Yes, the recent offseason talk for the Arizona Cardinals has centered around the possible acquisition of quarterback Kevin Kolb. However, one name has come up in free agency for the Cardinals -- cornerback Ike Taylor. He woudl only become a possible target if a current corner like Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie or Greg Toler are packaged in a deal for Kolb.
However, there may be reason to look the other way when it comes to Taylor. A recent post on Grantland.com profiles the free agents that should be avoided.
The category that contains Taylor is the "Veterans Steelers Defender" group. According to the article, in the last ten years, defender after defender leaving Pittsburgh has failed to make an impact. Of 14 such examples, eight of these players lasted one season or less with their new teams.
Joey Porter and Chris Hope were the only ones to make a Pro Bowl after leaving the Steelers. And Porter's dropoff since that one year has been nothing short of drastic.
I also have noted the fact that corners from strong defensive teams that leave those teams tend to struggle. Two examples of such players the Cardinals signed are Duane Starks, who played on the early 2000 Baltimore Ravens, and Bryant McFadden (yes, we know all about McFadden).
Taylor fits the bill in both terms. It is hard to tell how much he helped Pittsburgh's defense or how much the defense helped him as a player.
Personally, despite the likely price tag difference, if I were in the market for a veteran corner who could make an impact, I would target Jonathan Joseph, who is big enough and physical enough to play the way it seems that Ray Horton will want. He is also talented enough in coverage to make plays down the field.
Is Ike Taylor the guy we want roaming the secondary if DRC is dealt? I'm not so sure. But if he were to end up as a nickel guy and someone to teach Patrick Peterson the ways of the NFL in coverage, maybe, but not at big money.