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Arizona Cardinals: Top free agency, NFL draft needs for 2017

By The Sports Xchange
Arizona Cardinals pat Arizona Cardinals kicker Chandler Catanzaro (7) on the head after kicking a 43-yards field as time expired to beat the Seattle Seahawks 34-31 at CenturyLink Field in Seattle, Washington on December 24, 2016. Photo by Jim Bryant/UPI
Arizona Cardinals pat Arizona Cardinals kicker Chandler Catanzaro (7) on the head after kicking a 43-yards field as time expired to beat the Seattle Seahawks 34-31 at CenturyLink Field in Seattle, Washington on December 24, 2016. Photo by Jim Bryant/UPI | License Photo

Arizona Cardinals breakdown: Free agency, draft shopping list

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As they wade through free agency and prepare to evaluate draft prospects at the Indianapolis Scouting Combine (March 1-6), the Arizona Cardinals must decide which players to keep as they seek to improve upon their disappointing 7-8-1 record from last season.

The Sports Xchange and NFLDraftScout.com evaluated the Cardinals' roster and created a shopping list to use in free agency and to reference during the Combine.

Close losses doomed the Cardinals in 2016, and they enter the 2017 offseason seeking ways to improve while trying to re-sign several key players.

Quarterback Carson Palmer will return, as will wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. However, the defense needs improvements from the cornerback position and the pass rush.

THE BREAKDOWN

2016 finish: 2nd in NFC West (7-8-1)

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STATISTICS

TOTAL OFFENSE: 366.8 (9th)

RUSHING: 108.3 (18th)

PASSING: 258.5 (9th)

TOTAL DEFENSE: 305.2 (2nd)

RUSHING: 94.9 (9th)

PASSING: 210.3 (4th)

NEEDS, SHOPPING LIST

&=Released

*=Vet who may be released or option not exercised

TOP THREE NEEDS

CORNERBACK

After trotting out three different players to try to complement Patrick Peterson, Arizona will be tempted to use its first pick on a top-tier prospect.

UFA TARGETS (Age, 2016 salary)

A.J. Bouye, Houston (26 in August, $1.67M)

Trumaine Johnson, L.A. Rams (27, $13.95M)

Logan Ryan, New England (26, $693K)

Stephon Gilmore, Buffalo (27 in September, $3.02M)

Brandon Carr, Dallas (31 in May, $10M)

Prince Amukamara, Jacksonville (28 in June, $5.5M)

DRAFT TARGETS (Rating pos/overall, Player, School, Ht., Wt., 40 time, Proj. Rd.)

1/10 Marshon Lattimore, Ohio State, 6-0, 195, 4.47, 1 (underclassman)

2/15 Teez Tabor, Florida, 6-0, 201, 4.50, 1 (underclassman)

3/21 Marlon Humphrey, Alabama, 6-1, 196, 4.49, 1 (underclassman)

4/23 Sidney Jones, Washington, 6-0, 181, 4.49, 1 (underclassman)

5/34 Desmond King, Iowa, 5-11, 206, 4.53, 1-2

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QUARTERBACK

Carson Palmer is 37, so the Cardinals would be wise to find a QB in the first few rounds who can sit and learn from him for a year or two.

UFA TARGETS (Age, previous contract's average annual salary)

Kirk Cousins, Washington (29 in August, $19.95M)

*Tony Romo, Dallas (37 in April, $18M)

Mike Glennon, Tampa Bay (28 in December, $776K)

Brian Hoyer, Chicago (32 in October, $2M)

*Tyrod Taylor, Buffalo (28 in August, $18M)

*Colin Kaepernick, San Francisco (30 in November, $19M)

DRAFT TARGETS (Rating pos/overall, Player, School, Ht., Wt., 40 time, Proj. Rd.)

1/12 Mitch Trubisky, North Carolina, 6-3, 220, 4.74, 1 (underclassman)

2/20 DeShone Kizer, Notre Dame, 6-4, 230, 4.76, 1 (underclassman)

3/29 Deshaun Watson, Clemson, 6-2, 215, 4.64, 1-2 (underclassman)

4/70 Patrick Mahomes, Texas Tech, 6-2, 229, 4.84, 2-3 (underclassman)

5/99 Brad Kaaya, Miami (FL), 6-4, 210, 4.84, 3 (underclassman)

INSIDE LINEBACKER

Deone Bucannon is a converted strong safety, and Kevin Minter is a free agent. The Cardinals could stand to make an upgrade here, possibly early in the draft.

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UFA TARGETS (Age, previous contract's average annual salary)

Dont'a Hightower, New England (27 in March, $1.93M)

Lawrence Timmons, Pittsburgh (31 in May, $9.6M)

Malcolm Smith, Oakland (28 in July, $3.5M)

Akeem Dent, Houston (30 in September, $2.25M)

&D'Qwell Jackson, Indianapolis (34 in September, $5.5M)

DRAFT TARGETS (Rating pos/overall, Player, School, Ht., Wt., 40 time, Proj. Rd.)

1/7 Reuben Foster, Alabama, 6-1, 236, 4.72, 1

2/41 Raekwon McMillan, Ohio State, 6-2, 240, 4.78, 2 (underclassman)

3/44 Jarrad Davis, Florida, 6-1, 238, 4.78, 2

4/108 Anthony Walker Jr., Northwestern, 6-1, 235, 4.63, 3-4 (underclassman)

5/112 Kendell Beckwith, LSU, 6-2, 252, 4.82, 3-4

UFA KEEPERS

OLB Chandler Jones (27, $2.04M)

DE Calais Campbell (31 in September, $11M)

S Tony Jefferson (25, $1.67M)

TE Jermaine Gresham (29 in June, $3.5M)

DL Frostee Rucker (34 in September, $2.16M)

C A.Q. Shipley (31 in May, $785K)

LB Kevin Minter (27 in December, $1.1M)

ROSTER REVIEW

DEPTH CHART

Starters and backups are listed according to their status at the end of the season, but players who were starters before being injured are included.

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* Indicates player who ended 2016 season on reserve.

& Indicates player released since the Super Bowl.

QUARTERBACKS: Starter -- Carson Palmer. Backups -- Drew Stanton, Zac Dysert.

RUNNING BACKS: Starter -- David Johnson. Backups -- Andre Ellington (UFA), Kerwynn Williams, *Chris Johnson (UFA), Stepfan Taylor (UFA).

WIDE RECEIVERS: Starters -- Larry Fitzgerald, John Brown, J.J. Nelson. Backups -- *Jaron Brown, Brittan Golden, Jeremy Ross (UFA), Marquis Bundy.

TIGHT ENDS: Starter -- Jermaine Gresham (UFA). Backups -- Darren Fells, *Ifeanyi Momah, *Troy Niklas, Hakeem Valles.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters -- *LT Jared Veldheer, LG Mike Iupati, C A.Q. Shipley (UFA), *RG Evan Mathis (UFA), RT D.J. Humphries. Backups -- C/G Evan Boehm, *G Taylor Boggs (UFA), T/G John Wetzel, G/T Earl Watford (UFA), *T Ulrick John, T Givens Price, G Cole Toner.

DEFENSIVE LINEMEN: Starters -- LDT Calais Campbell (UFA), NT Corey Peters, RDT Frostee Rucker (UFA). Backups -- LDT Robert Nkemdiche, LDT Ed Stinson, NT Xavier Williams, NT Olsen Pierre, RDT Josh Mauro, RDT Rodney Gunter.

LINEBACKERS: Starters -- SLB Chandler Jones (UFA), *SLB Deone Bucannon, ILB Kevin Minter (UFA), WLB Markus Golden. Backups -- SLB Alex Okafor (UFA), SLB Sio Moore, SLB Zaviar Gooden, ILB Scooby Wright, WLB Kareem Martin, *ILB Alani Fua, *ILB Gabe Martin.

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DEFENSIVE BACKS: Starters -- LCB Patrick Peterson, RCB Marcus Cooper (UFA), *SS Tony Jefferson (UFA), *FS Tyrann Mathieu. Backups -- LCB Justin Bethel, RCB Brandon Williams, RCB/FS Harlan Miller, SS D.J. Swearinger (UFA), FS Trevon Hartfield, *RCB Elie Bouka, *FS Tyvon Branch, *RCB Mike Jenkins.

SPECIAL TEAMS: K Chandler Catanzaro, P Matt Wile, KR/PR Brittan Golden, PR Patrick Peterson, LS Aaron Brewer.

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