The Cardinals finally made an addition to their thin cornerbacks corps, trading with the Raiders for former second-round pick Trayvon Mullen.
The trade is contingent on Mullen passing a physical.
The price was reportedly a seventh-round pick that could move to a sixth based on Mullen playing 10 games. Mullen was expected to be released by Las Vegas, but with the Cardinals low on the waiver-wire list, this was a way to assure to get Mullen on the roster.
Mullen played in only five games last season after suffering foot and toe injuries. He started 31 of 37 games for the Raiders with four interceptions. He was drafted 40th overall in 2019, after the Cardinals took starting cornerback Byron Murphy at No. 33 overall.
The Cardinals now have five of the top 40 draft picks in the 2019 draft: first-rounders Kyler Murray and Hollywood Brown and second-rounders Murphy, Mullen and Cody Ford. Mullen was also a college teammate of Cardinals linebacker Isaiah Simmons.
The 6-foot-2, 200-pounder not only has a chance to play immediately for the Cardinals but also has familiarity in playing against the Chiefs, the Cardinals' Week 1 opponent. Mullen picked off Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes back in 2020.
His arrival adds an extra move needed to clear a spot on the 53-man roster during today's final cuts.
The Cardinals now have Murphy, Mullen, Marco Wilson and Antonio Hamilton as their top four cornerbacks, although Hamilton is dealing with an undisclosed injury and remains in question for Week 1.
"It's disappointing for him, just the journey he's been on, how he's worked, and the level he was playing at," coach Kliff Kingsbury said to reporters after Tuesday's practice. "You hate to see that. You hope he can stay involved and come back and not miss a beat. It's disappointing for him because he had earned a starting role in that position. Hopefully, he's back soon."