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Arizona Cardinals: 5 offseason needs

By Parker Hurley

Jan 1, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson (21) walks to the field prior to the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson (21) walks to the field prior to the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Cardinals have more questions than any team in the NFL. What are the positions that they must address this offseason?

The Cardinals were that surprise team that everybody saw going to the Super Bowl, but wound up in the top half of the draft. There are two ways to look at Arizona. One is that this team lost a lot of one score games, and was a small tick away from being the team everybody assumed they would.

The other is that Carson Palmer is now at an age where his play may be declining, and with a plethora of free agents, and not as much cap space to sign them all, the window for a Super Bowl may be closed. This offseason is crucial, and major decisions will decide which fate becomes true. With that said, what are the five positions the Cardinals must address?

5. Defensive Line

The team was in dire need to add a pass rush last season. It ended up netting the team Chandler Jones through a trade, and Robert Nkemdiche in the draft. Jones completely lived up to expectations, but Nkemdiche struggled to get on the field.

The issue now is that Jones is a free agent. On top of that, Calais Campbell, and Frostee Rucker are both free agents this offseason. Rucker is a lower end guy and his status will be less of a worry. However, given where the Cardinals sit along the cap, giving Jones the franchise tag, and what Campbell could get on an open market, there is a good chance Campbell will not be back in 2017.l.

Nkemdiche fits a similar profile to Campbell, and it is another reason they will keep Jones over Campbell, but to trust Nkemdiche to immediately step in next season and take every Campbell snap may be too much. The Cards will have to work hard to find a replacement and a guy who take snaps immediately. Their best bet may be a veteran, lower end guy on the free agent market.

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