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Arizona Cardinals: Making Late Push to Shore Up Secondary

By Dan Benton

Dec 17, 2015 St. Louis, MO, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Mike Jenkins (24) against the St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones Dome. The Rams won 31-23. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 17, 2015 St. Louis, MO, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Mike Jenkins (24) against the St. Louis Rams at the Edward Jones Dome. The Rams won 31-23. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Arizona Cardinals are less than two weeks away from opening training camp, but that doesn’t mean General Manager Steve Keim is sitting on his hands. The team signed cornerback Mike Jenkins on Tuesday, and are scheduled to meet with Chris Culliver next week.

In desperate need of veteran depth at the cornerback position, the Arizona Cardinals signed Mike Jenkins on Tuesday (via Kyle Odegard of the team’s site).

Jenkins, a first-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys in 2008, spent the previous two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He started only five games last year, recording just 17 tackles and five passes defensed. The year prior, he appeared in only one game before being lost for the season due to a torn pectoral muscle.

Before injuries and inconsistency befell him, Jenkins was a regular starter for both the Cowboys and Oakland Raiders, with whom he spent the 2013 season.

In 101 career games, Jenkins has recorded 244 tackles, 10 interceptions and 54 passes defensed. He was also named to the Pro Bowl in 2009.

Prior to the start of free agency, Pro Football Focus (PFF) gave Jenkins a grade of 44.4, which ranked him 52nd among available free agents.

With the Cardinals, Jenkins become an early favorite to compete for the starting job alongside Pro Bowler Patrick Peterson, although he’ll have to beat out the likes of Justin Bethel and Brandon Williams to secure that job. The team also has Elie Bouka, Cariel Brooks, Trevon Hartfield, Asa Jackson, Harlan Miller, Shaun Prater and Ronald Zamort on their roster.

Even with a full room and a lot of competition, there may yet be more on the way.

Despite the addition of Jenkins on Tuesday, the Cardinals are scheduled to meet with with former Washington Redskins and San Francisco 49ers cornerback Chris Culliver next week.

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Culliver, a third-round draft pick of the San Francisco 49ers in 2011, spent last season with the Washington Redskins. In 52 career games, he’s recorded 143 tackles, seven interception and 37 passes defensed.

Whether the Cardinals add Culliver or not, the cornerback situation will certainly be worth watching come training camp.

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