Cardinals Should Sign Browns OT

Free agency has all come to a close for the Arizona Cardinals, and the majority of free agents have found new homes.

Although this year‘s pool had a few marquee names we still saw some shake ups go down across the landscape. The Cardinals were busy birds and signed several new faces along with bringing back some familiar names, too.

The team’s top signings helped address the biggest needs on the team, including the defensive line, though a spot that curiously did not see much action was the offensive line. It’s not as though the group is amongst the worst in the league, but it still needed to add depth and competition.

There’s only a small handful of free agent offensive lineman left who makes sense to bring in at this point in time, and one of the guys who has my attention is Jedrick Wills.

This isn’t the first time I brought up Wills, who is on the verge of flaming out of the league as a failed top draft pick by the Browns to be their left tackle of the future. But the reason I continually bring him up is because of one crucial detail: he can play right tackle.

Arizona already has their solution on the left side with Paris Johnson Jr., who made the move last season in his second year with massive success. But right tackle it’s still a question mark even after re-signing Kelvin Beachum.

The 2025 NFL draft class does have a handful of quality right tackle prospects, but my intrigue of bringing in Wills on a cheap, prove-it deal is quite high; maybe not a preference per se, but a move I could absolutely get behind.

I mentioned earlier that Wills was supposed to be Cleveland’s franchise left tackle, but it didn’t work out. Perhaps the biggest reason for that failure was it was a change from where he played in college as a star right tackle for Alabama.

Maybe the key to turning his career around is moving back to the strong side.

I have to imagine that Wills is willing to do whatever it takes to keep his NFL career afloat, even if that meant moving positions. I would also assume that being asked to move back to his natural position would be something he would be more than willing to try out.

To be honest, it’s a move. I think a lot of offensive line-needy teams should consider.

Signing Wills would be a move I would consider low-risk, medium-reward. We can’t assume he will suddenly become the Pro Bowl-caliber player teams hoped he would be when he was drafted, but maybe he can become an average starter with a move back.

The move would likely be pennies on the dollar, especially this late in the free agency process, too.

All of this adds up to a move I feel as a layup to make, and a move I would applaud the Cardinals for making.

Again, the risk is minimal as long as you maintain expectations and understand it’s a dice roll.

Honestly, why not? You could make far worse decisions right now, and there's few moves that would provide less buyers remorse if it doesn’t work out.

Give Wilks a one-year prove-it contract and see how it works. Maybe you get a starting right tackle; maybe you're out a few million bucks. I think you can live with either result.