Three potential free agents for Cardinals

Free agency begins March 15 at 4 p.m. ET.

Positional needs for Arizona Cardinals: Defensive end, guard, cornerback

After a disastrous 4-13 season that saw the GM and head coach lose their jobs, the Cardinals head into the offseason looking to makeover their team. Armed with the third overall pick and $15 million in cap space, the team will have ammo to address some of its needs. A big question: Who will replace defensive end J.J. Watt, who has retired?

Yannick Ngakoue, DE, Indianapolis

One of the top sack artists in the game, Ngakoue could fill the void of Watts’ departure. In 2022, he had 9.5 sacks and started 15 games.

Ngakoue has experience in the 3-4 and 4-3 defenses, so no matter who the coach and defensive coordinator are, Ngakoue is a fit. Given his age (27) and experience (seven seasons), he could be the top edge rusher on the market, which will increase his cost. 

The cap hit to replace Watt with Ngakoue could eat up most of Arizona’s free space, pending any roster cuts. per Spotrac, he has a market value of a four-year deal for $59,244,263 -- an average annual salary of $14,811,066.

Phil Haynes, guard, Seattle Seahawks

The Cardinals allowed 46 sacks in 2022, the 10th-most in the league. They must improve along the line to help protect QB Kyler Murray and keep him from missing games. 

Haynes could be a relatively cheap addition. He started three games for the division-rival Seahawks and played in 15 overall. Entering his fifth year, he could be ready to compete for a starting job for another team.

Cameron Sutton, CB, Pittsburgh Steelers

The Cardinals were abysmal against the pass in 2022, allowing an average of 230 yards per game. The team must improve one or both corner spots.

Sutton, one of the top corners on the market, has two years of starting experience. Over the past two seasons, he has had five interceptions. Per CBS Sports' Jeff Kerr, Sutton is an "ascending corner" and 26th best free agent on the market.