Early Monday morning, Michael Floyd was arrested on DUI charges. Less than 72 hours later, he’s out of work. The Cardinals announced that they have released the wide receiver.
At this stage of the offseason, all released players are subject to waivers. Floyd was considered a promising talent in the not-too-distant past and it stands to reason that he could be claimed. He is slated to hit the open market after the season, so there could be several teams interested in bringing him in for a low-risk three-game audition.
The Cardinals are on the hook for Floyd’s Week 15 salary, so any team claiming him will be responsible for just two weeks of his pay. Floyd gets $430/K per week on his $7.32MM salary, so claiming him would cost $861K.
So far this year, Floyd has 33 catches for 446 yards and four touchdowns. Once regarded as the heir apparent to Larry Fitzgerald in Arizona, Floyd has slipped down the depth chart in the last couple of years.
In an interview yesterday, coach Bruce Arians indicated that he wanted to sternly punish Floyd but he could not go as far as he wanted to because of restrictions in the collective bargaining agreement. It now seems like the Cardinals have figured out their workaround.
In related moves, the Cards have signed wide receiver Jeremy Ross, and elevated offensive lineman Givens Price from the practice squad.