In the first two days of the free agency negotiation period the Cardinals have accomplished the following:
- They have signed starters at LOLB (Terrell Suggs), SILB (Jordan Hicks) and RG (J.R. Sweezy).
- They have signed a dual-threat backup QB (Brett Hundley)
- In Terrell Suggs they added a formidable edge rusher to go opposite Chandler Jones. Suggs will likely garner most of his snaps on passing downs, while Brooks Reed can handle the running downs and be a rotational rusher.
- In Jordan Hicks, they acquired one of the two prize ILBs in this FA class, and only paid a little more than half ($9M a year) of the $17M per year salary C.J. Mosely hauled in from the Jets. The Sporting News has Hicks as their top FA ILB.
- In J.R. Sweezy, they added a run blocking guard who is adept at drive blocking and pulling, while beating out and weakening a divisional rival at the same time. Sweezy needs to improve his pass blocking, but what stands out about him is his ability to sink and roll his hips in the running game. He is likely to have some competition as the Cardinals are going to draft a guard with one of their Day 2 pr early Day 3 picks.
- In Brett Hundley they acquired a mobile QB who may be a good fit in the K Raid under the tutelage of Kliff Kingsbury and Tom Clements, Hundley’s first QB coach in Green Bay.
Money Watch:
Suggs ($7M—-1 year), Hicks ($9M—-4 years), Sweezy (TBA—-2 years), Hundley ($2M—-1 year).
Today’s FA Focus for the Cardinals:
DTs—-and I am going to predict that the group is going to be called the “Killer P’s”—-Corey Peters, Olsen Pierre, Domata Peko (Broncos) and Darius Philon (Chargers). Peko (6-3, 325) is a load in the middle at NT in a 0 or 1 technique, while Philon is an undersized (6-1, 298) but quick penetrator and pass rusher (64 tackles and 8.5 sacks the last two seasons, plus 14.5 QB pressures last year).
Buc is a Buc
Deone Bucannon is now reunited with BA and Todd Bowles—-and the Bucs also just re-signed Kevin Minter. It’s deja vu all over again for Buc, Mint, Bru Bru and Bow Bow. Could Markus Golden and Rodney Gunter be next?
A Giant Purge
Dave Gettleman the Giants’ controversial GM is taking the heat in the aftermath of trading OBJ to the Browns for a 1st, a 3rd and S Jabril Peppers.
Curiously, one of the voices who helped to spur on this trade is that of New York radio icon Mike Francesa of Mike and the Mad Dog. For a couple of years now, Francesa has been claiming that the Giants won’t be able to right their ship until they part with “the diva.” When Francesa learned of last night’s trade he tweeted to Giants’ fans and the organization, “Welcome back!”
Hash Tag Browns
As was once said about Reggie Jackson, “there’s not enough mustard in the world to cover that hot dog.” Wow—-the Browns are now a metropolitan opera house loaded with divas left and right. And you know what? Freddie Kitchens may have just the kind of eccentricity to get his divas singing in “perfect harmony.” Plus—-look at the talent Steve Wilks is now working with on defense—-it would seem almost impossible to screw this assignment up.
Meanwhile...the Jets...
Yeah they may have gotten spurned by Antonio Barr, but hey, they have added RB Le’Veon Bell and LB C.J. Mosely, Maybe one day the Patriots may actually have to work for an AFC East title.