Cardinals Sign WR Kevin White
The Cardinals will sign free agent wideout Kevin White after meeting with him on Thursday, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). The Cardinals also confirmed the signing and announced that it is a one-year pact.
It’s difficult to call White anything other than a first-round bust at this point. Many observers were high on White’s talent when he left West Virginia to enter the 2015 draft, and that upside made him the seventh overall pick of the Bears. But he simply hasn’t been able to stay on the field.
Various injuries have cost White time over the past four seasons, with shin and shoulder ailments doing the most damage. White missed the entirety of his rookie campaign, and subsequently appeared in only 16 games in the following three years. 2018 actually marked White’s healthiest years (he played in nine games), but he only posted four receptions for 92 yards.
Arizona is looking to surround its quarterback of the future — be that Josh Rosen or Kyler Murray — with weapons. At present, the club’s wide receiver depth chart is topped by Larry Fitzgerald, Christian Kirk, and Chad Williams.
Cardinals To Sign Max Garcia
The Cardinals have agreed to sign guard Max Garcia, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). Garcia, 27, spent the previous four years with the Broncos. 
[RELATED: Giants Interested In Cardinals’ Josh Rosen]
Last year, Garcia’s season was cut short in November by a torn ACL. It was a bad blow to a Broncos O-Line that already had lost guard Ronald Leary to an Achilles tear and center Matt Paradis to a broken fibula.
Garcia was a Broncos fourth-round pick in the 2015 draft. Although he started 32 consecutive games from 201-17, Garcia wasn’t a deployed as a starter in 2018 until after Leary got hurt. Indeed, Garcia didn’t play a single offensive snap until Week 6, but he was on the field for every play between Leary’s injury and his own.
Garcia’s 242 snaps were not enough to qualify for Pro Football Focus’ rankings, but he drew a favorable score in 2016 when he started in every game for Denver.
Giants Interested In Josh Rosen; Latest On Eli Manning
The Giants are interested in trading for Cardinals’ QB Josh Rosen, per Dan Graziano of ESPN.com. However, they are unsure as to whether Arizona will actually make him available.
It is unclear exactly how acquiring Rosen would impact the status of Eli Manning, but both Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv and Graziano report that the current plan is to keep Manning in 2019, the last year of his present contract. We had been hearing that for some time, of course, but New York’s decision to trade Odell Beckham Jr. to the Browns last night sparked a new wave of speculation that the team could also look to move on from Manning.
That speculation was fueled by the fact that Manning is due a $5MM roster bonus on Saturday — which the Giants could avoid if they cut Manning before that point — and the fact that the team is clearly embracing a full-blown rebuild. But Manning is the best option that New York has, and it’s not as though there is currently a long-term answer on the roster whose development is being hindered by Manning’s presence.
Big Blue did not select one of the best quarterbacks available in a loaded class last year, and the club may not take a first-round signal-caller this year. Although the Giants will do their due diligence on Kyler Murray and Dwayne Haskins, they may have their eye on next year’s more heralded prospects.
The Cardinals, meanwhile, have been heavily linked to Murray, and there have been plenty of rumors that the club would be willing to trade Rosen and make Murray the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 draft. Indeed, we heard a little over a week ago that Murray to the Cardinals was a “done deal.” That may or may not be true, but we recently learned that multiple teams have inquired on Rosen, and the Giants may be one of those teams.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/13/19
Here are Wednesday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: K Cole Murphy
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: LB Adarius Taylor (two-year deal)
Los Angeles Chargers
- Re-signed: DT Brandon Mebane (two-year deal)
New York Jets
- Re-signed: LB Neville Hewitt
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Re-signed: P Jordan Berry (two-year deal)
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/13/19
Here is the latest news involving restricted free agents and exclusive-rights free agents, with updates coming throughout the day:
ERFA
Tendered:
- Bears: DE Roy Robertson-Harris, LB Isaiah Irving, OL Rashaad Coward
- Seahawks: LB Austin Calitro, LB Emmanuel Ellerbee, C Joey Hunt, RB J.D. McKissic, CB Kalan Reed
Non-tendered:
- Bears: S DeAndre Houston-Carson (via Howard Balzer on Twitter)
- Bengals: QB Brad Kaaya (via Balzer)
- Cardinals: LB Gabe Martin, DE Zach Moore, C Daniel Munyer (via Balzer)
- Chiefs: TE Alex Ellis (via Balzer)
- Colts: S Ronald Martin (via Balzer)
- Falcons: WR Marvin Hall (via Balzer)
- Giants: DT Kristjan Sokoli (via Balzer)
- Patriots: WR Cody Hollister (Twitter link via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com)
- Raiders: CB Tevin Mitchel (via Balzer)
- Rams: LB Garrett Sickels (via Balzer)
- Ravens: OT Steven Moore (via Balzer)
- Saints: DB Rickey Jefferson (per NOLA.com’s Josh Katzenstein, on Twitter)
- Seahawks: DE Ricky Ali’ifua, DB T.J. Green, RB Tre Madden, DB T.J. Mutcherson
- Steelers: T Joseph Cheek, S Malik Golden, LB Keith Kelsey, TE Jake McGee (via Balzer)
- Vikings: OT Cedrick Lang, TE Josiah Price (via Balzer)
RFA
Tendered at second-round level:
- Seahawks: T George Fant (per Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times, on Twitter)
Tendered at original-round level:
- Chiefs: S Jordan Lucas
- Saints: CB Ken Crawley (Twitter link via Nick Underhill of The New Orleans Advocate)
- Seahawks: DL Quinton Jefferson (via Tom Pelissero of NFL.com, on Twitter)
Non-tendered:
- Bears: LS Patrick Scales (via Balzer)
- Bengals: TE Matt Lengel (via Balzer)
- Bills: TE Logan Thomas (via Mike Rodak of ESPN.com, on Twitter)
- Broncos: QB Kevin Hogan, LB Deiontrez Mount, WR Jordan Taylor (via Balzer)
- Browns: CB Juston Burris, TE Orson Charles (via Balzer)
- Buccaneers: TE Alan Cross, CB Javien Elliott, T Leonard Wester (via Balzer)
- Cardinals: LB Jeremy Cash, OT John Wetzel (via Balzer)
- Chiefs: LB Terrance Smith (via Balzer)
- Dolphins: WR Leonte Carroo (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald)
- 49ers: S Tyvis Powell (via Balzer)
- Jaguars: OG Chris Reed (via Balzer)
- Jets: DT Destiny Vaeao (via Balzer)
- Panthers: WR Damiere Byrd (via Balzer)
- Raiders: DE Shilique Calhoun (via Balzer)
- Redskins: WR Maurice Harris (per Mike Garafolo of NFL.com, on Twitter), RB Rob Kelley (via Balzer)
- Saints: WR Tommylee Lewis (via Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com, on Twitter)
Contract Details: Smith, James, Wake
The latest details on deals from around the NFL:
- Za’Darius Smith, OLB (Packers): Four years, $66MM. $20MM guaranteed. $20MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle).
- Ja’Wuan James, T (Broncos): Four years, $51MM. $32MM guaranteed. $12MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Steven Nelson, CB (Steelers): Three years, $25.5MM. $7.5MM guaranteed. $7.5MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Cameron Wake, DE (Titans): Three years, $23MM. $9.75MM guaranteed. $4MM signing bonus. (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Latavius Murray, RB (Saints): Four years, $14.4MM. $7.2MM guaranteed. $3.4MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Spencer Pulley, C/G (Giants): Three years, $8.025MM. $2.325MM guaranteed. (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Jordan Raanan).
- Eric Rowe, CB (Dolphins): One year, $3.5MM. $500K signing bonus. (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Ryan Griffin, QB (Buccaneers): Two years, $2.9MM. $450K signing bonus. (Twitter link via Greg Auman of The Athletic).
- Deone Bucannon, LB (Buccaneers): One year, $2.5MM. $1.45MM guaranteed. (Twitter link via Wilson).
- Brett Hundley, QB (Cardinals): One year, $1.875MM. $750K guaranteed. (Twitter link via Wilson).
Brett Hundley To Sign With Cardinals
The Cardinals are planning to sign quarterback Brett Hundley, per Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that it will be a one-year, $2MM pact, with a maximum value of $3MM. Hundley will presumably operate as the backup to second-year signal-caller Josh Rosen, or, depending on how this year’s draft goes, he could be backing up Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray.
As Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times tweets, the Seahawks could turn to Paxton Lynch to back up Russell Wilson after Hundley served as Wilson’s clipboard holder in 2018. That would not be much comfort to Seattle fans, as Lynch, who signed with the Seahawks in January, has busted in a big way since the Broncos made him a first-round pick in 2016.
The Packers drafted Hundley in the fifth round of the 2015 draft. He didn’t see a lot of action at first, but he was called upon in 2017 when Aaron Rodgers was lost to injury. In nine starts, Hundley went 3-6 and threw for 1,836 yards with nine touchdowns against 12 interceptions. The Packers traded him to Seattle last August in exchange for a sixth-round pick.
Hundley will likely never fulfill the potential he exhibited at UCLA, but he may able to churn out a career as a serviceable backup. He did not see any action last year, as Wilson continued his record of perfect attendance.
Cardinals To Sign G J.R. Sweezy
J.R. Sweezy will again leave Seattle, this time being set to sign a two-year deal with the Cardinals, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
This marks another Cardinals move to bolster their offensive line. Sweezy will follow longtime Steelers right tackle Marcus Gilbert to Arizona. Sweezy’s last stay away from the Seahawks did not turn out well, with injuries dooming his short Buccaneers tenure. But he bounced back to recreate a market for himself.
The Seahawks reinstalled Sweezy as a full-time starter. He was a key blocker for a rejuvenated Seattle ground attack, one that morphed from one of the NFL’s worst over a three-year period to its best in 2018. Both Seahawks starting guards, Sweezy and D.J. Fluker, saw their contracts expire after the ’18 season.
Sweezy is entering his age-30 season. The Cardinals appear likely to plug him in opposite Justin Pugh, who last year suffered another season-ending injury. Arizona’s offensive line has struggled for multiple seasons now, and by the end of last season, backups were seeing almost all of the action, making it more difficult to evaluate Josh Rosen. The Cardinals finished with the No. 32 scoring offense and were the league’s worst team in total yardage.
Cardinals To Sign Jordan Hicks
The Cardinals aren’t done signing linebackers. After inking outside linebacker Terrell Suggs, Arizona has agreed to terms on a contract with inside linebacker Jordan Hicks, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link).
Rapoport reports the deal is for four years and $36MM. Hicks will get a $12MM signing bonus, and $20MM of the deal is fully guaranteed. Hicks comes to the desert from the Eagles, after spending the first four years of his career in Philadelphia. A third round pick in 2015, Hicks became a near-immediate starter in Philly.
Hicks has always been a good player when on the field, but he does have a somewhat lengthy injury history. His rookie season was cut short by a torn pectoral, and he missed the final nine games of the 2017 season after tearing his Achilles. He then missed four games last year with a calf injury. The Cardinals are signaling that they’ll be aggressive rebuilding their defense as they transition into the Kliff Kingsbury era.
It’s a lot of money to plunk down, but if Hicks can stay healthy he should be worth it. He earned great marks from Pro Football Focus last year, grading out as the tenth-best linebacker in the league by PFF’s metrics. New defensive coordinator Vance Joseph will be running a 3-4 defense in Arizona, and now the Cardinals have Hicks to play alongside 2017 first round pick Haason Reddick in the middle.
Cardinals Expected To Sign Terrell Suggs
This is moving fast. Mentioned as a possible landing spot for Terrell Suggs, the Cardinals are going to land the free agent pass rusher, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
An agreement will send the 16-year Ravens veteran, who told the team he will not be returning to Baltimore next season, back to Arizona. The contract for Suggs is a one-year, $7MM deal, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The somewhat hefty sum indicates the Cardinals still view Suggs as a full-time player.
Before going in the 2003 first round and becoming an all-time Ravens great, Suggs played his college ball at Arizona State. Suggs also spent his teenage years in Arizona.
One of the best players in Ravens history, Suggs will leave as the team’s sack leader (Suggs’ 132.5 sacks are 62.5 more than second-place Peter Boulware) and the Ravens’ games-played leader. A seven-time Pro Bowler and the 2011 defensive player of the year, Suggs surpassed Ray Lewis to become the Ravens’ games-played leader, suiting up for his 229th career regular-season contest in Week 17. The 36-year-old started all 16 games for a second-straight season in 2018, compiling 34 tackles and seven sacks.
Suggs will easily slide right into Arizona’s linebacker depth chart. The team really only has former first-rounder Haason Reddick slotted into the starting lineup, with Tanner Vallejo also projected to start.