The Arizona Cardinals have 17 players scheduled to become unrestricted free agents when the new league year begins next week. Many of them will depart and land with other teams.
A few are players the Cardinals should make sure to bring back.
Who are the guys they should bring back in 2024?
WR Hollywood Brown
2023 was disappointing for Brown. At the start of the season, he was beating everybody who covered him but the quarterbacks couldn’t get the ball to him.
Late in the year, he was too hurt to move well.
He wants to be back. Kyler Murray wants him back, but it will come down to price. But he is a playmaker and the Cardinals need playmakers.
TE Geoff Swaim
An injured calf late in the season ended his year. But he was perfect in his role as veteran blocking tight end. Trey McBride is a stud. Elijah Higgins has potential. They need veteran steadiness. Swaim offers that.
OL Elijah Wilkinson or OL Trystan Colon
Both players started multiple games at left guard. Both have experience in the league. Having one of them back as O-line depth would be good. If they end up starting, it’s not the end of the world. Wilkinson gives them guard/tackle versatility while Colon gives guard/center versatility.
Defensive lineman L.J. Collier
Collier has mostly been a bust in the league as a first-round pick. But he looked really good in the preseason and briefly in the regular season before he tore his biceps.
He gives the Cardinals pass-rushing juice and shouldn’t be expensive. A near-minimum deal should get him back if he wants to be back.
LB Josh Woods or LB Krys Barnes
Both Woods and Barnes had to start games. Both would be better in depth roles. If one is starting again alongside Kyzir White, it wouldn’t be awful, but it would be better if they add a starter and one of these two players is depth.
P Blake Gillikin
An in-season addition, he was very good, setting team records for punting average.
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