Cardinals Signing Deemed 'Head Scratcher' of Offseason

ARIZONA -- Though the Arizona Cardinals didn't net themselves a "big fish" during the recent free agent period, the team still managed to spend some money and plug a few holes along the way.

Big dogs such as Justin Jones and Bilal Nichols now arrive to Arizona's trenches in hopes of providing any sort of improvement across the defensive line. The Cardinals also found a running mate for Kyzir White in Mack Wilson, who can operate as an inside linebacker or edge rusher depending on how Arizona wants to scheme him.

Looking to the secondary, Sean Murphy-Bunting was brought in to effectively bolster Arizona's secondary that no longer features Marco Wilson or Antonio Hamilton. The Cardinals are sure to grab more talent in the 2024 NFL Draft, though it's currently Murphy-Bunting and three second-year players at this point in time.

Case in point, the Cardinals needed another body in the secondary. After a down year in Tennessee, Murphy-Bunting hopes to return to his prior form that played a big role in helping the Tampa Bay Buccaneers win a Super Bowl just a few years ago.

Murphy-Bunting's contract was a three-year, $22.5 million deal with the Cardinals which included $17.39 million guaranteed.

Over The Cap called the deal the "head scratcher" of the offseason.

"The Murphy-Bunting contract was the head scratcher of the offseason," wrote Jason Fitzgerald.

"Health has been a concern with him and he has not been a big positive in coverage. This feels like a bet on draft status contract and should help pull players up. His $14.2 million in guarantees are more than double Williams and Nixon who signed for somewhat comparable APY’s. This is a great deal for him and a bad one for Arizona."

Fitzgerald also added, "I do think as we look at the Murphy-Bunting deal and to a lesser extend the Awuzie deal there is going to be more of a push for players that should rank between 15 and 25 in salary to earn more than they have been over the past few years, but even that will take some time to make a meaningful change to the market."

Fitzgerald attached a tracking chart of cap flows for the top ten corner contracts signed this offseason. In the first year, Murphy-Bunting's $10 million ranked sixth out of the ten corners while year two ($18 million total, 6/10) and year three ($25.5 million, still 6/10) didn't provide any changes in his ranking.

Strictly only looking at 2024, Murphy-Bunting's $5.955 million cap number ranks 29th out of all corners in the NFL.

Fitzgerald hasn't been the only person critical of the contract, though it's clear Arizona believes Murphy-Bunting's best football is ahead of him.

"When I was upstairs talking to the coaches and everything and going over what they expect from me and what they see in me - it really just is crazy... They see something in me that I see in myself," Murphy-Bunting told reporters.

"It adds up. It resonates with me so well because everything that they preach and everything that they value - I have, and that I do."