The Arizona Cardinals, whether it has been planned or not, have been adding players to their roster with local ties over the last two seasons. Among those players are Christian Kirk, D.J. Foster, Brooks Reed, Terrell Suggs and Brett Hundley. If the team is interested, they could bring in another potential impact player who has local ties.
The Cincinnati Bengals reportedly have released linebacker Vontaze Burfict after seven seasons. Burfict was a standout linebacker at Arizona State before his career with the Bengals.
The Cardinals already have Jordan Hicks and Haason Reddick projected as their starting inside linebackers but Burfict would bring physicality and intensity to the defense.
He is also known as perhaps the dirtiest player in the NFL.
Durability and reliability have been an issue for him. He has not played 16 games in a season since 2013, his lone Pro Bowl season. He has been suspended twice for on-field infractions and once for violations against the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. He has been fined eight different times for illegal plays on the field.
His talent, though, is undeniable and the Cardinals would not need him to necessarily be a full-time player.
Perhaps he is too much of a head case for the locker room but if the team is looking to have another homecoming, they have the opportunity to do so at a position that has not been a strength.
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