The Arizona Cardinals have all but wrapped up the intense part of their roster construction period this offseason. After a heavy dose of free agent signings, Arizona invested six of their seven draft picks in the defensive side.
But one small area still needs work.
Pro Football Focus' Mason Cameron compiled a comprehensive list, mentioning one last offseason move that could help round out all 32 teams' offseason plan.
Arizona's suggestion is one that this writer and website have been demanding for some time: add to the WR room with a veteran presence.
"Arizona holds a talented, albeit young, group of target earners in the receiving game, headlined by Marvin Harrison Jr. and Trey McBride. But it may be wise to add a savvy veteran option for quarterback Kyler Murray, helping lift the ceiling of the Cardinals' passing game.
"Keenan Allen would be an incredible addition. Although a nagging injury hindered his production in Chicago this past season, when healthy, Allen is a productive option out of the slot, evidenced by his 2.21 yards per route run (90th percentile) across the two seasons prior."
Cameron is certainly on the right track. The Cardinals are severely lacking in WR depth, and outside of McBride and Harrison there was little production to be found elsewhere in 2024.
Adding a veteran WR with some versatility and juice would be the perfect finishing touch on a very successful offseason of roster improvement.
But where it begins to go wrong is in mention of veteran WR Keenan Allen. Granted, the pool of free agent talent is quite shallow at this stage of the offseason, but Allen doesn't truly fit what Arizona needs.
He does come with size, open-field ability and exceptional hands, but at 33 years old, he doesn't provide much in the way of speed or agility.
Considering the Cardinals mostly need a true deep threat or a burner to take the top off defenses for Harrison and Michael Wilson, Allen's archetype just isn't what Arizona would be looking for, despite the veteran savvy that he would bring to a young group of pass-catchers.
Allen doesn't seem like the type of player GM Monti Ossenfort would target, but the Cardinals absolutely should look to improve their pass-catching group if they want to be serious contenders in the 2025 season.
It might come in the form of an underrated signing, but it feels foolish to simply run back the same offensive unit in a pivotal year.
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