We have come to the final athlete in the wide receiver portion of our free agency series. Jerome Simpson, a former member of the Cincinnati Bengals, is now an unrestricted free agent and could be looking for a new team to call his own.
But before we dive into the logistics on Simpson, let's recap yesterday's poll on Brandon Lloyd. 76% of the voters would like to see him in Cardinal Red, but it will greatly depend on the cost. As of now, the Patriots are pursuing him hard, but according to reports, they would like him to lower his asking price. Still, if the Cardinals have a shot at getting him now that their funds are open since dropping out of the Peyton Manning sweepstakes, they should go for him.
As for Simpson...
Simpson is an exceptional athlete and became a nice secondary receiving option behind A.J. Green for rookie Andy Dalton. With his speed and ability to separate, he could fit in nicely across from Larry Fitzgerald and take some pressure off of him.
Oh, and in case you doubted his athleticism, I guess I should remind you of this extraordinary play (that just so happened to come against the Cards. Sorry Daryl Washington.).
There would be a few things the Cardinals would need to be wary of before signing Simpson. You may or may not have heard about his past legal issues. The Cards have consistently looked for high class players in the draft, so bringing in any potential disruptions would not be one of their priorities.
Although I don't foresee Simpson being too costly, it's unknown what type of contract he is looking for. Besides, if he costs more than it would take to bring Early Doucet back, is he really that much of an upgrade?
To me, Simpson is an option in case Doucet decides to sign elsewhere. After all, Simpson is almost just as inconsistent, having nine dropped passes last season according to Pro Football Focus. I'm not that high on the idea of Simpson coming to Arizona, but then again, my opinion does not really matter.
What are your thoughts on Simpson? Should the Cardinals seek out the athletic receiver free agent? Tell us what you think in the comments and vote in the poll.
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