The Cardinals are hoping for a major turnaround in 2020 behind quarterback Kyler Murray, but the roster still needs to be upgraded. General Manager Steve Keim has some cap space this offseason and will aim to plug holes on both sides of the ball. We will break down each position group leading up to free agency, which begins with the legal tampering period on Monday, March 16.
Free agent primer: Wide receiver
Cap hit of players under contract for 2020 (via OverTheCap.com): Larry Fitzgerald ($11.75 million); Christian Kirk ($1.61 million); Andy Isabella ($1.05 million); Hakeem Butler ($711,894); Trent Sherfield ($663,334); KeeSean Johnson ($637,328); Johnnie Dixon ($510,000); A.J. Richardson ($510,000).
Scheduled free agents: Pharoh Cooper; Damiere Byrd.
Need: Medium
Analysis: The Cardinals have two clear-cut starters in Larry Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk, as well as three second-year players – Andy Isabella, Hakeem Butler and KeeSean Johnson – aiming to make big strides in 2020. However, they still don't have a true No. 1 outside receiver, and that could be a focus this offseason.
There are some big names in the prospective free agent pool, such as Amari Cooper and A.J. Green, although obstacles like franchise tags or exorbitant salaries could complicate matters. Robby Anderson, Emmanuel Sanders and Breshad Perriman are among other prominent potential options. The draft is also deep with wide receivers, which is another avenue Keim could choose to explore if the void is not addressed on the open market.
Pharoh Cooper and Damiere Byrd are heading into free agency after having some nice moments with the Cardinals in 2019. It doesn't seem like either would be cost-prohibitive to bring back if coach Kliff Kingsbury wants to incorporate one or both into his future plans.
Trent Sherfield was relegated to more of a special teams role as the year went on and will attempt to break back into the rotation, while A.J. Richardson and Johnnie Dixon hope to impress this offseason to make the team.
There is plenty of chatter about the Cardinals taking CeeDee Lamb or Jerry Jeudy at No. 8 overall in the draft, but a big signing in free agency would quiet that speculation. On the flipside, if the Cardinals don't add a veteran outside receiver, drafting one would become more likely.
Notable past free agent wide receiver signings: Brice Butler (2018); Ted Ginn (2014); Sean Morey (2007).
