On a defense where almost every player is a candidate for a blitz on every play, versatility is crucial, and in the secondary, it’s a given.
“If you take Pat (Peterson) and the number one receiver out of it, we all kind of play corner, we all kind of play safety,” said safety Tyrann Mathieu, perhaps the best embodiment of a hybrid player among the team’s defensive backs.
The Cardinals could use a cornerback as they try to find a permanent solution to start across from Peterson. At safety, with the departure of Rashad Johnson, Deone Bucannon’s residence at linebacker and Tony Jefferson going into the last year of his contract (as is
Mathieu), a young addition could help there too, although the Cardinals did sign Tyvon Branch – a safety who is fast enough to be used in coverage.