Arizona Cardinals given a 'B' in early NFL free agency grades
The Arizona Cardinals have made a number of moves in NFL free agency. Three can be considered significant, while the rest have been minor.
They signed pass rusher Josh Sweat to a four-year, $76.4 million contract. They added defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson on a two-year $29 million deal and signed backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett to a two-year, $12.5 million contract.
They re-signed several players and added some linebackers, a receiver and an offensive lineman.
Now we are beginning to see grades come in. Pro Football Network graded all 32 team's first week of free agency.
The Cardinals get a B.
Early on, the Arizona Cardinals addressed their biggest need by reuniting edge rusher Josh Sweat with his former defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon. Sweat provides an important boost to a pass rush that has ranked in the bottom 10 in each of Gannon’s first two seasons as head coach.
Otherwise, there are still plenty of shoes to drop for Arizona. None of the Cardinals’ major free agents agreed to deals during the two-day negotiating period. Linebacker Kyzir White and guard Will Hernandez are among the starters who could depart.
Their best move wasn't even the addition of Sweat. It was nabbing former Cleveland Browns defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson after he was released in a cap-saving move. His presence will make it so Sweat can get to the quarterback and so the linebackers behind him can clean things up.
A 'B' is exactly the grade I would give the Cardinals. They made a great move with Tomlinson, a pair of no-brainer moves with Sweat and Brissett. Everything else is just fine.
While they were slow to get off the ground and swung and missed at big-ticket free agents like defensive lineman Milton Williams and guard Will Fries, they are in a better spot than they were to end last season.
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.
This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: NFL free agency grades: Arizona Cardinals given 'B' by one outlet
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