Whats the Cardinals CB Plan?

Have you ever run to the store deciding against writing down the things you need and trying to remember them only to get home and kick yourself because forgot a critical ingredient?

That fun little game currently sums up Steve Keim's offseason shopping for the Cardinals.

Widely celebrated for reuniting the 2013 Pro Bowl by adding JJ Watt, AJ Green and Matt Prater while also trading for Rodney Hudson, Keim and the Cardinals have filled several big needs.

And while I've been screaming BUILD THE LINES! and happy to see the Cardinals finally listen, I didn't mean BUILD THE LINES AND BURN THE CORNERS!

The Cardinals defense was statistically solid last season ranking as a top 10 defensive unit overall according to DVOA and tenth overall in total passing yards allowed per game. So, of course to improve upon that they let both of their starting corners walk and have yet to add a single cornerback.

While many Cardinals fans celebrated Patrick Peterson's departure, fatigued by his all talk style of leadership in recent seasons, I happen to think the Cardinals secondary will miss Peterson. Not because he's consistently one of the best in football at corner because he's occasionally above average. And yet Ian Rapoport told me last week on The Drive that he doesn't believe the Cardinals ever even made an offer to Peterson.

The thumbnail picture for this article is of Robert Alford in a Cardinals uniform, a site so rare that I was tempted to turn it into NFT art and sell it to the highest bidder.

Alford has never suited up for the Cardinals, suffering season ending injuries in each of the last two years and now he is currently penciled in as the #1 CB on the roster. Sure, the Cardinals are going to add some corners from the bargain bin of free agency or the draft but the specter remains of Alford starting the season king of the Cardinals cornerback mountain.

Why would the Cardinals so willingly build a win now roster with such an obvious flaw?

My only guess is the Cardinals feel like their best addition to the secondary was JJ Watt. Maybe the Cardinals think that Patrick Peterson and Dre Kirkpatrick played at such replaceable levels last season that veteran minimum guys on prove it one year deals can give them enough coverage downfield to not lose ground defensively.

Which would be a mistake.

I don't work in an NFL front office but i think building a roster with a glaringly obvious Achilles heel in a must win season seems less than ideal.

There are a handful of veteran corners still available that could help: Malcolm Butler, Baushan Breeland, Quinton Dunbar, Kevin King and Casey Hayward could all sign and immediately be starters. Hell, two of them could sign and likely be penciled in as starters.

And while this year's NFL Draft is widely considered to be deep at outside corner, its never a good idea to head into a competitive draft telegraphing your draft strategy to the entire world.

The Cardinals have made some bold, strong moves this offseason but if Steve Keim wants to save himself from himself, he'll remember to write down his shopping list the next time he heads into free agency shopping.


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