The Arizona Cardinals have begun their offseason. They are expected to have a big offseason with a good amount of salary cap space and a top-10 draft pick.
With a year of Kliff Kingsbury as coach and some idea of what he likes, there are some offseason moves that just make sense. They are easy to predict.
What are some of the very predictable moves the Cardinals could make this offseason?
Extend D.J. Humphries
Humphries became a leader on the offensive line. He played well this season and played every game for the first time in his career. He is scheduled to be a free agent. He wants to play here his entire career and the Cardinals were pleased with his play, and it would look good for general manager Steve Keim to have one of his first-round picks sign a second contract.
The Cardinals would need to pay a left tackle. With so much talk of continuity on the line, it would only make sense to pay Humphries, a player they know, than to pay someone else.
Extend A.Q. Shipley
Going with the trend of continuity, Shipley wants to keep playing. Contract talks have already begun, according to The Athletic’s Scott Bordow.
This move makes sense and is very predictable.
Re-sign Kenyan Drake
Kliff Kingsbury made it very clear how much he likes Drake. Drake was great for the Cardinals. General manager Steve Keim said the team wants him back. Even though they still owe David Johnson a lot of money, inking Drake to a new deal would be completely predictable. It won’t be cheap. We project it will cost four years and $25 million.
Trade David Johnson to Tampa Bay Buccaneers
If the Cardinals want to bring back Kenyan Drake, they have to find a way to unload Johnson’s contract. A trade is really the only way to go and the Bucs are a perfect match. Tampa doesn’t have any good options at running back. Bruce Arians, their coach, loves Johnson and Johnson was very productive under Arians.
If the Cardinals can manage to get at least a fifth-round pick for Johnson, that would be a win at this point.
Sign Case Keenum as backup QB
The team was pleased with Brett Hundley as a backup in 2019 but he is a free agent. Keenum will be a free agent after one year with the Washington Redskins and he and Kingsbury are close. Keenum was a star quarterback in college when Kingsbury was his position coach and offensive coordinator. Keenum is great as a teammate and has been teammates with other young QBs like Jared Goff and Dwayne Haskins.
Draft CeeDee Lamb
It is way too far away to make real draft predictions but the Cardinals needs a playmaking receiver. Lamb is that. He was teammates with Kyler Murray at Oklahoma and knows the offense. He would be a great fit and adding him would surprise no one.
