With the Cardinals interested in wide receiver Tyler Lockett and he being a free agent, the Seahawks may have to let him go. Whether they keep Lockett or not is still up for debate but it will be interesting to see if either team’s interest changes over time.
The “cardinals team” is a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. The Cardinals are members of the National Football League and have been since the 1920s.
Getty In comparison to a frequent foe, the Cardinals are interested in a wide receiver.
Even if A.J. Green is back in the fold, the Arizona Cardinals should still pursue a wide receiver in the 2022 NFL Draft. There are plenty of capable pass-catchers to pick from in a class with a lot of skill.
When the Cardinals don’t choose until the 23rd round in the first round, they may lose out on a chance to draft one of the top players. Fortunately, a capable wideout may still be available by then. Tyler Lockett of the Cardinals’ NFC West opponents, the Seattle Seahawks, has been likened to this youngster.
Furthermore, the Cardinals are said to have shown “sincere” interest in this receiver, who is “tailor-made” to play in the slot in the NFL. That would make him an excellent replacement for Christian Kirk, who signed a free agent contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
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The Cardinals are interested in Penn State’s ace quarterback.
Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, or Drake London may be too late for the Cardinals with the 23rd overall selection. They’re the most well-known receivers in this group, but there’s still value to be found elsewhere in a large skill pool.
According to beat writer Johnny Venerable, Penn State’s Jahan Dotson qualifies as one of the next best, and the Cardinals are already interested.
According to my sources, the Arizona Cardinals’ interest in Penn State wide receiver Jahan Dotson is legitimate.
A former team captain with legitimate 4.4 speed, he projects as an outside pass catcher. pic.twitter.com/hEdkmOUrGv
April 16, 2022 — Johnny Venerable (@JohnnyVenerable)
Dotson may not be as well-known as other prospects, but he was a significant contributor for the Nittany Lions. According to ESPN, Dotson has 91 receptions for 1,182 yards and 12 touchdowns in his last season on college.
Dotson’s safe hands and ability to generate yards in crunch circumstances distinguish him. On 3rd-and-3 to 7, he averaged 6.6 yards per catch, proving Dotson is a steady chain-mover, according to ESPN.
He’s also a wideout who can be counted on to catch and hold onto the ball when it’s sent his way. According to PFF Draft, no one receiver in the Big Ten was more sure-handed in the previous three years than Dotson:
Since 2019, the Big Ten’s WRs with the lowest drop rates have been (min. 150 targets)
David Bell has a 4.2 percent share of the market. 2. Jahan Dotson has a 4.9 percent chance of winning. Chris Olave, third place: 5.1 percent pic.twitter.com/cDzgGDmSJh
April 16, 2022 — PFF Draft (@PFF College)
Dotson’s dependability and ability to dominate the sticks make him an ideal slot player in any attack. These characteristics also explain the comparisons to Lockett, the kind of inside speedster the Cardinals have been missing since Kirk departed town.
Cardinals Should Like Lockett Comparisons
Lockett was recognized as Dotson’s finest pro comparison by Nate Tice of Bleacher Report. Both receivers are comparable in stature, with Lockett weighing in at 5’10” and 182 pounds, while Dotson is 5’11” and 184 pounds.
Despite his small stature, Lockett has routinely won from the inside over his professional career. Making short-range grabs across the center isn’t the only way to win. Lockett has also carved out a name for himself as a slot danger.
According to StatMuse, the Cardinals are well aware of Lockett, who has six touchdown receptions in his previous four games against them. In Week 7 of the 2020 season, Lockett showed off his knack for extending the field by catching a 47-yard touchdown pass from the slot against the Cardinals:
Dotson has the same kind of big-play potential. Because of his excellent lateral agility and balance, Dotson “can consistently produce yards after the catch on short and intermediate routes,” according to Tice. On post and go routes, he has the long speed to knock the top off defenses.”
Since taking over as head coach of the Cardinals, Kliff Kingsbury has pushed for field-stretchers from the slot. That’s what he transformed Kirk into last season, and it’s why the team drafted Andy Isabella with a second-round selection in 2019.
Isabella has been a letdown, and she has been granted permission to seek a trade this offseason. Dotson would undoubtedly be a better fit as a Kirk replacement at a position. According to Pro Football Focus, Mike Renner believes the rookie is well-suited for the position:
DeAndre Hopkins and Green anchor Kingsbury’s passing game on the outside. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the latter just returned to the organization on a one-year contract, but he will need to produce more in his second year.
The Cardinals should be productive on the perimeter thanks to a Green-Hopkins duo, with Rondale Moore serving as a versatile weapon in all phases of the attack. The vacancy is the lone position that has to be filled, and Dotson would undoubtedly make an immediate impact in Arizona.
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