It wouldn't be the start of training camp if the Cardinals weren't adding veterans.
The initial camp of new coach Steve Wilks will be no different, with the team signing two veterans Thursday on the eve of report day: defensive ends Arthur Moats and Jacquies Smith. Both inked one-year contracts.
The team is also expected to sign veteran safety Tre Boston at some point before camp. Boston tweeted he was going to be "playing with" a handful of Cardinals.
To make room for Moats and Smith, the Cardinals waived/injured defensive end Praise Martin-Oguike. Because the Cards already had one open spot available, the combination leaves them with the maximum 90-man roster heading into practice.
Moats, a one-time sixth-round pick of Buffalo, spent four seasons with the Bills and the last four with the Steelers. He played both outside and inside linebacker for Pittsburgh in their 3-4 alignment. In Arizona, he will provide depth on the line that is short of veteran help, especially with Markus Golden still coming back from a torn ACL. Moats played mostly special teams for Pittsburgh last season, only the second season in his career he did not start a game. He has 16½ career sacks.
Smith has spent time with the Dolphins, Jets, Bills and Buccaneers as well as the Lions, compiling 13 ½ career sacks since 2012. He totaled all those sacks in two Tampa Bay seasons – 2014 and 2015 – and has appeared in just four regular-season games the last two years.
