While the Arizona Cardinals are not in the playoffs, their fans can certainly watch the two Sunday playoff games with the Cardinals on their minds. Free agency approaches in a couple of months and the Cardinals are expected to be active players in adding talent.
There are some potential free agent targets for the Cardinals in the early postseason matchup on Sunday between the Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs.
Who are the pending free agents to watch?
Chiefs DT Chris Jones
Jones is going to be one of the big-ticket free agents. The Cardinals need to upgrade the defensive line and Jones would be a huge upgrade. He had nine sacks this season and 15.5 in 2018 from the defensive interior.
The Cardinals could have drafted him in 2016 but took Robert Nkemdiche instead.
Texans CB Bradley Roby
The Cardinals appear to be good at cornerback, at least on paper. However, there are questions because Patrick Peterson enters the final year of his contract and could be traded. Robert Alford is coming off a missed year because of a broken leg.
Roby played for Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph when he was with the Denver Broncos. He will be 28 years old, knows the defense and has been a starter.
Texans DL D.J. Reader
Reader could be another big name in free agency. He would be a big upgrade on the defensive line for the Cardinals. He had 52 tackles and 2.5 sacks playing in the middle of the Texans’ defensive line.
Texans T Chris Clark
The 34-year-old Clark mans right tackle for the Texans. The Cardinals have the most uncertainty at right tackle and might want to fill it with a veteran in the short term, much like they tried to do with Marcus Gilbert this past season, although that didn’t work out. He was a late-season addition, playing only eight games after starting the season on injured reserve. He has started 73 games in his career and has played both tackle positions.
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.
Ep. 255
Ep. 254
