The Cardinals have announced the signing of free agent cornerback Alan Ball and the release of safety Tyrequek Zimmerman. Ball auditioned for the Cardinals on Thursday and obviously showed the team enough to warrant a contract, though details of the pact aren’t yet available.
Ball, 31, spent last season in Chicago and figures to provide some veteran depth to an Arizona team that lost fellow corner Mike Jenkins to a broken hand prior to training camp. Aside from Patrick Peterson and Justin Bethel, the Cardinals are short on healthy corners with NFL experience. They did address the position through the draft, landing third-rounder Brandon Williams and sixth-rounder Harlan Miller, but the former is a converted running back who only took on a full-time corner role for the first time as a senior at Texas A&M last season.
Ball, who was teammates with Jenkins in Dallas from 2008-11, entered the league as a seventh-round pick in 2007. In addition to the Cowboys and Bears, he has seen action with the Texans and Jaguars. All told, Ball has accrued 108 appearances (47 starts) and six interceptions. He appeared in 15 games, made three starts and totaled 18 tackles last season.
Zimmerman went undrafted out of Oregon State last year and has since bounced around the league, including multiple stints with the Cardinals. His latest one began June 2 and lasted just over two months.
Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic first reported Ball’s signing.