Arizona Cardinals' deep CB room means trades, tough cuts coming in summer
Arizona Cardinals' deep CB room means trades, tough cuts coming in summer The Cardinals have at least one cornerback they might trade before the start of the regular season
The Arizona Cardinals, after drafting another two cornerbacks over the weekend. have a very full cornerback room.
We already detailed how the defensive line room will probably need a trade. The same is true about the cornerback room.
They won't be able to keep all of them.
Arizona Cardinals cornerbacks on the roster
These are the cornerbacks on the roster currently
Sean Murphy-Bunting
Star Thomas
Garrett Williams
Max Melton
Kei'Trel Clark
Darren Hall
Elijah Jones
Jaylon Jones
Ekow Boye-Doe
Jaden Davis
Will Johnson
Denzel Burke
Murphy-Bunting, Williams, Melton, Thomas and Clark were the five who played last season. Hall played in only four games and logged seven defensive snaps.
Elijah Jones was a third-round pick last year who was on injured reserve all season. Davis spent the year on the practice squad. Boye-Doe and Jaylon Jones were added this offseason with no guaranteed salaries.
Then they drafted Johnson in the second round and Burke in the fifth over the weekend.
The most the Cardinals can probably keep on the 53-man roster is six. Murphy-Bunting's entire nearly $7.7 million salary is guaranteed, so he likely remains on the roster. Williams is the Cardinals' best cornerback. Thomas started 15 games last season. Melton was a second-round pick.
Four spots seem set, it would appear. Now you add in to the mix Elijah Jones, Johnson and Burke.
Something is going to give.
Potential trades or cuts
Kei'Trel Clark has an uphill battle to making the team this year. He also doesn't really have any trade value. He logged only 97 defensive snaps and 109 special teams snaps in 15 games.
Thomas is a potential trade candidate, as he has proven he can play and start.
Murphy-Bunting, a solid NFL starter, is also a potential trade candidate, but teams might not want his nearly $7.7 million in guaranteed salary.
Elijah Jones, a promising 2024 third-round pick, might already be on the bubble despite never playing a down.
If everyone remains healthy throughout the offseason, the Cardinals will have very difficult decisions about the roster coming in July and August.
Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
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