The Arizona Cardinals have plenty of needs across their roster this offseason. Many are on the defensive side of the ball as they need help on the edge, at defensive tackle, at cornerback, and at linebacker. Wide receiver is not a position that is too high on the list right now. That didn’t stop them from being seen as a good fit for one of the biggest names at receiver who will hit free agency this offseason.
In an article discussing the best team fits for the NFL’s top 50 free agents, ESPN’s Matt Bowen named the Cardinals the best fit for Buffalo Bills receiver Amari Cooper. The 2024 season was a disappointment for Cooper. He suffered through poor play from Deshaun Watson early in the season, making just 24 catches for 250 yards in the first six games of the season. There was hope things would turn around when the Browns traded him to the Bills, but that didn’t really fix much.
In eight games with the Bills, Cooper made 20 catches for 297 yards. Despite his struggles this past season, ESPN has him ranked 30th on their list of free agents. There is reason to believe this past season was an anomaly. Cooper made 72 catches for 1250 yards in 2023 despite playing with a rotating band of backup QBs for much of the season. He is also still just 30 years old even though it feels like he has been in the league too long for that to be true.
My biggest problem with this fit is that receiver doesn’t feel like a huge need for the Cardinals and Cooper likely still won’t be too cheap. There is reason to believe Harrison Jr. will improve in year two and become the alpha the Cardinals are hoping for. They also have a star in the passing game already with Trey McBride at tight end. It certainly wouldn’t be a bad idea for the Cardinals to add a veteran presence to their very young group of pass catchers. However, Cooper feels like too expensive of an option.
The team’s defense is a larger issue and is where they should focus most of their free agency money. Signing Cooper feels like more of a luxury for them and they aren’t a team that can be making luxury signings right now.
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