sacks, eight tackles for loss, and 12 quarterback hits. In his second year at the new spot, Browning started nine of 10 game appearances, logging 4.5 sacks, four tackles for loss, and nine quarterback hits. Despite slightly lesser stats, albeit in four fewer games, Browning’s analytical evaluation improved greatly in that second year as a pass rusher, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

Despite the early promise Browning showed, Denver seemed to move on from Browning last year in favor of players like Nik Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper, Jonah Elliss, and Dondrea Tillman. Browning had reportedly been seeking a role as a starter that he wasn’t getting in Denver, and the Broncos were not likely to re-sign him. They opted, instead, to trade Browning midseason to the Arizona in exchange for a 2025 sixth-round pick.

The Cardinals followed Denver’s lead, keeping Browning as an edge rusher. Playing in the rotation, the fourth-year player logged two sacks, four tackles for loss, and three quarterback hits in eight games with Arizona. The team was intrigued by what he brought to the table and expressed interest in bringing him back. They’ve now done so, and they’ll see what he has to offer over the next two seasons.

NFL Minor Transactions: 3/7/25

March 7th, 2025 at 8:59pm CST by Ely Allen

Friday’s minor NFL moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Cincinnati Bengals

Detroit Lions

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Cardinals To Meet With Roy Robertson-Harris, Want To Re-Sign Baron Browning

March 7th, 2025 at 1:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

One of several Seahawks contributors cut this week, Roy Robertson-Harris is generating some interest within the NFC West. The Cardinals will see about a fit.

The veteran interior defensive lineman is heading to Arizona for a free agency visit Friday, NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero tweets. Robertson-Harris is an eight-year vet who has played with three teams. The Cardinals are still seeking answers along their front seven, with free agency likely to be a key avenue for them to retool there.

The Seahawks cut Robertson-Harris months after acquiring him from the Jaguars via trade. The former Bears UDFA did not see a big role in Seattle, seeing his snap share drop from 50% as a Jaguar to 25% as a Seahawk. Robertson-Harris, 31, tallied two sacks (both with the Jags) last season. Pro Football Focus graded him 81st among interior D-linemen in 2024. For his career, the career-long 3-4 defensive end has 19 to go with 27 tackles for loss and 67 QB hits.

Robertson-Harris (62 career starts) signed two Jags contracts, the second a three-year deal worth $23.4MM. The Cardinals do not have much allocated to their D-linemen, contract-wise, but they did draft Darius Robinson in last year’s first round. L.J. Collier and nose tackle Roy Lopez are due for free agency.

Also carrying questions at outside linebacker, Arizona sent a sixth-round pick to Denver for Baron Browning at the 2024 deadline. The former Broncos third-rounder totaled two sacks in eight Cardinals games last season, and USA Today’s Howard Balzer indicates the Cards do want him back. Browning, 26, will be free to speak with other teams beginning Monday.

Showing intermittent promise in Denver, Browning moved from ILB starter to OLB rotational presence during his Broncos run. While he did end up starting 28 games in Denver — 19 of those at OLB from 2022-24 — injuries played a regular role in limiting the Ohio State alum. Browning missed three games in 2022, seven in 2023 and four in ’24. An offseason knee injury sidelined Browning into the ’23 season, and a foot issue led him to short-term IR last year. The Broncos had just paid Jonathon Cooper, and with Nik Bonitto midway through a breakout year, the team did not plan to re-sign Browning.

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