Cardinals Top Player $20 Million Agreed To Leave Due To…
A former Arizona Cardinals offensive lineman is on the move once again, joining an AFC powerhouse next season
While the contract specifications have not been released at the time of reporting, Jones will be at least signed for the 2024 season.
He became a Cardinal after they selected him as a third-round (72nd overall) pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. Jones played 47 games (21 starts) through three seasons (2020-22) in the Valley.
But with Arizona’s 2023 sixth-overall pick Paris Johnson Jr. excelling and D.J. Humphries returning from an ACL injury, Jones’ days with the Cardinals were dwindling.
Then on August 24, 2023, Jones and a 2024 seventh-round pick were both traded to the Houston Texans in exchange for a 2024 fifth-round pick.
Being born in Houston and going to the Univesity of Houston for college, the 26-year-old was able to play for his hometown team in the NFL. There, he suited up for 13 games and started three times with the Texans.
After becoming a free agent this offseason, Jones has now opted to sign with a Ravens team who are just coming off of a 13-4 2023 season. Led by quarterback Lamar Jackson, Baltimore will look to linemen like Jones to protect their most coveted star.
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Arizona Cardinals Release Safety Qwuantrezz Knight
Knight first joined the Cardinals in September and participated in 6 games last season, mainly contributing on special teams.
Prior to his stint with the Cardinals, Knight was part of the San Francisco 49ers, albeit as a member of their practice squad.
He initially signed with the 49ers as an undrafted free agent from UCLA, where he earned Second Team All-Pac-12 Conference honors
After finishing the 2023 season with a 4-13 record, the Arizona Cardinals currently are slated to pick fourth in the 2024 NFL Draft. With the three teams ahead of them all needing quarterbacks and this year’s draft class being filled with talented signal-callers, holding the fourth overall pick is a valuable asset to have.
Other teams such as the Broncos, Giants, and Vikings also need a quarterback and the writing has been on the wall for the Vikings to potentially move up. If they do, they’ll be looking to do business with the Cardinals.
GM Monti Ossenfort is more than open for business when it comes to trading the fourth overall pick. According to Ian Rapoport, Ossenfort said “There will be a big neon sign that says ‘open.’.”
There are pros and cons to trading out of the fourth pick. The pros are obviously that the Cardinals would collect some additional draft picks to help build their team. The main con is that the Cardinals need help offensively and they have a chance to add the best wide receiver in the draft in Marvin Harrison Jr. if they stand pat at fourth overall.
If the Cardinals GM is truly open to moving back in the draft and a team comes calling, be prepared for Arizona to pick up some additional draft picks. While it’d be unfortunate not getting to add Harrison, it’s not like this wide receiver draft class isn’t loaded with talent. They might not get Harrison if they move out of the fourth pick but Brian Thomas Jr. could be an option for them later on in the first round.
The Vikings need a quarterback after Kirk Cousins departed for Atlanta but they don’t have a high draft pick, meaning they could miss out on J.J. McCarthy or Bo Nix. If they move up to fourth overall, they have a shot to land either of those guys.
The Cardinals need to make the decision that works best for them in the long run. If that’s trading the pick and adding more selections, go for it. If it’s standing pat, then that’s okay
n a press conference today, Arizona Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort addressed the possibility of the team trading their fourth overall pick in this year’s upcoming draft.
After the Chicago Bears traded Justin Fields to the Pittsburgh Steelers, all three teams that occupy the top three picks of the draft are in need of a quarterback. In fact, all three franchises have traded away the quarterback that started for them in the 2023 season. The Commanders shipped Sam Howell off to Seattle and the Patriots traded Mac Jones to Jacksonville.
In the modern draft era, there have only been three occasions where the first three picks of the draft were spent on a quarterback, 1971, 1999 and most recently in 2021. Many experts believe that the 2024 draft could have this historical impact and join the short list.
It seems as though the Cardinals have the best wide receiver in the draft, in Marvin Harrison Jr. in the palm of their hands with the fourth overall pick. However, this does not mean that Monti Ossenfort has ruled out any possible trades for the selection.
In this press conference, Ossenfort said, “We’re always going to have the conversation and if it makes sense, and if it’s attractive to building our team, it’s something that we will certainly consider no matter where we are in the draft.”
The last time the Cardinals occupied a top-five selection, it was spent on their franchise-quarterback Kyler Murray in 2019.
With the recent trades that have occurred around the league, Ossenfort said that “There’s been a little bit more action. I’d say those phone calls are starting to pick up a bit.”
Many believe that with Kirk Cousins going to Atlanta, the Minnesota Vikings are shopping around for a pick to spend on a quarterback. With two first round picks, the Vikings certainly have enough capital in their pocket to make a potential move.
After it was announced that Marvin Harrison Jr. was not participating in the Ohio State pro day, one can only wonder what a lack of combine and pro day performance can do to a prospect’s draft stock.
If the Cardinals are content with missing out on Harrison Jr., the fourth overall pick could hold a pretty hefty price tag for potential bidders, and three first round picks could be a possibility if Arizona is looking for alternatives.