DRE, BW and KC: Cards 3 New CBs

Best season over the last three years:

• Dre Kirkpatrick: 6-2, 196, 4.51, Alabama, R1/2012

2017 CIN: 63.5 (overall); 47.7 (tackling); 61.8 (coverage):

14 games: 82-targets/46-comps/564-yds/12.2-ave/5-td/1-int/8-pens

• B.W. Webb: 5-11, 188, 4.51, William & Mary, R4/2013

2018 NYG: 61.3 (overall); 75.5 (tackling); 60.3 (coverage)

16 games: 66-targets/39-comps/530-yds/13.6-ave/1-td/1-int/10-pens

• Ken Crawley: 6-1, 180, 4.43, Colorado, CFA/2016

2017 NO: 73.4 (overall); 69.3 (tackling); 74.1 (coverage):

15 games: 105-targets/55-comps/524-yds/12.2-ave/4-td/1-int/14-pens

Overall Grades in 2019:

• Kirkpatrick (6 games-CIN): 61.7
• Webb (16 games-CIN): 55.7
• Crawley (4 games-MIA): 55.7

Best Cover Man: Kirkpatrick

Best Tackler: Webb

Best Length: Kirkpatrick

Best Speed: Crawley

Most Experienced: Kirkpatrick

Least Experienced: Crawley

Games Played Last 3 Years: Webb (46); Kirkpatrick (33); Crawley (30)

How the CB Room Stacks Up (in my opinion):

• CB1: Patrick Peterson—-starter at LCB, poised to have big season
• CB2: Dre Kirkpatrick—-starter at RCB, like Peterson, wants a big bounce back year
• CB3: Byron Murphy—-nickel CB who aims to thrive in that role
• CB4: Chris Jones—-better in coverage than Webb and comparable tackler, could challenge Kirkpatrick for starting job at RCB
• CB5: Jace Whitaker—-wins the backup nickel job and contributes well on STs.

PS Candidates: Kevin Peterson, B.W. Webb, Ken Crawley, Zane Lewis

Biggest Concern: Tackling

With Dre Kirkpatrick opposite Patrick Peterson and outside of Byron Murphy in the slot, the Cardinals’ man pass coverage should be improved this year. However, while Murphy is a good tackler, Peterson and Kirkpatrick will be tested because of poor tackling reputations.

It’s a very good thing that the Cardinals have improved their tackling ability at linebacker and that their safeties are very good tacklers. The Cardinals have a history of being weak tacklers on the perimeter—-so expect opposing OCs to continue to run a variety of sweeps, reverses, bubble screens, swing passes and delayed RB slip screens to the outside.