Minor NFL Transactions: 2/13/18
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: CB Lou Young
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: CB De’Vante Bausby
Cardinals Hire Assistant
- The Cardinals have hired former University of Findlay offensive coordinator Troy Rothenbuhler as an offensive quality control coach, reports Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Rothenbuhler had spent his entire coaching career in the collegiate ranks, and spent the past seven years as Findlay’s play-caller.
Cardinals Extend GM Steve Keim
The Cardinals announced that they have signed GM Steve Keim to an extension. The new deal will keep him in place through the 2022 season. 
[RELATED: Latest On Larry Fitzgerald]
Keim’s contract is roughly in line with that of newly-hired coach Steve Wilks. Wilks’ contract is a four-year deal with a team option for the ’22 campaign.
Keim took over as the Cardinals’ GM in 2013 and the results have been largely positive. In that span, Bill Belichick (Patriots), John Schneider (Seahawks), Kevin Colbert (Steelers), and John Elway (Broncos) have accumulated more wins. The Cardinals have missed the postseason for the last two seasons, but they still feel that Keim is the right man to help them retool and get back into the playoff picture.
“Steve’s performance and accomplishments as Cardinals GM speak for themselves,” Cardinals president Michael Bidwill said in a statement. “His role in the team’s success over the last five seasons is undeniable. This new contract ensures that he will continue to shape our success going forward and we are thrilled about that.”
Keim will have his work cut out for him this offseason. Armed with just $22.7MM in cap room, the Cardinals will have to address their murky quarterback situation while filling other holes on both sides of the ball.
Cards Want To Re-Sign CB Tramon Williams
The Cardinals aren’t expected to spend at the top of the cornerback market in order to bring in a defender such as Malcolm Butler or Trumaine Johnson, and will instead attempt to re-sign veteran defensive back Tramon Williams while drafting a corner, tweets Mike Jurecki of ArizonaSports.com.
Arizona has long struggled to find a corner to play opposite Patrick Peterson, but Williams filled that void in 2017, posting arguably the best season of his lengthy career while ranking as the NFL’s No. 9 cornerback, per Pro Football Focus. He also finished 23rd in Football Outsiders’ success rate and 18th in yards per pass allowed, while the Cardinals as a team ranked sixth in DVOA against opposing No. 2 wide receivers.
However, Williams will be 35 years old when the 2018 campaign gets underway, so it’s unclear if he’ll be able to land anything more than the one year, $2MM deal he inked with the Cardinals last summer. Coming off a far less productive campaign, Williams didn’t sign until the end of July in 2017. While he almost certainly won’t have to wait that long to find a new contract this offseason, his age will prevent him from truly cashing in.
If Williams signs elsewhere, Arizona will need to draft a cornerback early or add another free agent defensive back. Williams, Peterson, and Justin Bethel were the only Cardinals corners to play more than 7% of the club’s defensive snaps a season ago, and Bethel is now a free agent, as well. Other Arizona defenders such as Harlan Miller and C.J. Goodwin can’t be counted on to start, while 2016 third-round pick Brandon Williams was asked to play only a single defensive snap in 2017.
Cardinals Hire Jason Michael
- The Cardinals have hired former Titans quarterbacks coach Jason Michael as their new tight ends coach, as Marvez reports. The Cowboys also had interest in adding Michael to fill their vacant tight ends coach job, but Michael instead chose to head to the desert. Michael was previously Tennessee’s offensive coordinator from 2014-15, but was demoted when Mike Mularkey took over the Titans’ full-time head coach in 2016.
Cardinals Add Two To Coaching Staff
- The Cardinals have hired a college coach to fill out their staff. Sporting News’ Alex Marvez reports that the team has hired Charlie Harbison as their new cornerbacks coach. The 59-year-old last served as the co-defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach for the University of Louisiana-Lafayette. The Cardinals have also hired Kirby Wilson as their new running backs coach. Wilson spent the past two seasons in the same role with the Browns.
[SOURCE LINK]
Updated 2018 NFL Draft Order
With the Super Bowl in the books, we now know the draft order for the entire first round of the 2018 draft. Here’s the rundown:
1. Cleveland Browns (0-16)
2. New York Giants (3-13)
3. Indianapolis Colts (4-12)
4. Cleveland Browns (via the 4-12 Houston Texans)
5. Denver Broncos (5-11)
6. New York Jets (5-11)
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-11)
8. Chicago Bears (5-11)
T-9. Oakland Raiders (6-10)
T-9. San Francisco 49ers (6-10) (Note: The Raiders and 49ers have identical records and the same strength of schedule. The tie will be broken by a coin flip with the winner getting pick No. 9 and the other club receiving the No. 10 pick.)
11. Miami Dolphins (6-10)
12. Cincinnati Bengals (7-9)
13. Washington Redskins (7-9)
14. Green Bay Packers (7-9)
15. Arizona Cardinals (8-8)
16. Baltimore Ravens (9-7)
17. Los Angeles Chargers (9-7)
18. Seattle Seahawks (9-7)
19. Dallas Cowboys (9-7)
20. Detroit Lions (9-7)
21. Buffalo Bills (9-7)
22. Buffalo Bills (via the 10-6 Kansas City Chiefs)
23. Los Angeles Rams (11-5)
24. Carolina Panthers (11-5)
25. Tennessee Titans (9-7)
26. Atlanta Falcons (10-6)
27. New Orleans Saints (11-5)
28. Pittsburgh Steelers (13-3)
29. Jacksonville Jaguars (10-6)
30. Minnesota Vikings (13-3)
31. New England Patriots (13-3)
32. Philadelphia Eagles (13-3)
Latest On Larry Fitzgerald’s Plans
Larry Fitzgerald plans to decide about returning for a 15th season this month.
Despite the Cardinals potentially not knowing what quarterbacks are going to be on the roster until possibly the draft, the 34-year-old said he intends to let his team know “in a week or so” (Twitter link, via Ian Rapoport of NFL.com).
The future Hall of Fame wideout added he’s “excited about what the future holds,” and he’s confident in Steve Keim acquiring the right pieces to help the Cardinals re-emerge as a contender.
“I’m contemplating it, absolutely,” Fitzgerald said, regarding a return for 2018, during an NFL Network appearance (via ESPN). “I’m excited about what the future holds. Obviously there’s some things that need to happen in terms of personnel, draft and things like that to help our team improve,” he said. “but I’m confident that [general manager] Steve Keim and his group are going to do a good job with that.”
Drew Stanton and Blaine Gabbert are free agents as well for the Cardinals, who are expected to be in the Kirk Cousins sweepstakes. Although, Arizona’s cap situation is not as friendly as the other teams expected to vie for Cousins.
Regardless, Fitzgerald committing to come back in February would not give him much intel about the offense he would be coming back to. The former Pitt dynamo did, however, commit to returning last season on February 1, so he appears to be operating on a similar timeline. Palmer, though, was in the picture at that point.
Fitzgerald signed a one-year, $11MM extension for 2018 and stands to carry a $15.85MM cap number. So, it would help the Cardinals — projected to have just $8.7MM in cap space — to know if their top receiver was returning for planning purposes.
Cardinals Better Off Avoiding Cousins Chase?
- With less than $10MM in current projected cap space, the Cardinals would have to rearrange their payroll more than any other top suitor to chase Cousins. And after back-to-back playoff absences, Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap writes the Cards’ realistic contention window is likely closed with this nucleus. He adds that even if the Cardinals are committed to keeping this core together for another run at a 2015-like season, Sam Bradford or another bridge quarterback would make more sense than a long-term Cousins commitment.
Adrian Peterson Wants To Play For Another Four Or Five Seasons
There were rumblings that the Cardinals would ultimately cut Peterson, but the 32-year-old doesn’t sound overly concerned about his status in 2018.
Peterson split last season between the Saints and Cardinals. After an underwhelming start in New Orleans, Peterson ultimately started six games for Arizona, compiling 448 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 129 carries.