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Thursday's NFL transaction report showed a surprise, as the Arizona Cardinals placed veteran cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting on the non-football injury reserve, a move that ends his 2025 season. They are not obligated to pay him the nearly $7.7 million in salary he was due this coming season.
This move suddenly clears up some of the reports and moves they have made. They now make sense.
Entering the offseason, cornerback did not seem to be a real need. Murphy-Bunting was returning with a fully guaranteed salary. Garrett Williams is an emerging star from the slot and they had 2024 second-round pick Max Melton poised to have a greater role as a potential starter, while still with Star Thomas on the roster.
In free agency, they brought in veteran Asante Samuel Jr. While a team can never have enough players who can cover on defense, it was an interesting move or pursuit.
Then they drafted two cornerbacks — Will Johnson in the second round and Denzel Burke in the fifth round.
The situation with Murphy-Bunting, whatever it stems from, doesn't appear to have come out of nowhere. They likely knew about it all offseason.
This seems to be similar to when the Cardinals traded for receiver Hollywood Brown when DeAndre Hopkins was going to be suspended for the first six games of the season.
What this move now does is open the door for Johnson to step into a starting or at least a major contributing role, and it makes it more likely for Burke to make the team. It also makes it more likely that someone like Thomas will not have to be traded or cut before the 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: Arizona Cardinals' CB moves, pursuits make more sense now
Continue reading...
This move suddenly clears up some of the reports and moves they have made. They now make sense.
Entering the offseason, cornerback did not seem to be a real need. Murphy-Bunting was returning with a fully guaranteed salary. Garrett Williams is an emerging star from the slot and they had 2024 second-round pick Max Melton poised to have a greater role as a potential starter, while still with Star Thomas on the roster.
In free agency, they brought in veteran Asante Samuel Jr. While a team can never have enough players who can cover on defense, it was an interesting move or pursuit.
Then they drafted two cornerbacks — Will Johnson in the second round and Denzel Burke in the fifth round.
The situation with Murphy-Bunting, whatever it stems from, doesn't appear to have come out of nowhere. They likely knew about it all offseason.
This seems to be similar to when the Cardinals traded for receiver Hollywood Brown when DeAndre Hopkins was going to be suspended for the first six games of the season.
What this move now does is open the door for Johnson to step into a starting or at least a major contributing role, and it makes it more likely for Burke to make the team. It also makes it more likely that someone like Thomas will not have to be traded or cut before the 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: Arizona Cardinals' CB moves, pursuits make more sense now
Continue reading...
