Arizona Cardinals

Arizona Cardinals: 5 top free agent receivers

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 8:28 p.m. ET

Fansided, Scott Allen/FanSided via Raising Zona

These five free agent receivers could fit in with the Arizona Cardinals in 2017

One area the Arizona Cardinals need to address in the offseason is wide receiver. They won’t need a major overhaul but they will need to make a splash addition or two.

Much will depend on whether Larry Fitzgerald returns or not. However even with his return in 2017, the Cardinals still will need to fill his void going forward. The could be difference between adding one or two receivers through free agency and draft.

The Cardinals are just north of $4,000,000 in cap space, so they can’t go wild and they shouldn’t. There are more important needs but this is yet still a need.

Guys like Alshon Jeffery or Pierre Garcon may be the best overall free agent receivers available but they will cost a lot of money, not to mention the idea the Chicago Bears may franchise tag Jeffery. So, it’s not in the Cards for either of them to land in Arizona.

There are some mid-level receivers however that could garner a look or two and find their way to Arizona. Don’t count on any of them coming here but they are attractive nonetheless.

Brian Quick

The Los Angeles Rams receiver had 41 receptions for 541-yards and three touchdowns in 2016. Two of those touchdowns was against the Cardinals.

Part of his issue was of course the quarterbacks he had throwing the ball to him. He could connect often with an experienced quarterback in Carson Palmer in 2017.

His best performances were with Casey Keenum at quarterback in the first-half of the 2016 season. He is someone that could come in to Arizona and easily get 60-80 receptions on a regular basis.

Now Quick could opt to stay in Los Angeles. At 6’3, 218, and 27-years old, the five-year receiver out of Appalachian State would look good in a Cardinals uniform.

He had his best season in the NFL in 2016. He’s on his way up personally, now his his chance to possibly upgrade his employer. Best guess is he stays in Los Angeles but you never know.

Kamar Aiken

The Baltimore Ravens receiver also is a very affordable asset on the free agent market. His 2016 season though was not as good as his 2015 season.

In 2015, Aiken had 75 receptions for 944-yards and five touchdowns. Part of that success though can be attributed to missing Steve Smith.

In 2016, Aiken had just 29 receptions for 328-yards and one touchdown. Smith returned for one final season in 2016 and took some of that work away.

Given the chance to be a number two or three receiver in Arizona, Aiken could flourish and once again have the chance for 75 receptions or so. Receptions-wise, Aiken’s 2015 numbers would have been third in 2016 and the yardage would have ranked second amongst Cardinals receivers.

Aiken will need to find a team that can get him back to being more involved in the offense. With the Cardinals needing someone to take the place of Michael Floyd at the very least, he should be able to perform how the Cardinals wanted Floyd to this past season.

Terrelle Pryor

Pryor was the leading receiver for the Cleveland Browns in 2016 with 77 receptions for 1,007-yards and four touchdowns. It was his first full season as a receiver.

That in part was part of the issue for him in 2016 with the Browns. Many still view him as a quarterback. His teammates felt the same way. It got to the point of dislike from some of his teammates.

There may be no better time for Pryor to leave and find greener pastures. Arizona would have to make it clear he would be coming in as a receiver only at this point. The Cardinals are going to be looking elsewhere for their future quarterback.

Pryor is also still young at 27. He would come at a cheaper price than many. A chance to play with a contender such as the Cardinals could be a huge draw for the five-year player out of Ohio State.

Robert Woods

Robert Woods is another one of those receiver free agents that can come in and not have to assume a number one role. He had 51 receptions for 613-yards and one touchdown for the Buffalo Bills in 2016.

He too was in an offense not very receiver friendly given the offense they ran. Woods had six receptions for 51-yards against the Cardinals back in September.

His cap hit would be minimal and could come in an be that number two or three guy. His name is not as flashy as some others on the free agency list, however he certainly can get the job done.

The biggest issue is production slipped a bit in 2016. He slightly improved over 2015 when he had 47 receptions for 552-yards but he also had three touchdowns. His best season was 2014 when he had 65 receptions for 699-yards and five touchdowns.

The 2014 numbers are more ideal for the type of numbers the Cardinals are looking for in any free agent receiver they would bring in, if they do so at all. Woods will be entering his fifth season in the NFL in 2017.

Markus Wheaton

Wheaton missed a lot of time in 2016 with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He only played in three games this past season before going on injured reserve.

Wheaton has said he would love to remain with the Steelers and why not? However he has made the comment he understands the business side of the NFL.

There is also the local connection. Wheaton is from Chandler, Arizona where he was a standout at Chandler High School. He went to college at Oregon State.

In 2015, Wheaton had 44 receptions for 749-yards and five touchdowns. Again, those are numbers the Cardinals could likely live with if they brought him in.

The easy money though is Wheaton remaining in Pittsburgh. The feeling could be mutual given his performance over the first three years of his career prior to 2016.