The Arizona Cardinals are wasting no time this offseason. Just a day after the Atlanta Falcons released veteran cornerback Robert Alford in a cost-cutting move, the Cardinals announced he signed with the team on a three-year deal.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, it isn’t exactly a bargain.
He reports the three-year deal is worth between $22.5 million and $24 million and has $13.5 million guaranteed.
He was due to make $8.5 million in 2019 before Atlanta released him.
The multi-year deal is something new for the position. The Cardinals have not signed a free agent cornerback to more than a one-year deal since they inked Jerraud Powers to a three-year contract in 2013.
Alford is coming off a tough season in which he did not look good. He was hampered by a high ankle sprain but only missed one game.
The 30-year-old has missed only two games in the last four seasons and has started 72 games in the last five seasons.
He brings experience and stability to the secondary, which now looks pretty settled.
Entering his seventh season in the league, he has 10 career interceptions and 85 broken up passes. He has returned three interceptions for touchdowns and even had a pick he returned for a touchdown in the Falcons’ Super Bowl loss to the New England Patriots.
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