Arizona Cardinals coach Bruce Arians says he expects cornerback Antonio Cromartie to hit NFL free agency, but that he wants him back.
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Cardinals coach Bruce Arians would really like cornerback Antonio Cromartie to return for the 2015 season, but knows that he could be headed for the New York Jets, according to a tweet on Thursday by Rich Cimini of ESPN New York. Arians knows that Cromartie is headed for free agency next month at the very least, but hopes that Arizona can work out a deal to keep him with the Cards. The Cardinals gave Cromartie a one year deal last season after he was cut by the Jets. Now, however, the Jets find themselves in a cornerback quandary and Cromartie has been talking about returning.
“I know their coaching staff, I know everybody, my house is there, so would it be easy? Yeah, it would be an easy choice, if the opportunity presented itself,” Cromartie told the New York Post. “But at the same time, I got to look forward to trying to win a Super Bowl, also.”
There is that in the Cardinals’ favor. They at least made it to the playoffs last year and likely would have gotten further had they not lost their first and second string quarterbacks at the end of the year. On the other hand, the Jets are a team in flux, with indecision at the quarterback position, a new head coach and the fact that they haven’t been in the playoffs since 2010. There’s no doubt that staying with Arizona probably gives Cromartie the better chance to win in the near future.
The Jets might be very interested in acquiring his services though. New York once again needs cornerbacks in the worst way and Cromartie was dumped because of salary cap issues, not because of his play. Even though he turns 31 this year, he could at least offer a short term solution for the Jets at that position. Another factor that might help the decision for both sides is that Todd Bowles, Cromartie’s DC in Arizona last year, is the new head coach for the Jets. If anyone is in a good position to assess Cromartie’s fit in New York, it would be him.
Cromartie’s season last year was decent, if not great. He was ranked at 45 out of 108 cornerbacks in the league and finished at that same rank in coverage ratings.
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