As free agency in the NFL approaches, teams will try to improve themselves, adding veteran players. Some will command a large contract like J.J. Watt did with the Arizona Cardinals. Some are overrated. Others might not be valued highly enough.
According to Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar, one of the most underrated defensive free agents who will be available is one of the Cardinals’ own free agents. Outside linebacker Markus Golden makes the list.
Golden did play seven games for the Giants in 2020 before the team traded him back to the Cardinals in October for a 2020 sixth-round pick. It turned out best for Golden, who was free in Vance Joseph’s blitz-heavy concepts to get after the quarterback with authority. Golden had 41 total pressures with Arizona in nine games and just 14 with Big Blue in seven.
Not that Golden needs a blitz to get pressure, as he showed in this Week 17 rep against the Rams, where he just burned right tackle Rob Havenstein around the edge to come down with quarterback John Wolford. At 6-foot-3 and 260 pounds, he’s got a great combination of speed, power, and speed to power.
Golden has been a consistently underrated pressure machine for a while now, but whichever team signs him for 2021 and beyond will be rewarded with more quarterback disruption than you might think. He may be less of a priority for the Cardinals, who just signed J.J. Watt, but some lucky team is going to get a real bargain with this guy.
Golden loved his return to Arizona and does want to be back. He did not find much of a market when he was a free agent last year, despite having 10 sacks in 2019.
He isn’t the most athletic and will be 30 years old when the season begins, so he might not find top pass rusher money.
That said, with his relentless effort on the field and his strength, whoever signs him should get a nice addition.
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
Latest show:
Previous shows:
and
Leave a Reply