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Arizona Cardinals News & Rumors

NFL Suspends Cardinals CB Patrick Peterson

May 16th, 2019 at 11:58am CST by Zachary Links

Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson has been suspended for the first six games of the 2019 season, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The ban, a result of a violation of the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs, will cost $3.88MM and impact P2’s remaining guarantees. Peterson has already dropped his appeal, so this suspension is already set in stone.

The six-game ban will keep Peterson off the field until Oct. 20, when the Cardinals face the Giants in East Rutherford, New Jersey. That means Peterson, one of the league’s very best cornerbacks, will be sidelined for contests against the Lions, Ravens, Panthers, Seahawks, Bengals, and Falcons.

This is a crushing blow to the Cardinals, who are looking to rebound from a league-worst 3-13 record in 2018. It’s also another weird twist in the ongoing saga between the franchise and Peterson.

Peterson demanded a trade in 2018, though he apologized for his outspokenness in January and said he’s in Arizona “to stay.” But, tensions resurfaced in April amidst speculation that the cornerback wanted out yet again.

Typically, first-time PED violations result in a four-game suspension, but there are instances in which a first-time offender can be banned for additional games. For example, if a PED violation is found through means other than a drug test (known as a “non-analytical positive” in the NFL’s bylaws), a player can be suspended for six games.

Last year, Peterson extended his games played/started streak to 128 and tallied two interceptions, five pass deflections, one sack, and 54 tackles. He earned his eighth consecutive Pro Bowl nod and graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 5 ranked CB in the NFL, edging out Jason McCourty, Kyle Fuller, Bryce Callahan, Prince Amukamara, and Jonathan Joseph. Only Stephon Gilmore, Desmond King II, Chris Harris Jr., and Levi Wallace placed ahead of him.

Furthermore, opposing quarterbacks avoided him like the plague. Peterson was the nearest defender to the targeted receiver on just 10.4% of the coverage snaps he played last season, the fourth-lowest rate among cornerbacks with at least 300 coverage snaps (h/t Seth Walder of ESPN.com, on Twitter).

Peterson, a three-time first-team All Pro and eight-time Pro Bowler, is signed through the 2020 campaign thanks to the five-year, $70MM+ extension he inked with the club in 2014. He’s slated to carry cap numbers of $11.9MM and $13.184MM in each of the next two seasons.

Without Peterson, the Cardinals are left with a CB group headlined by David Amerson, Robert Alford, second-round pick Byron Murphy, and Tramaine Brock.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/13/19

May 13th, 2019 at 12:56pm CST by Zachary Links

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

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

  • Signed: S Abraham Wallace, OL Garrett McGhin, DT Quindarius Thagard
  • Released: TE Jake Fisher, RB Keith Ford

Chicago Bears

  • Bears Signed: WR Jesper Horsted
  • Waived: G Tommy Doles

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Tennessee Titans

 

More Minor NFL Transactions: 5/12/19

May 12th, 2019 at 8:38pm CST by Zachary Links

Here’s the latest round of minor moves from around the NFL (For this morning’s minor moves, click here.):

Arizona Cardinals

  • Signed: S Tyler Sigler

Buffalo Bills

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

New Orleans Saints

  • Signed: WR Cyril Grayson

Cardinals Sign Five Draft Picks, Wrap Up Draft Class

May 10th, 2019 at 7:51pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

After signing Kyler Murray and a handful of others yesterday, the Cardinals wrapped up the rest of their picks today. Arizona announced the following signings:

With that, every 2019 Cardinals draft pick is officially under contract. In Isabella and Butler, the Cards got two new weapons for Murray. Isabella is a speed-demon who played at a small school, but put up monster numbers. Undersized but blazing fast, Isabella racked up 102 receptions for 1,698 yards and 13 touchdowns last season for the Minutemen.

Many people thought Butler would end up going earlier than he did, and a lot of mock drafts had him going sometime in the second round. He slipped to the fourth, where Arizona got him with the 103rd pick. Butler was also very productive in college, putting up 1,318 yards and nine touchdowns in his junior season at Iowa State before declaring for the draft.

Thompson is another player who had a notable tumble on draft day. For a while the Alabama product was considered one of the top safeties in the class, and a bunch of analysts thought he would go sometime on Day 2. He’ll now have a big chip on his shoulder, as he lasted all the way to the 139th pick.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/10/19

May 10th, 2019 at 7:02pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

We’ve got a whole bunch of minor transactions from today as we head into the weekend:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Signed: RB Wes Hills, CB Nate Brooks
  • Released: WR Bryant Mitchell, CB Jonathan Moxey, RB Brandon Wilds

Houston Texans

New Orleans Saints

  • Waived: RB Martez Carter, LB Chase Hansen, TE Jake Powell

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Signed: CB Jay Liggins

Seattle Seahawks

Oakland Raiders

  • Signed: WR Brian Burt

Orchard, the former second round pick of the Browns, is probably the biggest name on this list. He was cut to make room for Ziggy Ansah, who the Seahawks officially announced today. Orchard had signed a one-year pact last month that didn’t contain any guaranteed money. It’s a pretty bad sign for his NFL future that he was apparently at the very bottom of the 90-man roster in Seattle.

 

 

 

Kyler Murray’s Deal Has Offset Language

May 10th, 2019 at 11:57am CST by Zachary Links

Kyler Murray‘s deal with the Cardinals contains offset language, according to Albert Breer of The MMQB (on Twitter). Offset language is usually at the root of most prolonged rookie negotiations, but the two sides managed to sidestep the issue and come to an accord on Thursday. 

Offset language relates to what happens to a player’s salary if he’s cut during the first four years of his career, while he’s still playing on his rookie contract. For the top 15 to 20 picks in the draft, those four-year salaries are fully guaranteed, even if a player is waived at some point during those four seasons. For example, if a player has $4MM in guaranteed money remaining on his contract and is cut, he’ll still be owed that $4MM.

However, if a team has written offset language into the contract, that club can save some money if and when the player signs with a new team. For example, if that player who had $4MM in guaranteed money left on his contract signs with a new club on a $1MM deal, his old team would only be on the hook for $3MM, with the new team making up the difference. If there’s no offset language on that first deal, the old team would continue to be on the hook for the full $4MM, and the player would simply earn an additional $1MM from his new club.

So, Murray appears to have accepted the typical offset language in a rookie deal, though his contract is not without unusual wrinkles. The pact also contains language that will void the deal if he leaves the NFL to pursue his baseball career.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/9/19

May 9th, 2019 at 8:05pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Today’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Chargers

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

Seattle Seahawks

Derek Anderson Announces Retirement

May 9th, 2019 at 6:31pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Longtime NFL quarterback Derek Anderson has announced his retirement, the Bills announced today.

Anderson, 35, spent the 2018 campaign in Buffalo, starting two games while completing 42-of-70 attempts for 465 yards, zero touchdowns, and four interceptions. Despite has lackluster performance on the field, the Bills valued his off-field presence enough to sign him to a one-year extension through the 2019 campaign. Anderson has apparently had a change of heart since that December accord was reached, however.

A sixth-round draft choice of the Ravens in 2005, Anderson’s most notable season came in 2007, when he helped lead Cleveland to a 10-6 record and earned a Pro Bowl berth. Anderson subsequently signed a three-year deal to remain with the Browns despite the fact that Cleveland had used a first-round selection on fellow signal-caller Brady Quinn in 2007. The Oregon State product wasn’t able to hold onto his full-time gig, but still started 16 games over the next two seasons.

After making nine starts for the Cardinals in 2010, Anderson signed up for a long-term gig: Cam Newton‘s backup in Carolina. Anderson spent the 2011-17 seasons with the Panthers but was rarely asked to play. During those seven years, Anderson made only four starts and attempted just 168 passes.

The Bills will now move forward with Matt Barkley as the No. 2 to starting quarterback Josh Allen, although the club did also sign Buffalo alum Tyree Jackson as an undrafted free agent.

Cardinals Sign Kyler Murray, Five Other Draft Picks

May 9th, 2019 at 5:51pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Cardinals have signed first overall selection Kyler Murray, the club announced today. Arizona also signed following draft choices:

Like all first-round picks, Murray has signed a four-year deal with a fifth-year option for the 2023 season. Per Over the Cap, Murray’s contract should be worth $33.159MM in total. He’ll receive a signing bonus of roughly $23.59MM, and carry a cap charge of $6.392MM during his rookie campaign. Murray’s contract contains language that will void the deal if he leaves the NFL to pursue his baseball career, tweets Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. 

Murray, of course, spurned MLB’s Oakland Athletics in order to enter the NFL Draft. The Cardinals have since traded 2018 first-round quarterback Josh Rosen to the Dolphins, and intend to install an Air Raid system under new head coach Kliff Kingsbury. Along with new weapons like rookie wideouts Andy Isabella and Hakeem Butler (neither of whom was signed today), the Cardinals will look to improve an offense that ranked among the league’s worst last year.

While Murray is the headliner, Murphy is a name-brand prospect in his own right. Projected by many observers to become the first cornerback off the board, Murphy ultimately lasted until the first pick of the second round. An excellent zone coverage corner, Murphy will fit in well with new defensive coordinator Vance Joseph‘s zone-heavy scheme.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/2/19

May 2nd, 2019 at 7:28pm CST by Rory Parks

Here are today’s minor moves, which feature several recognizable signal-callers:

Arizona Cardinals

Chicago Bears

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Los Angeles Rams

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

  • Waived: S Delvon Randall (signed as UDFA with partially-guaranteed contract on May 1)
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