How The Cardinals Have Used Their No. 1 Waiver Priority

Since late December, when the Cardinals took over the top spot on the NFL’s waiver priority list due to their league-worst record, Arizona has had its pick of the NFL’s freely available talent. In that time, general manager Steve Keim has acquired five players via the waiver wire, many of whom have significant NFL experience.

Let’s take a look at the players the Cardinals have picked up on waivers over the past seven months and examine how each might contribute in 2019:

Pharoh Cooper, WR: Claimed from Rams on 12/19/18

The Cardinals may have gained some valuable intel from Cooper after claiming him in advance of their Week 16 matchup against the Rams, but Arizona also likely had Cooper’s potential 209 contributions in mind. A fourth-round pick out of South Carolina in 2016, Cooper earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2017 as a return man. That season, the 24-year-old handled 66 combined kick and punt returns, and led the NFL in yards per kickoff return (27.4). The Cardinals now have a bevy of wide receivers on their depth chart after adding draft picks Andy Isabella and Hakeem Butler to holdovers Larry Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk, so Cooper is unlikely to see the field as an offensive player. But he’ll compete to become Arizona’s top return man, a role that he should be able to win.

D.J. Swearinger, S: Claimed from Redskins on 12/25/18

Sometimes you can go home again. The Cardinals brought in Swearinger — who previously played in Arizona from 2015-16 — via a Christmas Day waiver claim after the veteran defensive back was cut by the Redskins for criticizing Washington’s coaching staff and play-calling decisions. Still just 27 years old and due less than $4.5MM in 2019, Swearinger was unsurprisingly a popular name on the waiver wire, as both the Raiders and Packers attempted to claim him. Viewed as one of the more physically imposing defensive backs in the league, Swearinger graded out as the NFL’s No. 13 safety a year ago, per Pro Football Focus. He’ll start alongside Budda Baker in a now Patrick Peterson-less (at least, for six games) Arizona secondary.

Tanner Vallejo, LB: Claimed from Browns on 2/5/19

Like Cooper, Vallejo is likely ticketed for a special teams-only role in 2019. Over the past two seasons with the Bills and Browns, Vallejo played only 158 total defensive snaps but appeared on more than 500 special teams snaps. In both campaigns, he finished top-three on his club in special teams plays. The Cardinals were actually relatively successful on special teams last year, ranking as a top-12 unit in both kickoffs and punts, but Vallejo will give the club more depth. Speaking of depth, Arizona doesn’t have a ton of serviceable options behind projected starting ‘backers Haason Reddick and Jordan Hicks, so a scenario exists where Vallejo sees meaningful playing time on defense.

Pita Taumoepenu, LB: Claimed from 49ers on 5/9/19

A sixth-round pick in the 2017 draft, Taumoepenu has only played in six games (21 defensive snaps, 69 special teams snaps) over two seasons. Now 25 years old, Taumoepenu will have to compete for time on special teams, as he’s unlikely to see the field as a pass-rusher behind Terrell Suggs and Brooks Reed.

Desmond Harrison, T: Claimed from Browns on 6/6/19

The Browns cut Harrison earlier this month after he reportedly missed team meetings, but the Cardinals were willing to take a chance on his talent. Harrison joined Cleveland as an undrafted free agent in 2018 and subsequently started eight games, and while his overall marks from PFF weren’t stellar, he ranked 32nd among tackles in pure pass-blocking grade (min. 50% snap percentage). He was hurt by his run-blocking limitations and his 11 penalties, the latter of which ranked ninth-most among tackles. Harrison will open the season behind starting Arizona tackles D.J. Humphries and Marcus Gilbert, but given that those two have only played a combined 26 games (out of a possible 64) over the past two seasons, Harrison stands a decent chance to make it onto the field.