Arizona Cardinals

Arizona Cardinals cornerback woes still an issue

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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The Arizona Cardinals weakness at the position was evident in game one but help may have arrived thanks to a division rival

It’s not like the front office of the Arizona Cardinals hasn’t been trying. They’ve drafted rookies like Brandon Williams and Harlan Miller. They’ve brought in veterans like Mike Jenkins, Alan Ball and Marcus Cooper.

After one regular season game, the braintrust is still in search of a capable starting cornerback. The latest addition is Seattle Seahawks castoff Tharold Simon.

Simon, a fourth-year pro out of LSU, has excellent size at 6’3″, 205lbs. For a team that covets big corners, he certainly fits the bill. It’s not clear why he was released, although he seems to have under-performed so far in his career.

Williams struggled in his NFL debut. He’s been thrown to the wolves early, primarily because the team just doesn’t have anyone better at the present time.

Out of desperation it wouldn’t be a shock if Simon got some playing time Sunday. Another possibility could be Cooper making his Arizona debut. Like Simon, Cooper has good size and should be given a chance to seize the job.

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At this point, even Justin Bethel may be a better option than Williams. The problem with Bethel is the lingering foot injury that kept him from defensive snaps in the opener. Bethel at 100% is a shaky proposition, anything less with him could be a disaster.

Although the club fell in love with Williams in training camp, when live bullets start flying it’s a different story. Every rookie takes his lumps, but a team contending for a Super Bowl can only stay patient for so long. A cornerback with at least some experience is a better choice for the 2016 Cardinals.

The best-case scenario is that either Simon or Cooper or both grab hold of the position. One of the biggest problems defensively last weekend was getting off the field on third down. Having a solid starter opposite Patrick Peterson will go a long way in addressing that problem.

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