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When NFL Free Agency gets going, things move rapidly and that includes the ever-changing free agent priority lists.
In something that could be deemed common sense, but was a bit of a report yesterday, the Arizona Cardinals were going to target Andrew Norwell and Kirk Cousins in free agency:
The #AZCardinals will target QB Kirk Cousins and OG Andrew Norwell, considering the offers to both will tie up a lot of money for the first 48-72 hours, but also would retain their own free agents.
— Mike Jurecki (@mikejurecki) March 12, 2018
Well, after the first day of the tampering period, it seems as though they are not in on Norwell anymore.
Hearing All-Pro guard Andrew Norwell is down to three finalists: #49ers, #Colts and #NYGiants, per league source. More on #NYG free agent targets: https://t.co/l1tVU3M2KE
— Art Stapleton (@art_stapleton) March 13, 2018
This was always the case with Norwell, as Kent Somers succinctly pointed out:
Cardinals have interest in G Andrew Norwell but not at an exorbitant number. And someone is likely to give him something exorbitant.
— Kent Somers (@kentsomers) March 12, 2018
Interest, targeting, these are words that mean, they have a price they’ll pay, they’re not going over it.
That seemed to be the case with the Tyrod Taylor trade, it was the case with the trade up in the 2017 NFL Draft that they balked at and it is going to be the case, likely, in both the Norwell and Cousins deals.
They have a price they’re willing to negotiate at. After that, it’s onto the next guy.
It may be the right thing to do at this point, while they ready themselves for a better and more fruitful 2019, especially in free agency.