Now that the main wave of free agenc

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y has passed us , what needs do the Cardinals still have to fill out their roster?"WhiteFanposts Fanshots Podcasts The Revenge of the Birds podcastRemaining needs for Arizona Cardinals post-free agencyNew,25commentsNow that the main wave of free agency has passed us, what needs do the Cardinals still have to fill out their roster? Remaining needs for Arizona Cardinals post-free agencyCharles LeClaire-USA TODAY SportsThe Arizona Cardinals shored up their roster considerably during the opening days of free agency. They signed a couple of linebackers, made a trade for a quality starting tackle, signed a division rival offensive guard and, most notably, added depth to what was a depleted roster. But when you are the worst team in the NFL, there is always work to do in reshaping the roster as a whole to get back to a winning level. That’s why, after free agency, these are still huge needs. Defensive linemenI decided to lump both defensive tackle and defensive end in the same grouping. To me , this is the unit on the roster that is currently the most lacking. Other than Corey Peters, what is really there? Robert Nkemdiche is going to be sidelined with his ACL injury for a while and isn’t really that good even when he’s on the field. Olsen Pierre now plays for the New York Giants. And the rest of the players remaining are pretty unproven or journeymen. This is a position group that I expect the Cardinals to heavily focus on in the draft. If they trade down in the first round, there are a couple of defensive linemen that I would expect Steve Keim to have his eye on. But there may always be a straggler that is still a free agent that eventually lowers his demands for a contract, allowing him to become a member of the Cardinals. Offensive tackleI am in now way convinced that the offensive line is “fixed”. Yes, Marcus Gilbert was a solid add. But he is in the last year of his deal and has had some injury issues in the past. D.J. Humphries is in the same exact boat. Korey Cunningham still holds promise and Will Holden is a decent reserve tackle, but can the Cardinals rely on both of them to start if it became necessary? Drafting a tackle within the first 3 rounds seems almost inevitable. Wide ReceiverThis is another position that seems to be lacking in talent right now. Larry Fitzgerald is going to do Larry things. Christian Kirk was a stud in his rookie season before he went down with an injury. But after that, it’s question marks across the board. I do like the Kevin White signing, but I’m not sure how much he can be relied upon. Again, this is a position that probably gets addressed in the draft, but I’m not sure if Keim can afford to spend another high pick on a receiver after doing so last year with Kirk. But if the value is there (hello , N’Keal Harry at 33), then he may just need to pull the trigger. What are your thoughts on the biggest needs for the Cardinals? Do you see them filling most of their remaining holes with inexpensive free agents, draft picks or a relatively even combination of both? PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Cardinals have hired former Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury as their head coach, a move aimed at providing guidance for young quarterback Josh Rosen and resuscitating the worst offense in the NFL.The Cardinals announced the hiring Tuesday after a long interview earlier in the day, saying Kingsbury had agreed to terms on a four-year contract with a team option for a fifth. He was to be introduced at a news conference at the team’s training facility in Tempe on Wednesday.Kingsbury was fired after going 35-40 in six seasons at Texas Tech, but his teams were known for their high-scoring performances. His prized pupil in those days was current Kansas City Chiefs All-Pro quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Tuesday’s hiring came barely a month after Kingsbury was hired as offensive coordinator at USC.Kingsbury, also a former offensive coordinator at Texas A&M where he worked with Johnny Manziel, replaces Steve Wilks, who was fired after going an NFL-worst 3-13 in his one season in Arizona.That means Kingsbury will take over a team with the No. 1 overall draft pick, along with a bevy of other picks and lots of salary cap space.After a one-year experiment with a defense-oriented coach in Wilks , Cardinals president Michael Bidwill acknowledged he got that hire wrong and vowed to get this one right. The Cardinals hope the hire can match the magic that happened when Sean McVay was hired by the Los Angeles Rams.Arizona’s move is back to an offense-centered coach, a philosophy that worked well in the previous hire of Bruce Arians, who won 50 games in five seasons before retiring after the 2017 season. That retirement turned out to be short-lived: Arians was hired later Tuesday as coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.Bidwill’s latest choice is a risk, given that the 39-year-old Kingsbury has no NFL coaching experience and no record of success in terms of wins and losses at the college level.He does, however, bring unquestioned knowledge of successful offenses and in working with young quarterbacks. Under Kingsbury’s tutelage, both Case Keenum and Mahomes led the nation in passing as college quarterbacks.“Yeah, I think he can be a great NFL coach,” Mahomes said Tuesday before the hiring was announced. “He has the work ethic. He has the passion for the game. I know that he loves the sport. So I know he’ll be able to relate to quarterbacks. He would put in the work and now it’s just about him finding where he needs to be at.”Kingsbury was let go after six seasons at Texas Tech and joined the USC staff as offensive coordinator on Dec. 5. His quick departure will leave the Trojans scrambling for a replacement.Kingsbury’s challenge now will be to build a staff. He particularly needs a strong coordinator for a defense that had its share of troubles last year trying to switch from a 3-4 to 4-3 scheme.The new coach inherits a team that finished last in the NFL in all major offensive categories last year. Rosen, who as a rookie took over as starter four games into the season , had an up-and-down year with no significant improvement.Playing behind a makeshift offensive line decimated by injuries, he wound up last among quarterbacks who played regularly, completing 55 percent of his passes for 2,278 yards and 11 touchdowns with 14 intercepts and a 66.7 QB rating.Rosen, who was picked 10th overall in last year’s draft, is probably the No. 1 reason Kingsbury got the job.The Cardinals’ record last year was their worst in 18 years and matched the worst since the franchise moved to the desert from St. Louis in 1988.

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