The Cardinals are keeping their UDFA count low this year, announcing just three UDFA additions after making 12 draft choices last week. Here is Arizona’s trio of post-draft hopefuls:
- Myles Murphy, DL (North Carolina)
- Joe Shimko, LS (NC State)
- Xavier Weaver, WR (Colorado)
Weaver was part of Deion Sanders‘ massive transfer haul last year. As the rookie Division I-FBS HC overhauled the Pac-12 program, Weaver joined the likes of Travis Hunter and Jimmy Horn Jr. as imports who became Shedeur Sanders‘ top targets. While Hunter will be a big name to monitor ahead of the 2025 draft, Weaver led the Buffaloes in receiving by a wide margin last season. The South Florida transfer produced a career-high 68 receptions for 908 yards, adding four touchdowns.
Also serving as a punt returner at points, the 6-foot-1 target posted back-to-back 700-plus-yard showings in his final two seasons at South Florida. Weaver joins a Cardinals team — even after Marvin Harrison Jr.‘s arrival — that still has questions at wide receiver. The Cardinals are guaranteeing $225K of Weaver’s $255K base salary, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets.
Shimko may be the top name to monitor here for longevity purposes. He won the Patrick Mannelly Award given to the nation’s top long snapper last season. Like many players in this UDFA class, Shimko played five college seasons due to the COVID-19 waiver. The Cardinals released long snapper Matt Hembrough on Monday but re-signed longtime snapper Aaron Brewer in March. Brewer, 33, has been with the Cards since 2016. Shimko’s award-winning season puts him on the radar for a gig elsewhere, should Brewer keep his job.