Arizona Cardinals GM Steve Keim discusses team’s approach to free agency
Feb 19, 2015, 6:27 PM | Updated: 6:27 pm
Since being named as the Arizona Cardinals’ general manager in January 2014, Steve Keim has made more than 400 roster moves.
Among them are the free agent signings of QB Drew Stanton, defensive linemen Tommy Kelly and Frostee Rucker, cornerbacks Antonio Cromartie and Jerraud Powers, linebacker Karlos Dansby as well as offensive linemen Jared Veldheer, Paul Fanaika and Ted Larsen.
While some of their free agent pickups were notable names, many were not — and most were not exactly given the kind of monster contract that leads Sportscenter.
With the 2015 version of free agency fast approaching, and Larry Fitzgerald’s contract situation resolved, the Cardinals can now begin to turn their attention toward the open market, from where they will look to add more talent to the roster.
“I think you can approach it several different ways,” Keim told Doug and Wolf on Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Thursday morning, adding that their philosophy in the draft is always to draft the best player available. “Last year we addressed the left tackle spot with Jared Veldheer, one of our bigger free agent signings in terms of money, but then we’ve done a lot of budget shopping. Trying to find guys over the past few years at lower salaries that have had a chip on their shoulder and want to prove people wrong.”
Keim singled out Dansby and Cromartie as players who fit that mold, as each signed with Arizona for one year and played well.
“But we’ve had a lot of success with those type of guys, the Tommy Kellys of the world,” he added. “Guys who have had success in the NFL and for whatever reason their market has declined a little bit.
“And we try to take advantage of that.”
While the Cardinals will look to find as many good deals as they can, there are certainly areas from which they would like to do most of their shopping.
“I don’t think it’s any secret that outside linebacker, to find a guy that could be a premier pass rusher, speed and athleticism at inside ‘backer is a need for us,” he said. “And I think any time you can get more physical up front on the offensive line, on the interior, to create a sustainable run game where we can get movement at the point of attack and be more physical up front.”
While Keim said those are three areas the team would like to address this offseason, he also said there is no position on the roster he does not think could be improved in some way.
