Cardinals Draft Primer 2020: Special Teams

Big Red

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Mar 16, 2019
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General Manager Steve Keim did an impressive job filling needs to begin the league year, as there are no longer any glaring holes in the starting lineup. He will aim to supplement the roster in the draft, beginning with the No. 8 overall selection. The Cardinals are without their second-rounder because of the DeAndre Hopkins trade, but did pick up an additional fourth in the deal. We will break down each position group heading into the draft, which will be held April 23-25.


Draft primer: Special Teams


More draft primers: OL I DL I WR I CB I TE


Players under contract: P Andy Lee; P Ryan Winslow; LS Aaron Brewer


The Cardinals' situation: Kicker Zane Gonzalez isn't technically under contract, but the Cardinals gave him a second-round restricted free agent tender and the offer sheet window has passed, which means he will be back in 2020, either at that $3.26 million figure or on a longer-term deal. Andy Lee remains solid at punter, while backup Ryan Winslow showed potential as a fill-in last season. Aaron Brewer is the model of consistency at long snapper.


The draft class: Specialists rarely go high in the draft, and there is no elite kicker that would warrant a mid-round selection this year. Georgia's Rodrigo Blankenship and Georgia Southern's Tyler Bass are projected as the kickers most likely to be drafted. Arizona State's Michael Turk is one of the top punter prospects -- and is certainly the strongest – along with Texas A&M's Braden Mann and South Carolina's Joseph Charlton.


The conclusion: The Cardinals' specialists were solid last season and are all projected to return in 2020. If the Cardinals add someone, the most likely path would be as an undrafted free agent to serve as competition during training camp.

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