POLL: Should the Cardinals Explore A David Johnson Trade?
As the Cardinals have started the season 1-4 and are in the midst of a rebuild, there’s been a lot of trade rumors surrounding the team. Arizona is reportedly shopping former first-rounders Deone Bucannon and Haason Reddick, and now a more surprising name has emerged as a potential trade candidate. 
Over the course of the week, David Johnson‘s name has been a frequent subject of internet discussion, with many speculating the team could look to deal him as they aren’t in win-now mode. The Eagles, who have also been linked to Le’Veon Bell after Jay Ajayi‘s ACL tear, have been suggested as a possible destination for Johnson.
Johnson has been having a down-year by his standards, and Cardinals offensive coordinator Mike McCoy has taken a lot of flack for not getting Johnson involved more. Johnson thrived in now-retired coach Bruce Arians’ system, where he was often utilized as a receiver. McCoy’s scheme has turned him into more of a between-the-tackles runner, and it hasn’t been a great fit.
Despite the scheme issues, it would still be shocking if Johnson was dealt. Just last month, the team signed him to a huge three-year extension worth $39MM. As former NFL agent and current CBS Sports analyst Joel Corry points out, it wouldn’t make much sense for the team to pay Johnson a massive $12MM signing bonus then deal him months later (Twitter link).
It also wouldn’t seem to make much sense for the Cardinals to trade away the offense’s best weapon as they seek to develop Josh Rosen. Trading away Johnson would take away Rosen’s safety blanket and make life much tougher for the promising rookie.
But as long as the Cardinals continue to lose and until McCoy succeeds in getting Johnson more involved, rumors will likely continue to swirl. It’s likely the Cardinals would seek high draft picks if they did decide to flip him, and it’s unclear if any team would even be willing to play the necessary price.
What do you think? With the team not winning anything this year, should the Cardinals at least listen to offers on Johnson? Vote in the poll below and weigh in down in the comments!
Cardinals GM Downplays Trade Rumors
The Cardinals are reportedly shopping Deone Bucannon and Haason Reddick, but GM Steve Keim is doing his best to throw cold water on the hot stove talk. In a radio interview on Friday, Keim issued a general denial towards trade speculation regarding his team. 
“One part of my job is to have dialogue with other teams,” Keim said said on 98.7, Arizona’s Sports Station (via the team website). “The one thing I won’t do, I won’t confirm or deny those things in public, I think you do those things behind the scenes. But it’s a lot of gossip, people enjoy it, it’s water-cooler talk, and a lot of stuff you’ll read is certainly false. Wednesday I woke up to three different names that were brought to my attention and those conversations never happened. So I would just say, for most fans, tread lightly, because very rarely are those accurate.”
It would make plenty of sense for the Cardinals to explore the trade market between now and Oct. 30. With a 1-4 record, the Cards are the current odds-on favorite to wind up with the worst record in the draft. The defense is in the bottom third of the league in both yards allowed and scoring, and the offense has failed to properly utilize one of the league’s most talented offensive weapons in David Johnson, so this would be the logical time for a reboot.
Keim knows this, and that’s why he is looking to preserve team morale without explicitly ruling out any deal.
“Some of the names brought up to me will do nothing but bring a chuckle out of me,” Keim said. “You have to listen. You never know what the compensation is going to be. It might be something you couldn’t resist. You look back at the Heschel Walker trade with Dallas, you can never say never. … Sometimes, there’s a lot of procrastination, where you’ll call and there are a lot of conversations that go nowhere, unfortunately. But it’s part of the business and a fun one for fans to follow.”
Poll: Who Will Pick First Overall In The 2019 NFL Draft?
With nearly a third of the 2018 regular season in the books, it’s fair to start looking ahead to the 2019 draft, especially if you’re a fan of a team that’s not looking like a playoff team this year. Using Football Outsiders’ DVOA On the Clock report, let’s take a look at a few teams who could secure the No. 1 overall selection in 2019:
Arizona Cardinals (19.6% chance of No. 1 pick, 61.5% chance of top-five pick)
The Cardinals allowed the Sam Bradford experiment to last for the better part of three games before turning things over to rookie quarterback Josh Rosen, who has appeared competent thus far. David Johnson is an All-Pro talent at running back, but Arizona hasn’t been very creative in its use of him, and he’s faced eight or more defenders in the box on 33.78% of his attempts, 10th-most in the league. The Cardinals are still as a top-10 defense in terms of DVOA (meaning they’re efficient) despite ranking as a bottom-10 unit in both yards allowed and scoring, so continued success on that side of the ball could move Arizona away from the top overall pick.
San Francisco 49ers (18.6%, 59.8%)
The 49ers’ top quarterback (Jimmy Garoppolo), running back (Jerick McKinnon) and wide receiver (Marquise Goodwin) have all been injured this year, and each health issue helped push the 49ers’ chances of earning the No. 1 pick upward. With C.J. Beathard now leading San Francisco’s offense, and Alfred Morris taking over in the backfield for the time being while Matt Breida deals with an ankle injury, it’s unclear how many points the 49ers will be able to muster the rest of the way. Pair those offensive problems with a defense that ranks just 26th in adjusted sack rate, and San Francisco could be in the market for a top-five selection in 2019.
Buffalo Bills (13.2%, 56%)
While rookie signal-caller Josh Allen perhaps hasn’t looked as poor as many believed he would, he still ranks second-to-last among quarterbacks in adjusted net yards per attempt. His performance, as well as that of Buffalo’s porous offensive line, has contributed to the Bills ranking dead last in both yards per drive and points per drive. A surprisingly strong defense (and a full-effort approach that speaks well of head coach Sean McDermott) could help push the Bills towards the end of the top-10 picks, but their offense is going to hold them back.
Oakland Raiders (9.3%, 41.7%)
It’s a good thing Jon Gruden landed a 10-year contract because his first season with the Raiders isn’t going as planned. Oakland’s defense is the slowest in the NFL (which perhaps isn’t a surprise given that the Raiders are fielding the league’s oldest roster), and the club’s offense has been hit-or-miss. After trading superstar Khalil Mack, Oakland ranks dead last in sacks and second-to-last in adjusted sack rate. And, as a bonus, the Raiders get to face Patrick Mahomes twice a year for the next decade.
New York Giants (8.1%, 37.1%)
The Giants are the only team in the NFL that has at least a 5% chance of securing the No. 1 overall pick and at least a 10% chance of making the postseason, per Football Outsiders. That’s largely due to the lackluster quality of the NFC East, where no team is over the .500 mark, and New York’s remaining schedule, which ranks as the easiest in the league. On the other hand, FiveThirtyEight currently projects the Giants to finish with the NFL’s worst record, so until the NFC East clarifies itself, New York’s outlook is ¯_(ツ)_/¯.
Atlanta Falcons (8%, 35.3%)
The one team on this list that would have been a complete surprise coming into 2018, the Falcons have been decimated on the defensive side of the ball. Starting safeties Keanu Neal and Ricardo Allen, plus linebacker Deion Jones, are all out for the season after suffering injuries, and Atlanta’s defense has responded in kind, giving up the second-most points in the league on a per-game basis. Matt Ryan and the rest of the Falcons’ offense can still win shootouts, but Atlanta could be in line to pick within the top-five for the first time since 2008.
So, what do you think? Will one of these teams land the No. 1 overall pick in 2019? Vote below!
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/10/18
We’ll keep track of today’s practice squad moves here:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: CB Deatrick Nichols
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: LB Brandon Chubb
- Released: QB Connor Cook
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: DB Demetrious Cox
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: DB Jeremiah McKinnon
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: RB Darius Jackson
Denver Broncos
- Signed: RB Jeremy McNichols
Houston Texans
- Signed: TE Jerell Adams
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: S Tray Matthews, DE Al-Quadin Muhammad
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: FB Dimitri Flowers
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: S Leon McQuay, TE David Wells
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: CB Jeff Richards, LB Tre’von Johnson
- Released: CB Channing Stribling, T Jamar McGloster
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: WR Travis Rudolph
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: OL Jordan Morgan, WR Roger Lewis, RB Dalyn Dawkins
Cardinals Shopping Deone Bucannon
The Cardinals are “stepping up their efforts” to trade former first-round pick Deone Bucannon before the deadline, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com tweets. JLC reported that Bucannon was on the block over the weekend, but it sounds like the Cardinals are pushing even harder now to get a deal done. 
Bucannon was a first-round pick of the Cardinals in 2014 and broke out in 2015 with a team-high 112 tackles plus three sacks and three forced fumbles. Injuries have slowed him down since then, and he has failed to find a consistent role in coach Steve Wilks‘ defense. Bucannon saw time on 66.57% of the Cards’ defensive snaps last year, but has played on just 53.04% of Arizona’s snaps this year. Over the last three weeks, he’s been in on less than a quarter of the plays.
The Cardinals are 1-4 and also have Haason Reddick on the block, so they could be extremely active between now and the Oct. 30 trade.
NFL Workout Updates: 10/9/18
Here’s the latest from the workout circuit, courtesy of veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer:
Arizona Cardinals
- WR Rishard Matthews (story), K Daniel Carlson, K Kai Forbath, QB Malik Zaire
Baltimore Ravens
- LB Alvin Jones
Buffalo Bills
- WR Aaron Burbridge, WR Bennie Fowler, QB Landry Jones, P Drew Kaser, P Brad Nortman
Carolina Panthers
- LB Thurston Armbrister, LB Brandon Chubb, LB Josh Keyes
Cincinnati Bengals
- TE Blake Bell, TE Khari Lee, TE Clive Walford
Cleveland Browns
- OT Brant Weiss
Detroit Lions
- LB Garret Dooley, LB John Timu, LB Aaron Wallace, DT Jamie Meder, DT David Parry
Green Bay Packers
- RB Tra Carson (signed to practice squad), WR Keon Hatcher (signed to PS), WR Devin Lucien, WR Teo Redding
Houston Texans
Indianapolis Colts
- S Mike Mitchell (signed, story)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- RB Jamaal Charles (signed, story), RB Charcandrick West, LS Jon Condo, LS Matt Overton, LS Zach Triner, TE Pharoah McKever (signed to PS), WR Breshad Perriman, QB Josh Woodrum
Kansas City Chiefs
- LB Nate Orchard, LB Gimel President, LB Frank Zombo (signed, story)
New Orleans Saints
- WR Quan Bray, WR Rashad Greene, WR Jordan Leslie, WR Brandon Reilly, WR Lucky Whitehead, WR Shane Wynn, CB Chris Campbell, LB Kennan Gilchrist, LB Manase Hungalu, LB Greer Martini, DB Lardarius Webb
Oakland Raiders
- LB Josh Carraway, DE Anthony Lanier, CB Quinten Rollins
San Francisco 49ers
- RB Matthew Dayes (signed to PS), RB Andre Ellington, RB Jeremy McNichols, RB Shane Vereen, RB Charcandrick West (story), QB Jack Heneghan
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- OG Kofi Amichia, WR Jace Billingsley, Fred Brown, Corey Coleman, Damoun Patterson, Austin Proehl, QB Joe Callahan, OT De’Ondre Wesley
Tennessee Titans
- LB B.J. Bello, LB Nigel Harris (signed to PS), LB Tegray Scales
Cardinals Release LB Arthur Moats From IR
The Cardinals have released linebacker Arthur Moats from injured reserve, according to Mike Florio of PFT (on Twitter). Moats is now free to sign with any club of his choosing, provided that he is healthy.
The Cards signed the 30-year-old defender in July after a four-season run with the Steelers. Unfortunately, he suffered a sprained MCL in Arizona’s third preseason game and was subsequently placed on IR. Because he was placed on IR before the start of the season, he was not eligible to return in 2018 for Arizona.
Moats has started 45 games over the last eight years in the NFL. The 2010 sixth-rounder appeared in 14 games for the Steelers last season, finishing with eight tackles. Between 2014 and 2016, Moats compiled at least 3.5 sacks per season, so the veteran may still have something left in the tank.
With Moats officially out of the picture, the Cardinals are a bit thin at linebacker. The team is currently rostering only three outside linebackers in Haason Reddick, Deone Bucannon, and Dennis Gardeck, although they could give a look at backup middle linebackers Gerald Hodges and Joe Walker.
Cowboys To Sign Darian Thompson
The Cowboys are signing safety Darian Thompson off of the Cardinals’ practice squad, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. Thompson was a third-round pick of the Giants in 2016, but he has yet to find his footing in the NFL. 
Thompson’s would-be rookie season was mostly lost to a Lisfranc injury suffered in training camp. He started in all 16 of his games in 2017, but a hamstring injury held him back in the summer. The Giants’ new regime didn’t feel that he was worth keeping and cut him with an injury designation on Sept. 1.
The move was a head-scratcher for some, but Thompson graded out as just the 66th-ranked safety in the NFL last year, per Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics. Thompson could not find a 53-man deal when he first hit the open market, but the Cowboys have a role in mind for him after plucking him from Arizona’s p-squad.
Thompson is a Boise State product and he’ll find plenty of fellow alums in Dallas. Cowboys stars Leighton Vander Esch, Tyrone Crawford, and Demarcus Lawrence all wore orange and blue before donning navy, silver, and white.
Cardinals To Sign WR Kendall Wright
Kendall Wright spent the preseason with the Vikings but didn’t make the team. He’ll now join the team that’s playing the Vikings on Sunday.
The Cardinals announced they’ve signed the veteran wide receiver. It’s a one-year deal for Wright, per ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Arizona waived cornerback Deatrick Nichols to make room on the roster.
Having gone from leading the Bears in receiving last season, to being a Vikings preseason cut, to traversing the workout circuit, Wright will begin his seventh NFL season with the campaign more than a quarter complete. His latest such workout came with Arizona in mid-September. The 28-year-old wideout also auditioned for the Patriots, Redskins and Jaguars.
Since Wright is primarily a slot receiver, this is an interesting fit. The Cardinals typically use one of the greatest wideouts in NFL history in the slot, but Larry Fitzgerald has been battling a hamstring issue.
Fitzgerald’s been playing through it but hasn’t contributed his usual stellar work for the Cards just yet (17 receptions, 176 yards, no touchdowns). However, Arizona’s offense struggling as a whole is also contributing to Fitz’s stat lines. Josh Rosen completed just 10 passes on Sunday in the Cardinals’ first 2018 win.
Should he play in a regular-season game with the Cards, this will be Wright’s third team. The Titans used a first-round pick on the former Baylor pass-catcher in 2012 and employed him for five years, the last two with Wright being a marginal contributor. He signed with the Bears last season and caught 59 passes for 614 yards and a touchdown last season. Wright’s best work came back in 2013, when he hauled in 94 passes for 1,079 yards. He scored a career-high six touchdowns in 2014.
Haason Reddick, Deone Bucannon On The Trade Block?
The Cardinals drafted former Temple standout Haason Reddick 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. But Reddick’s development has not gone as planned, as he has played just 30 defensive snaps in the first four weeks of the 2018 season and has struggled to grasp new head coach Steve Wilks‘ defense.
Reddick lost his job as the team’s starting strong side linebacker to veteran journeyman Gerald Hodges, and Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports says that there does not appear to be any change in that regard moving forward. As such, La Canfora writes that other teams are considering a possible trade for Reddick, whose potential is still quite high. While it does not sound as though the Cardinals are actively shopping Reddick, La Canfora says they are generally “willing listeners,” so they may be fielding a lot of calls as we get closer to the October 30 trade deadline.
Another former first-round pick, Deone Bucannon, enjoyed plenty of success during his four-year run with the Cardinals from 2014-17. But like Reddick, Bucannon is not being utilized very much in Wilks’ scheme, which is not a great fit for his smaller body type and his hybrid safety/linebacker skills. Bucannon is eligible for free agency this offseason, and he would probably welcome a trade to a team that can make better use of his skill-set during this pivotal year in his career. Indeed, La Canfora says Bucannon will generate a lot of trade interest as well in the next few weeks.
The 0-4 Cardinals will not be competing for a playoff spot this year, and if they are committed to Wilks in the long-term, it may make sense for them to move Reddick and Bucannon in exchange for draft capital that they can use in their rebuild.