1. Jalen Ramsey (or DJ Hayden)

The reason we list two names comes down to the possibility of the Cardinals extending Patrick Peterson, whose five-year, $70 million contract extension will expire at the end of this season. Fans in Arizona will remember the eight-time Pro Bowler requesting a trade mid-season in 2018, but he ultimately apologized and asserted that he was “here to stay.” 

If negotiations don’t lead to an extension and Peterson walks, the Cardinals should heavily pursue Jalen Ramsey, who is reportedly in discussions for a new contract with the Rams. However, their cap situation is abysmal, so there’s no telling how those negotiations will turn out. If they blow up in Los Angeles’ face, then Arizona should get the 26-year-old stud on the phone. 

If it all works out between Ramsey and the Rams, then Arizona should set its sights on signing DJ Hayden, who’s fresh off a solid campaign with Jacksonville. The Jaguars have made it clear that they’re embracing a rebuild, so we don’t see why they would entertain re-signing a seven-year veteran. Hayden allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete just 60% of their passes when targeting him in 2019, per Pro Football Focus, which gave him an elite 76.9 grade for the campaign. 

The Cardinals need to address their bottom-barrel secondary next offseason, and pairing Peterson with Hayden — or adding a dominant cover corner in Ramsey — would go a long way in helping the cause.