Browns To Trade Jamar Taylor To Cardinals

The Cardinals are finalizing a trade for Browns cornerback Jamar Taylor, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Cardinals have long had a glaring need at cornerback and Taylor figures to step in as the team’s new No. 2 CB alongside Patrick Peterson. Arizona will send a 2020 sixth-round pick to Cleveland in the deal, according to Nate Ulrich of the Beacon-Journal (on Twitter). The deal is expected to be finalized after 4pm ET/3pm CT on Friday.

The belief before the draft was that the Browns would look to unload Taylor if they selected a cornerback early on. After the Browns selected Ohio State’s Denzel Ward with the No. 4 overall pick, his fate was all but sealed. The Browns have moved on from both of their starting cornerbacks from last year after trading Jason McCourty to the Patriots for a late draft pick. The Browns’ revamped secondary will see free agent pickup T.J. Carrie start opposite of Ward with newcomers E.J. Gaines and Terrance Mitchell among those in support at cornerback.

Taylor had the best year of his career in 2016 as he hauled in three interceptions and 57 total tackles, but he was not quite as sharp in 2017. If he can revert to his old form, then the Cardinals will be getting a quality starter in the trade. In ’16, Taylor ranked as Pro Football Focus’ No. 19 ranked overall cornerback in the NFL and excelled in the slot, where he played 32% of his snaps.

The acquisition of Taylor could impact the Cardinals’ pursuit of free agent Bashaud Breeland. Then again, the Cardinals have signed the majority of their draft class and they still have upwards of $16MM in cap room, so there could be room for both players. Theoretically, Breeland could be signed to start at outside corner while Taylor mans the slot with occasional snaps on the outside.

Taylor restructured his contract in order to make a trade more palatable for the Cardinals, Rapoport hears (Twitter link), so there should still be plenty of breathing room for GM Steve Keim & Co. Originally, Taylor was slated to take up $5.25MM in cap space this year and $5.1MM in 2019. The revised terms of his deal are not yet known.

The Cardinals’ release of Tyrann Mathieu left them with a glaring need for slot help this offseason. The acquisitions of cornerbacks Bene Benwikere, Marcus Williams, Louis Young, and sixth-round pick Chris Campbell may provide depth, but that leaves much to be desired in Arizona’s secondary.