2015 Free Agency: Cardinals Free Agent Profiles

The Cardinals face free agency in eight days, March 10th, but can open conversations in five, on March 7th. Steve Keim and Bruce Arians worked their magic, turning what was six million over the cap, into 17 million under, enough to be active. Perhaps the team will use some of that to address the 14 players they have that will be looking to test the market. Listed below, are the 14 players that will test the market in a week.

John Abraham
Age: 36
Career: 15 years
2014 Status: IR

Abraham managed only one game in 2014, before mulling retirement, and his eventual placement on Injure Reserve, due to lingering concussion issues. He was only a season removed from his 11.5 sack campaign in his first year with Arizona. Abraham has yet to make a decision about a return to football, but he has been working out, and his decision will likely rest on how much interest he draws in the next week.

2015 Status: Retired

Mike Leach
Age: 38
Career: 15 years
2014 Status: 16 Games

Leach has been with Arizona since 2009. During that span he has been amongst the best long snappers in the league. For a guy who started his career out of William and Mary college, he has come a long way. His first year with the Tennessee Titans he was told he would not make it as a tight end, so he made the move to long snapper, and has worked out a 15 year career. However, at this stage in his career he comes more expensive than a younger player. The Cardinals currently have Glenn Carson, who spent some time as a long snapper early in training camp last season.

2015 Status: New Team/Retired

Darnell Dockett
Age: 33
Career: 11 years
2014 Status: IR

Dockett went from third round pick in 2004, to becoming the life and blood of the defense for many years. Prior to injuring his new in preseason workouts last season, Dockett had only missed one game with injury. (Missed another after being benched by Coach Whisenhunt in 2012) Dockett was recently cut by the Cardinals, since neither party could come to terms on how to address his 9.8 million dollar cap hit. Dockett currently has visits lined up with several teams, and plans to see who offers him more, and come to a decision by Saturday.

2015 Status: New Team

Tommy Kelly
Age: 34
Career: 11 years
2014 Status: 16 Games

Kelly was another one of those late signings by Steve Keim that flourished. Kelly was signed to the Cardinals roster, shortly after he was dumped after one season with the Patriots. Kelly went on to produce a solid 34 tackle, one sack, two passes defended, and one blocked kick. He is one guy the Cardinals would likely want to return, particularly with Darnell Docketts recent departure.

2015 Status: Re-signs for one year

Antonio Cromartie
Age: 31
Career: 8 years
2014 Status: 16 Games

Cromartie enjoyed a resurgence a year after dealing with multiple injuries. He was at multiple points the season, the teams best cornerback. He finished the season with three picks, a fumble recovery, and a score. He was also a later addition for the Cardinals, signing with the team after no one wanted to meet his initial contract requests. He was another one of those one year deals that Keim got to produce, and he appears to be on his way out, likely following Todd Bowles to New York.

2015 Status: New Team (New York)

Ted Ginn Jr
Age: 29
Career: 7 years
2014 Status: 16 Games

Ginn was signed to fix the special teams woes of 2013. His season opener against the Chargers was unspectacular. His second game against the Giants gave hope, but that hope was only a mirage. Ginn was cut this past week, and one can only believe it is because he was atrocious at returning kicks, and was being paid too much to be a fifth receiver.

2015 Status: New Team (Carolina Panthers)

Dan Williams
Age: 27
Career: 4 years
2014 Status: 16 Games

Williams played in his first full season in 2014. He was the anchor of the run defense, that eventually gassed out with three games to go. He only played 40% of the defenses snaps this year, simply because he only saw base snaps. His price tag is likely too high for the Cardinals to pay a guy who sees the field about 40% of the time, so expect him to go.

2015 Status: New Team

Paul Fanaika
Age: 28
Career: 3 years
2014 Status: 14 Games

Fanaika played right guard the past two seasons, and did an admirable job. Obviously there are better choices in the NFL, but for a player who not many looked at, he played well. I could see him returning on another one year deal, primarily if the team is not comfortable with Jonathan Coopers health. With players like Orlando Franklin(T/G) and Stefen Wisniewski(C who makes Ted Larsen play right guard) on the market, there's also the more realistic possibility his time in the desert has come to an end.

2015 Status: New Team

Marcus Benard
Age: 29
Career: 6 years
2014 Status: 12 Games

Benard is a guy who has found his way to stick with the Cardinals. After being cut by the Patriots in 2013, he had to wait until October to get to play in a game. He displayed promise for the Browns in 2010, but following a 2011 motorcycle accident, he did not get to play a regular season game until 2013. In 2013, he finished his limited reps with 2.5 sacks, and 17 tackles, which earned him a one year deal. He was cut coming out of camp, but re-signed when Calais Campbell was injured by Julius Thomas against Denver. In his two years with the Cardinals he recorded 3.5 sacks, and 26 tackles in very limited snaps. He's a guy the Cardinals could bring back as a camp body with a real possibility of cracking the 53 again next season.

2015 Status: Re-signs for one year

Jonathan Dwyer
Age: 25
Career: 5 years
2014 Status: 2 Games, Suspended

Dwyer was signed to be the number two back behind Andre Ellington. In his two games he ran the ball 16 times for 51 yards and a score. However, following a week two victory over the Giants, Dwyer was removed from the team facility by Phoenix Police for his potential role in a domestic violence call the prior week. The Cardinals quickly suspended him from all team activities and on January 19th, he was convicted of Misdemeanor disorderly conduct and placed on Probation.

2015 Status: Out of the league

Rob Housler
Age: 27
Career: 4 years
2014 Status: 15 games

Housler has been one of my favorite inconsistent players. He never complained or blamed others for his problems, and carried himself well despite the hate the fan base had for his play. A guy who fit the mold of a premiere tight end, could never get it done. In four seasons, Housler only caught one touchdown, dropping plenty others, or simply being under/overthrown. He will be looking for a change of scenery next week, and his time in the desert comes to an end.

2015 Status: New Team

Sam Acho
Age: 26
Career: 4 years
2014 Status: 16 games

Acho has a knack for making a play. In 2011 he set the field on fire, recording seven sacks, forcing four fumbles, and just being involved in every big play. He could never recreate that magic however. He suffered a season ending injury in 2013 and wound up losing his job to Matt Shaughnessy in 2014, before Shaughnessy got injured himself. The Cardinals only have three outside linebackers under contract (Lorenzo Alexander, Alex Okafor, Matt Shaughnessy), so it would make sense that Acho should be retained.

2015 Status: Re-signs for three years

Ryan Lindley
Age: 25
Career: 3 years
2014 Status: 3 games

Well.. There's really not much to say. Lindley was a sixth round pick in 2012, and wound up playing six games then. During that six game span he threw seven interceptions with no touchdowns. Fast forward two years... And he was hardly any better. Following injuries to Drew Stanton and Carson Palmer, Lindley was re-signed, and threw two touchdowns to four interceptions. So... Goodbye Lindley

2015 Status: Camp Body/No team

Alameda Ta'amu
Age: 24
Career: 3 years
2014 Status: 7 games

Fresh off an impressive season ended by an unfortunate knee injury, Ta'amu was not expected to contribute early. What came as a shock was that he did not contribute at all. Ta'amu only played in seven games, but did not record a stat. As a restricted free agent this year, and Dan Williams likely on his way out, Ta'amu makes sense to be retained, mainly because he is now a full year removed from the injury, so he's healthier than he was all last year.

2015 Status: Re-signs for one year