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Arizona Cardinals News & Rumors

Saints, Eagles In On Patrick Peterson

October 22nd, 2018 at 2:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

Two NFC teams are attempting to pry Patrick Peterson away from the Cardinals. The Saints and Eagles have been calling the Cards for weeks about the three-time All-Pro cornerback, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports tweets.

The Saints, in particular, may be a team to watch. Former NFL cornerback Bryant McFadden, Peterson’s cousin, said New Orleans is the preferred destination (Twitter link). Peterson, of course, went to college at LSU en route to becoming a top-five pick.

New Orleans has 2017 defensive rookie of the year Marshon Lattimore anchoring its cornerback corps but has not received much in the way of consistency on the other side. Patrick Robinson is expected to miss the rest of the season, and Ken Crawley and P.J. Williams are two of Pro Football Focus’ 10 lowest-graded full-time cornerbacks. Peterson sits fourth on this list through seven games.

Philadelphia is obviously not averse to splashy moves, either, and the defending Super Bowl champion is reeling after dropping to 3-4 on Sunday. Ronald Darby is in a contract year, and younger Philly corners Sidney Jones and Rasul Douglas have not exhibited much consistency this season.

The Eagles sit 24th in pass defense; the Saints 28th. Philadelphia restructured Fletcher Cox‘s contract with the purpose of adding 2019 funds to potentially keep more in-house talent long-term. However, that reworking now has the team holding $10MM-plus in 2018 cap space. The Saints have less than $2MM, which would make fitting Peterson’s $6.47MM remaining ’18 cap figure more difficult.

Patrick Peterson Asks Cardinals For Trade

October 22nd, 2018 at 1:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

Patrick Peterson‘s been mentioned in trade rumors, ones the Cardinals have shot down. But the three-time All-Pro may be ready to leave the desert.

Peterson’s asked the Cardinals to trade him by the Oct. 30 deadline, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). The 28-year-old cornerback views the Cards as a deteriorating situation and “desperately” wants out, Schefter adds.

The Cardinals have known about Peterson’s dissatisfaction for a while now, per CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora (on Twitter), and have received plenty of calls about the corner’s availability. Peterson told the Arizona Republic recently he was still committed to the Cardinals, though adding it was difficult dealing with what looks like his fifth losing season since arriving in Arizona.

Steve Wilks chimed in on the situation and said Monday the Cardinals are “not trading Patrick” (Twitter link). The first-year coach said Peterson has not approached him about a trade but added (via AZCardinals.com’s Darren Urban, on Twitter) he’ll speak to him about this today.

This would place a marquee player in his prime on the trade block, and no Cardinal would fetch the kind of price Peterson would. The 2011 first-rounder has been arguably the NFL’s best cornerback this decade and looks to be destined for one of the spots on the 2010s’ all-decade team.

But the Cardinals have taken a major step back this season, starting 1-6. Although they still have key cornerstones from their 2015 NFC championship game season, led by Peterson and Larry Fitzgerald, this is now a rebuilding team. They have not been to the playoffs since that 2015 slate, but under Bruce Arians the past two seasons, the team was not among one of the NFL’s worst. After a nationally televised 45-10 loss to the Broncos, they certainly are now, putting the organization to a big decision.

Cardinals president Michael Bidwill said a Peterson trade is “not happening,” but now that the star defender’s request is out there, this may be a fluid process in the days leading up to the deadline.

The longtime standout has two more full seasons left on his deal. The through-2020 contract, combined with Peterson’s stellar play, will drive up the price if the Cardinals decide to seriously field offers. Peterson will make $11MM in 2019 and just more than $12MM in 2020 base salary on his current deal, but he’ll obviously be eyeing an extension at some point in the near future.

Contenders will certainly be coveting Peterson, with elite cornerback play among the most difficult skills to acquire in today’s NFL. But the Cardinals may still want to keep their best player and attempt to build around him in the future.

Cardinals Sign S Eddie Pleasant

October 20th, 2018 at 4:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

Eddie Pleasant worked out for four teams in the past month. The Cardinals weren’t one of the franchises that brought the veteran safety in for an audition, but they’re signing him nonetheless.

The Cards and Pleasant agreed on terms Saturday, Field Yates of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). Pleasant spent camp with the Patriots but was released in late August.

Prior to spending barely a month in New England, Pleasant played six seasons in Houston. The Texans used the 29-year-old veteran as a backup safety during those six years. Pleasant played in 78 games for the Texans from 2013-17. Despite not starting any games, Pleasant made a career-high 49 tackles last season, the second of a two-year deal he agreed to in 2016 to stay in Houston.

Pleasant worked out for the Packers this week, and since the start of the season traveled to Atlanta, San Francisco and Seattle for workouts that did not lead to signings. The Cardinals were without Tre Boston in a loss to the Broncos on Thursday but now have six safeties on their active roster, although Budda Baker functions as Arizona’s slot cornerback.

Wilks Makes Bleak Comments About Future

October 19th, 2018 at 4:56pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Former NFL agent and current CBS Sports analyst Joel Corry took a look at some of the biggest hits and misses from teams’ offseason, with the Bears’ trade for Khalil Mack being his biggest hit and the Cardinals’ signing of Sam Bradford being his biggest miss. He highlights several more under-the-radar hits like the Colts’ signing of Eric Ebron and the Ravens bringing in John Brown, and talks about the finances involved. Some of the other misses include the mammoth contract the Titans gave to cornerback Malcolm Butler and the Cowboys’ signing of Allen Hurns. Butler has already been benched in Tennessee and Corry writes that he’s “doing his best to validate Patriots head coach Bill Belichick’s mysterious benching of him in Super Bowl LII.” The whole article is definitely worth a read.

  • The Cardinals made a move many had been anticipating for weeks today when they fired offensive coordinator Mike McCoy. Cardinals coach Steve Wilks was asked about Byron Leftwich, McCoy’s replacement, and whether Leftwich was an interim coach or permanent. Wilks responded “right now it’s hard to say anyone (on staff) is going to be permanent”, according to Darren Urban of the team’s official website (Twitter link). Wilks’ comments suggest he’s thinking what others in the media have been saying, that his job isn’t necessarily safe either. While it would still be surprising at this point, it certainly seems possible Wilks is a one-and-done in Arizona.

Cardinals Fire OC Mike McCoy

October 19th, 2018 at 10:23am CST by Zachary Links

After a disastrous 45-10 loss to the Broncos on Thursday night, the Cardinals fired offensive coordinator Mike McCoy. To replace him, the Cardinals promoted quarterbacks coach Byron Leftwich. 

McCoy’s job security has been a topic of discussion for weeks. Through seven games, the Cardinals have averaged just 13.1 points per game, which ranks 31st in the NFL. They’re also dead last in total yards per game, third-down conversion percentage, time of possession, and rushing yards. Something had to give, and the embarrassing loss to Denver was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

It’s an ironic end to McCoy’s tenure in Arizona since the Broncos fired McCoy in the midst of the 2017 season. Denver started off strong with a 3-1 start last year, but the team lost patience after a six-game losing streak knocked them out of playoff contention. This year, the Cardinals had enough after a 1-5 start and an embarrassing primetime loss in which Josh Rosen lobbed his third, fourth, and fifth interceptions of the year.

Leftwich, the Jaguars’ longtime quarterback, was brought in by former coach Bruce Arians as a coaching intern in 2016. Last year, he was hired as the team’s quarterbacks coach. Leftwich doesn’t have previous OC experience, but he did call plays in a couple of 2017 exhibition games.

“I’m a pretty confident guy, but I had never done it, and I had never practiced it,” Leftwich said of his OC audition. “That’s the tough part. Knowing B.A., B.A. ain’t going to give you two weeks in practice to prepare. He gave me a 10-play period to call them. The first time I ever called plays was in the game. I wish I would have done a few things here and there better, but that’s the exciting part of growing in this business. That helped my growth.”

Leftwich will make his OC debut on Sunday, Oct. 28 against the 49ers. After that, the Cardinals have a Week 9 bye.

Cardinals Release WR Kendall Wright

October 18th, 2018 at 4:38pm CST by Zachary Links

The Cardinals released wide receiver Kendall Wright on Thursday, per a team announcement. In his place, the club promoted cornerback Deatrick Nichols from the practice squad.

Wright was signed just ten days ago, with Nichols being waived to create room on the roster. It’s not uncommon for teams to juggle veterans each week depending on needs, so it’s possible that Wright could be back soon with Nichols back on the waiver wire.

Wright, ostensibly, was signed as insurance in the slot for Larry Fitzgerald. But, Fitzgerald is a go for Thursday night despite his hamstring and back issues, so Wright was no longer needed in Arizona.

The Cardinals, with Nichols on the roster, will face the Broncos in a Thursday night matchup that could have serious implications for the losing team.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/18/18

October 18th, 2018 at 4:27pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Signed: OL Kyle Friend
  • Released: OL Will House

Atlanta Falcons

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

  • Signed: G Zack Golditch
  • Released: G Sean Harlow

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Cardinals Won’t Trade Patrick Peterson

October 18th, 2018 at 1:56pm CST by Zachary Links

A trade of star cornerback Patrick Peterson is “not happening,” Cardinals president Michael Bidwill tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Many expect the Cardinals to engage as sellers before the Oct. 30 trade deadline, but Peterson is apparently off limits. 

[RELATED: Cardinals Not Shopping Haason Reddick?]

“Not true,” Bidwill said. “I’ve seen the speculation. But it’s not happening. Not happening.”

Other clubs, unsure of the Cardinals’ intentions or future plans, have tried to pry P2 away from Arizona. At least one other team inquired about his availability, Rapoport hears, but were met a flat-out no.

Peterson’s place in Arizona appears to be safe, but the same cannot be said for other Cardinals players or coaches. The Cardinals are 1-5 heading into Thursday night’s game against the Broncos, and changes are certain to be made if they come up short.

A fun fact to keep in mind: the 1970 Bengals are the only team in the NFL’s Super Bowl era to ever made the playoffs after starting the year 1-6.

Cardinals Not Shopping Haason Reddick?

October 16th, 2018 at 12:08pm CST by Zachary Links

Contrary to some reports, the Cardinals are not shopping linebacker Haason Reddick, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (video link). The club is shopping linebacker/safety Deone Bucannon, however, which is consistent with what we’ve heard in recent weeks. 

[RELATED: Cardinals GM Downplays Trade Rumors]

The Cardinals drafted the former Temple standout with the 13th overall pick in the 2017 draft in the hopes that his explosive athleticism would serve him well as a pass rusher and as a run stopper. So far, his development has not gone as planned, but the Cardinals are not ready to give up on him just yet. The 24-year-old recently regained his spot in the starting lineup and has two sacks in the last three weeks, so he seems to be trending in the right direction.

The Cardinals fell to 1-5 after Sunday’s 27-17 loss to the Vikings. While Reddick apparently won’t be on the table, you can expect GM Steve Keim to pitch rival clubs on Bucannon and others as the Cardinals look to build for the future.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/15/18

October 15th, 2018 at 5:53pm CST by Zachary Links

We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

  • Signed: RB Mark Thompson, LB Alvin Jones, OL Randin Crecelius
  • Cut: DB Kai Nacua, WR Andre Levrone

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

New York Giants

  • Signed: DB Ronald Zamort

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Signed: OL Ruben Holcomb

Tennessee Titans

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