3. Justin Simmons 

It doesn’t take a football scholar to understand why the Cardinals’ defense struggled as much as it did in 2019. While the front six wreaked havoc on opposing quarterbacks, it, unfortunately, wasn’t nearly enough to mask the evident flaws of the secondary. According to ESPN’s statistical database, Arizona ranked 31st in the NFL with a whopping 281.9 passing yards allowed per game. 

We’ll have more on the Cards cornerback outlook (spoiler) in a little bit, but for now let’s focus on the safety position. A major storyline to keep tabs on as we move through the 2020 season is the contract situation regarding safety Budda Baker, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal. As much as Arizona might want to re-sign the two-time Pro Bowler, there’s no telling how much money he’ll demand.

NFL free agency is impossible to predict, so the Cardinals should have a contingency plan in place in the event they aren’t able to retain Baker. In our eyes, that should be Broncos stud Justin Simmons, who’s also entering a contract year. The 26-year-old is fresh off posting 93 tackles, 17 passes defended and four interceptions for Denver. 

Furthermore, he received the highest coverage grade (90.5) and highest overall grade (90.4) among all defensive backs in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus. What more needs to be said? Simmons wouldn’t cure all of Arizona’s woes, but signing him would be a great start in overhauling the secondary.