Arizona Cardinals

5 potential landing spots for Michael Floyd

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 12:34 p.m. ET

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With his disappointing tenure with the Arizona Cardinals over, here are five potential landing spots for wide receiver Michael Floyd.

As a disappointing season for the Arizona Cardinals winds down, news surfaced Monday of an early morning DUI arrest for wide receiver Michael Floyd. Head coach Bruce Arians then hinted about possible disciplinary actions on Tuesday, and on Wednesday the Cardinals effectively gave up and waived Floyd.

Since being drafted 13th-overall by the Cardinals in 2012, Floyd has mostly underachieved over five NFL seasons. Five 100-yard games over a seven game stretch during the 2015 season showed what Floyd can do, but he did not build on it this season with just 33 receptions for 446 yards and four touchdowns over 13 games.

Floyd is now eligible to be claimed off waivers, and he will be a free agent during the offseason. Either now, or perhaps in March, here are five teams that could take a chance on Floyd.

5. Cleveland Browns

It’s convenient to include the Browns on any list like this. But they clearly shouldn’t be too picky when it comes to adding talent, and Floyd is still just 27 years old with the physical tools to be an elite wide receiver.

Being waived should be a wake-up call for Floyd, and it can be argued he’s just now reaching what should be his peak. Cleveland is first in the NFL waiver order right now, so if they want Floyd no one else can trump them.

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4. Los Angeles Rams

The Rams clearly need to add talent across the board offensively, and at wide receiver in particular. For better or worse, they have gotten a close look at Floyd to this point his career playing against him twice a year. In nine career games against St. Louis/Los Angeles, Floyd has just one 100-yard game (Week 13-2015) and only two games with five or more catches.

That track record against the Rams is not an outlier compared to the rest of his career, unfortunately, so it’s hard to know what to take from it other than a confirmation of Floyd’s ongoing underachievement.

The Rams’ new head coach, along with a possible new general manager, has to prioritize adding pieces around quarterback Jared Goff heading into next season. There’s an opportunity to get a jump on that process by adding Floyd for the rest of this season, but he should be on their radar for sure when free agency starts next March.

Based on upside alone, the Rams have to take a long look at Floyd at some point.

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3. Tennessee Titans

Quarterback Marcus Mariota has shown nice progress in his second season (25 touchdowns, eight interceptions), but Tennessee’s leading receiver is still tight end Delanie Walker (51 receptions) and only one wide receiver (Rishard Matthews-49) has more than 40 catches through 13 games this season. Add in running back DeMarco Murray and his 45 receptions, good for third on the team right now, and wide receiver sticks out as a need for the Titans.

Kendall Wright has a had a very disappointing season with his own free agency looming, with just 25 receptions for 376 yards in nine games played. He was also a healthy scratch in Week 14, reportedly due to tardiness and missed meetings, so a front office that didn’t draft Wright is sure to be done with him after the season.

Floyd will obviously come with some recent off the field baggage, and the possibility of future discipline from the league. But as a team on the rise with a clear need at wide receiver, the Titans would do well to vet Floyd as a possible waiver claim now or a possible free agent signing next spring.

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2. Houston Texans

Based on the bloated contract they gave him last offseason, the Texans are stuck with Brock Osweiler under center for at least one more season. So adding talent around him has to be a priority until further notice, and outside of DeAndre Hopkins Houston’s group of pass catchers is not very impressive.

Floyd has proven to be a capable deep threat during his career, with a career yards-per catch average of 15.5 and three seasons where he’s averaged at least 16 yards per reception. So he would be a solid fit with a strong-armed pocket passer, not unlike Cardinals’ quarterback Carson Palmer, and at 6-foot-2 Floyd could corral Osweiler’s shatter-shot passes.

The Texans may win a second straight AFC South title this year, but that does not mean they are a team without flaws. Floyd would help address a very big one, and if he is motivated while keeping his head on straight there’s potential for a mutually beneficial relationship between team and player.

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1. Minnesota Vikings

No offense to Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen, but when your two best wide receivers are a fifth-round pick and an undrafted free agent that’s not an ideal scenario. The Vikings used their 2016 first-round pick on Laquon Treadwell, but has struggled to even get on the field with just one catch in nine games played so far this season.

Floyd is a Minnesota native and a former high school “Mr. Football” in the state, so the potential tie to the Vikings is conveniently clear. Returning home might also be the fresh start he needs to put his career, and his life off the field, on the right track quickly. With youth still on his side, Floyd could become the most talented wide receiver the Vikings have had since Randy Moss during his first stint with the team.

The Vikings are far enough down in the waiver order that any claim on Floyd right now is far from a guarantee they would get him. But the potential to sign him as a free agent in March will still be there, and Floyd should come at a discount for a team that may be right up against the salary cap.