Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals dealt offensive tackle Josh Jones and a 2024 seventh-round pick to the Houston Texans on Thursday for a 2024 fifth-round pick.

The Cards also added a seventh-round pick by trading safety Isaiah Simmons to the New York Giants earlier the same day.

The Cardinals now have at least 12 picks in the 2024 draft and have favorable odds to select first overall.

Arizona used the No. 8 pick to select Simmons in 2020 and picked up Jones with No. 72 in the third round. Now, those selections have turned into seventh-round and fifth-round picks, respectively.

Jones, who is in the final year of his rookie contract, started nine games for the Cardinals last season. He made 21 starts over the past two seasons and 47 appearances total for the Cardinals.

Because he qualified for the NFL's proven performance escalator, Jones is owed $2.71 million in 2023. The trade saves the Cardinals $2.71 million in salary cap space, per Cards Wire.

Jones switched from right tackle and guard in 2021 to taking snaps at left tackle in 2022, a change that led Pro Football Focus to describe him as Arizona's most improved player. His PFF score of 75.8 led the entirety of the Cardinals' offense.

Despite that improvement, Jones was likely to find himself lower on the Cardinals' depth chart in 2023. Offseason tackle additions included free agents Elijah Wilkinson and Dennis Daley, as well as the drafting of Ohio State star Paris Johnson with the No. 6 pick and a two-year extension for Kelvin Beachum.

The Texans, on the other hand, could use some more depth behind the position. Tytus Howard, who made all 17 starts for Houston last season, underwent hand surgery in early August. In case his projected four- to six-week recovery time causes him to miss the Texans' September 10 regular-season opener against the Baltimore Ravens, Houston could use Jones as additional depth on the offensive line for the start of the season.

The New York Giants boosted their defense by acquiring a former first-round pick, and it didn't cost much at all.

The Arizona Cardinals announced Thursday that they traded Isaiah Simmons to the Giants in exchange for a 2024 seventh-round pick.

The eighth overall pick by Arizona in the 2020 draft, Simmons has played in all 17 games in each of the last two seasons. He registered 99 total tackles, seven passes defended, five tackles for loss, four sacks, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in 2022.

The 25-year-old is entering the final year of his rookie deal after Arizona declined to pick up his fifth-year option. He's set to make $6.57 million this season, per Spotrac.

Coming out of Clemson, Simmons was highly regarded for his ability to line up at multiple positions on the field. While he's seen time at linebacker and at nickelback in his career, he was moved to deep safety upon his own request during training camp with the Cardinals this summer.

"There were just certain circumstances that led to me playing certain positions last year as opposed to maybe doing what was best for me," Simmons told the team's official website. "Now doing what's best for me is actually best for the team, so I think now why it looks like I feel a little more free, more like myself in my game."

The Giants have a talented safety tandem in Xavier McKinney and Jason Pinnock, though they lack depth at linebacker. It will be interesting to see how they deploy Simmons, but his addition should help shore up a defense that ranked 25th in the league last season by allowing 358.2 yards per game.

Either 13-year veteran Colt McCoy or rookie Clayton Tune will lead the Arizona Cardinals at quarterback until Kyler Murray returns from a torn ACL suffered last December. However, it remains unclear who's in the driver's seat for the job.

When asked if McCoy has done enough to lead Arizona to start the season, Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon had this to say, per Darren Urban of the team's official website.

"When we need to name the starters we'll name the starters," Gannon said. "He's doing a good job. I thought he operated well. I think he's getting more and more comfortable with what we are asking him to do. He's obviously played a lot of football but I like where his game is trending."

McCoy, who turns 37 on Sept. 5, has played 56 games (36 starts) over his career for the Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, Washington, New York Giants and Cardinals. He has completed 62.6 percent of his passes for 7,975 yards (6.5 yards per attempt), 34 touchdowns and 32 interceptions. In limited 2023 preseason action, McCoy has completed 9-of-12 passes for 42 yards.

The 24-year-old Tune joined the Cardinals as a fifth-round draft pick out of Houston in April. He completed 67.4 percent of his passes for 4,069 yards (8.2 yards per attempt), 40 touchdowns and 10 interceptions last year while adding 544 rushing yards and five scores. Over two preseason games, Tune has completed 25-of-47 passes for 268 yards, a touchdown and a pick alongside 44 rushing yards (10 attempts).

Arizona has one more preseason game on Saturday evening at the Minnesota Vikings before beginning the regular season on Sept. 10 at the Washington Commanders.

As for Murray, the Cardinals' quarterback told reporters on July 29 that he's taking it "one day at a time." There is no timetable for his return.

"I wouldn't want to go out there and hurt the team or hurt myself," Murray said, per Urban. "The advice I've gotten from a lot of people around me is, obviously, to go when you are ready. Don't feel pressured to come back because of this situation or that situation. I feel when that time comes, I'll know."

Murray underwent successful reconstructive surgery on Jan. 3 to repair his ACL and meniscus in his right knee. He suffered the non-contact injury three weeks beforehand during a regular season game against the New England Patriots.

The Arizona Cardinals reportedly received some positive news regarding one of their veteran players on Monday.

According to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, Cardinals tight end Zach Ertz "has been cleared for full football activity and is on track to start Week 1" amid his rehab from a torn ACL and MCL suffered nearly nine months ago.

Prior to going down with the injury in Week 10 against the Los Angeles Rams last season, Ertz had recorded 406 yards and four touchdowns on 47 catches, the latter of which led the Cardinals at the time. Garafolo pointed out that Ertz was "on pace for 86 catches, 745 yards and [eight touchdowns]" before being sidelined.

An 11-year veteran who spent the first eight-plus seasons of his career with the Philadelphia Eagles, Ertz was acquired by the Cardinals during the 2021 campaign. The three-time Pro Bowler finished with 56 catches for 574 yards and three scores in 11 games for Arizona that year.

Ertz's best season of his career came in 2018 when he recorded career highs of 116 receptions, 1,163 yards and eight touchdowns. It was his lone year surpassing the 1,000-yard mark.

Getting the 32-year-old healthy and back in the lineup should boost the offense for Arizona, which is a team in transition following a disappointing 4-13 finish to last season. Head coach Kliff Kingsbury was fired and replaced by former Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon. Also, star quarterback Kyler Murray still has no timetable for his return from a torn ACL suffered in Week 14 last year.

The Cardinals will presumably rely on veteran backup Colt McCoy until Murray is able to return, and the 36-year-old will benefit from having Ertz as a security blanket.

Arizona will begin its 2023 season on Sept. 10 with a road matchup against the Washington Commanders.

The Arizona Cardinals may have Kyler Murray locked up through 2028, but that won't rule the franchise out of the quarterback sweepstakes in the 2024 NFL draft.

Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort was vocal about the franchise's intentions to "scout everybody" leading up to the draft, and that includes USC quarterback Caleb Williams and North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye, among others.

Ossenfort said, via The Athletic's Jeff Howe:

We're going to scout quarterback, running back, offensive tackle, everything. We're going to put values on guys, and we're going to compare them to players on our team. I had a lot of experience doing that with all those years in New England when Tom (Brady) was in place. It didn't mean we didn't go out and scout quarterbacks every year. We still want to get an evaluation. We want to understand strengths, weaknesses and how those players compare to the players we have. That's not going to change. That's something I've got experience doing, and we're going to do the same thing here moving forward.

The Cardinals selected Murray first overall in the 2019 draft, but the team hasn't found much success in his four-year run as the starting quarterback despite his skill. Arizona has made the playoffs just once, which came during the 2021 campaign.

Additionally, Murray is rehabbing from a torn ACL suffered during the 2022 season and he's unlikely to be ready for the start of the 2023 campaign.

If the Cardinals have another disappointing season and land a top pick in the 2024 draft, selecting a quarterback like Williams might be a no-brainer.

Kyler Murray will likely not be the first quarterback to take snaps for the Arizona Cardinals this season.

The two-time Pro Bowler is aiming to return by the start of the season after a torn ACL ended his 2022 season prematurely, but Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that it's unlikely Murray will open the season under center in the desert.

"It does not sound like anyone is pressing and hoping and wanting for Week 1," Rapoport said. "This is their franchise quarterback—they want to be careful, they want to be cautious. He's pushing, but I don't get the sense that him being on the field Week 1, based on my conversations, is realistic."

Murray suffered the injury during the Cardinals' Week 14 game against the New England Patriots but has been praised for his work ethic this offseason by new head coach Jonathan Gannon.

Murray was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft and had three excellent seasons to start his career. He helped lead the Cardinals to a playoff berth in 2021, but did take a step back alongside the team in 2022 before the injury. Murray threw for 2,368 yards and 14 touchdowns against seven interceptions in 11 games.

Colt McCoy, who replaced Murray in 2022 before being injured himself, appears to be the likely Week 1 starter for the Cardinals in Murray's absence. Arizona is set to face the Washington Commanders in Week 1.

Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins has previously been the subject of rumors regarding his lack of attendance at team practices, which reporters tied to his trade from the Houston Texans and release from the Arizona Cardinals.

In response, Hopkins reacted in mock surprise to his own attendance at Titans training camp Friday, where he pulled down a one-handed catch during a one-on-one drill against defensive back Kristian Fulton.

Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reported in 2020 that Hopkins' habit of not practicing "much at all" became a problem for the Houston Texans, who eventually traded him.

That report was less concerning in 2020, when Hopkins was an All-Pro receiver racking up 1,407 receiving yards with the Arizona Cardinals.

After a pair of less productive campaigns during which Hopkins was limited by injury and suspension, those rumors became a "concern" for some NFL executives this year, The Athletic's Tim Graham reported in June. Hopkins was released by the Arizona Cardinals in May after being linked to a trade. During that period, he skipped the team's voluntary team activities earlier that month.

Hopkins' flashy reception, and his pushback against the practice rumors, are good signs for the Titans, who signed him to a two-year deal earlier this week. They are hoping Hopkins can return to Pro Bowl form on the other end of passes from quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who is looking to bounce back from postseason disappointment in a contract year.

The Arizona Cardinals are keeping Budda Baker by changing up some things about his pay for the next two seasons.

Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the Cardinals reworked Baker's deal prior to the start of training camp to give him an additional $2.4 million in bonuses and incentives for this season and a raise for 2024.

Rapoport noted the deal also includes a $300,000 signing bonus in 2023.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on April 14 the five-time Pro Bowler "informed the Cardinals in February that he wanted to be traded or receive a new deal to make him the highest-paid safety."

Baker's agent, David Mulugheta, told NFL Network's Mike Garafolo in June his client wasn't seeking to be the highest-paid safety in the league, but rather wanted a new deal as an indication from the Cardinals they view him as a "long-term part of their future plans."

At $19.1 million, the Los Angeles Chargers' Derwin James has the highest average salary for a safety. This offseason also saw Jessie Bates III sign a four-year, $64 million contract with the Atlanta Falcons as a free agent. When Baker signed a four-year, $59 million extension in 2020, it was the highest average annual value among safeties in the NFL.

Based on his performance and the current market, Baker's desire for a pay raise was justified. In 15 games in 2022, he finished with 111 tackles, two interceptions and seven passes defended. He can also line up in a variety of areas and fulfill multiple roles.

Best is a subjective term, but there's no question the 27-year-old has established himself as one of the better safeties in the league.

The situations are somewhat different, but the New York Jets netted two first-round picks and a third-rounder when they sent Jamal Adams to the Seattle Seahawks in 2020. The previous year, the Miami Dolphins got a package of picks including a first-rounder from the Pittsburgh Steelers for Minkah Fitzpatrick.

While reworking a deal doesn't necessarily signal the Cardinals are betting on Baker as a long-term part of their plans, the new-look front office led by Monti Ossenfort wanted to send a message the Cardinals will do right by their best players.

The fanbase was already bracing for a transition with Ossenfort and first-year head coach Jonathan Gannon at the helm. Starting quarterback Kyler Murray will likely miss a chunk of the season as he recovers from a torn ACL, too, effectively making 2023 a lost year before a ball is snapped.

However, much of the anger and frustration the fans are feeling has been directed at ownership and the previous front office regime rather than Ossenfort. He hadn't done anything to burn goodwill.

Even with all of the questions around the rest of the roster, Baker does provide Gannon with some stability in the secondary.

While most of the attention is being paid to Kyler Murray's recovery from a torn ACL, the Arizona Cardinals did get some potentially good news about Zach Ertz's comeback from a knee injury that prematurely ended his 2022 season.

Speaking to reporters from training camp, Ertz said it's not "unrealistic" to think he could be on the field in Week 1.

"The goal is to be activated (to practice) in the next couple of weeks," he explained. "I don't think it's unrealistic to be ready for Week 1, but at the same time there is a lot of work to be done."

The Cardinals announced Wednesday that Ertz has been placed on the physically unable to perform list. The move was expected, as he had surgery late last year to repair a torn ACL and MCL suffered in Arizona's win over the Los Angeles Rams on Nov. 13.

A return in Week 1 would be approximately 10 months after Ertz's surgery. Typical recovery time for a football player from a torn ACL is nine months. The Cardinals play the Washington Commanders at FedEx Field in the season opener on Sept. 10.

Being placed on the PUP list in training camp allows players to participate in team meetings, but they aren't permitted to practice. A player can be activated at any time during camp.

If the Cardinals put Ertz on the reserve/PUP list when they are making final roster cutdowns in August, he must sit out the first four weeks of the regular season.

Ertz finished last season with 406 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 47 receptions in 10 games. The three-time Pro Bowler signed a three-year, $31.7 million extension with Arizona in March 2022.

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray is going to start training camp on the physically unable to perform list as he continues to recover from a torn ACL, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

Thursday will mark the first official day of training camp for the Cardinals. Players on the PUP list during camp are allowed to participate in meetings but not on-field practices.

A player on the PUP list can be activated at any point during training camp. If a player is put on the reserve/PUP list during final roster cutdowns, they must sit out at least the first four regular-season games.

Murray's status for the 2023 season has been something of a mystery. He suffered a torn ACL in Arizona's Week 14 loss to the New England Patriots on Dec. 12.

Rapoport reported in January that Murray would miss the start of the season and will "take his time and make sure this thing is 100 percent right" before coming back.

The Cardinals under first-year head coach Jonathan Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort don't seem inclined to rush Murray back. They appear to be undertaking a significant roster rebuild and have two first-round picks in the 2024 draft thanks to their trade with the Houston Texans during the 2023 draft.

Murray signed a five-year, $230.5 million contract extension with the Cardinals in July 2022, but that was when Kliff Kingsury was head coach and Steve Keim was general manager.

Arizona is going to spend a lot of this season evaluating the roster to find players who can contribute in the future. Murray has had success in the NFL, including during the 2021 season when he was arguably the MVP frontrunner for the first half of the year.

The Cardinals will likely turn to Colt McCoy as their quarterback for the time being. The 36-year-old has started six games for Arizona over the past two seasons.