One of the top free agents on this year’s market, outside linebacker Bruce Irvin, has been frequently mentioned as a target for the Jaguars and Falcons, two teams who employ former Seahawks defensive coordinators. However, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter), there’s at least one more team worth keeping an eye on.
Rapoport identifies the Cardinals as a club that likes Irvin, and Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic confirms (via Twitter) that the Cards have interest in the Seattle defender. It’s not clear yet how serious the team’s pursuit of Irvin will be — reports have suggested that he has a chance to exceed $10MM in annual salary on his next deal, and Arizona’s cap situation isn’t as conducive to a bidding war as a team like Jacksonville’s is.
While Irvin is one potential target for the Cardinals, he’s not the only pass rusher the team is eyeing. Somers reported earlier today that Arizona also has interest in Rams defensive end William Hayes. Improving the pass rush is a top priority this offseason for the Cardinals, whose most effective edge rusher, Dwight Freeney, just turned 36 years old and is eligible for free agency.
Irvin ranked sixth overall in PFR’s top 50 free agents list.
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