Cardinals Free Agent Signings Connections

Mar 24, 2023 - 2:13 PM

Much of the time, NFL free agent signings are made thanks to the connections that GMs. head coaches and assistant coaches have with players they have at one time worked with.

As my mom used to say: “E = mc2”, after that, it’s who you know in life.”

GM Monti Ossenfort:

• C/G Hayden Howerton (NE/TEN)
• DT/DE Kevin Strong (TEN)
• G/T Dennis Daley (TEN)

Assistant GM Dave Sears (pictured above):

• K Matt Prater (DET)
• QB David Blough (DET)
• LB Josh Woods (DET)

Head Coach Jonathan Gannon:

• TE Noah Togiai (PHI)
• LB Kyzir White (PHI)
• WR Zach Pascal (PHI)
• DE L.J. Collier (agent who believes that JG can bring out the best in LJC)

Offensive Coordinator Drew Petzing:

• C/G Hjalte Froholdt (CLE)

Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Jeff Rodgers (in-house recommendations)

• WR Greg Dortch
• T Kelvin Beachum
• G Will Hernandez
• RB Corey Clement
• CB Antonio Hamilton
• LB Ezekiel Turner
• DT Jonathan Ledbetter
• K Matt Prater

2023 Future Contracts:

• P Nolan Cooney
• T Julién Davenport
• LS Joe Fortunato
• K Elliott Fry
• CB Nate Hairston
• S JuJu Hughes
• LB Blake Lynch
• TE Chris Pierce
• TE Bernhard Seikovits
• G Lachavious Simmons
• WR Auden Tate
• S Josh Thomas
• T Badara Traore
• WR Javon Wims

Connections Still Possible:

Ossenfort:

• Edge Bud Dupree (TEN)
• LB Zach Cunningham (TEN)
• C Ben Jones (TEN)
• S A.J. Moore (TEN)
• RB Dontrell Hilliard (TEN)
• DE Mario Edwards (TEN)
• CB Terrence Mitchell (TEN)
• C Corey Levin (TEN)
• T Le_Raven Clark (TEN)
• CB Joshua Kalu (TEN)
• T Isaiah Wynn (NE)
• CB Joejuan Williams (NE)

Sears:

• WR DJ Chark (DET)
• DT Michael Brockers (DET)
• LB Jarrad Davis (DET)
• QB Nate Sudfeld (DET)
• RB Justin Jackson (DET)
• T Dan Skipper (DET)
• S Bobby Price (DET)

Gannon:

• DE Robert Quinn (PHI)
• DT Ndamukong Suh (PHI)
• DT Linval Joseph (PHI)
• LS Rick Lavato (PHI)
• TE Irv Smith (MIN)
• CB Kris Boyd (MIN)

Petzing:

• LB Deion Jones (CLE)
• S John Johnson III (CLE)
• DE Jadeveon Clowney (CLE)
• RB kareem Hunt (CLE)
• T Chris Hubbard (CLE)
• S Ronnie Harrison (CLE)
• DE Stephen Weatherly (CLE)
• TE Jesse James (CLE)
• T Michael Dunn (CLE)

WR Coach Drew Terrell:

• QB Carson Wentz (WAS)
• RB J.D. McKissic (WAS)
• G Trai Turner (WAS)
• C Nick Martin (WAS)
• RB Jaret Patterson (WAS)
• TE Eli Wolf (WAS)

Offensive Line Coach Klayton Adams:

• QB Matt Ryan (IND)
• DE Yannick Ngakoue (IND)
• G Matt Pryor (IND)
• FS Rodney McCloud (IND)
• DE Ben Banogu (IND)
• T Dennis Kelly (IND)
• S Armani Watts (IND)
• P Matt Haack (IND)
• CB Tony Brown (IND)
• DE Khalid Kareem (IND)
• WR Kristian Wilkerson (IND)
• DT Byron Cowart (IND)

Rodgers:

• G Justin Pugh
• LB Nick Vigil
• LB Tanner Vallejo
• P Andy Lee
• LS Aaron Brewer
• RB Darrel Williams
• TE Stephen Anderson
• S Charles Washington
• G/C Max Garcia
• LB Kamu Grugier-Hill
• TE Maxx Williams
• LB Ben Niemann
• CB Josh Jackson
• C Billy Price
• G Sean Harlow
• QB Trace McSorley
• WR Antoine Wesley

Former Cardinals UFA Connections:

• DE Zach Allen —- Vance Joseph (DEN)
• CB Byron Murphy —- Jordan Hicks (MIN)
• DE Michael Dogbe —- Brentson Buckner (JAC)

ROTB Challenge: Of all the available free agents (with Cardinals connections) who are listed above —- make a Top 5 priority list of the UFAs you would most like to see the Cardinals sign. As of this moment, spotrac.com has the Cardinals having $23.52M in cap space.

Top 5 Remaining Free Agents (with Cardinals connections) in order of priority:

1. ______________________________________
2. ______________________________________
3. ______________________________________
4. ______________________________________
5. _____________________________________

I will chime in with mine after a fair number of you list yours.

Happy Birthday to My Childhood idol: