Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports).

Amidst a slew of coaching changes and a cultural reset, the Arizona Cardinals’ free-agent targets have undoubtedly changed quite a bit. After the team, relieved head coach Kliff Kingsbury of his duties, and general manager Steve Keim decided to step away from the team, Monti Ossenfort and Jonathan Gannon were brought in to replace the duo. Without a doubt, this marks a step towards a new era of football in Arizona. Since taking over, Ossenfort and Gannon have worked tirelessly to build a new coaching staff, including Nick Rallis as defensive coordinator and Drew Petzing as offensive coordinator.

Already, the Arizona Cardinals have shown a commitment to bringing in a staff that can be trusted and shares a vision with Monti Ossenfort and Jonathan Gannon. Nick Rallis, served as the linebackers coach in Philadelphia under Gannon, whilst Petzing also shared a coaching staff with Gannon in Minnesota. This shared experience and familiarity with each other should create an important connection in terms of vision for a roster.

With the coaching staff being built this way, it would be shocking if the roster wasn’t as well. Looking to sign players who align with the new Arizona Cardinals mentality, players who have been a part of a Gannon or Ossenfort roster can be expected signees in Arizona in 2023. Of course, they will also look to add quality pieces that fill roster holes, but the mentality will be the largest factor in determining who makes the watch list for the new leadership.

Three Free Agents for the Arizona Cardinals to Sign:

3. Javon Hargrave (DT) to the Arizona Cardinals:

The Philadelphia Eagles have a ton of free agents this year, and it should be expected that a few get poached. Of course, a few names stand out more than others, with one of those being Javon Hargrave. The 29-year-old had a career season with 11 sacks in the Jonathan Gannon-led defense, contributing to a team that made NFL history with 70 total sacks. For scheme fit, this is a perfect fit for the Cardinals, as Hargrave will have no problem playing under two of the same coaches he had in Philly. This is also a priority positional need for the Arizona Cardinals, as their leading defensive lineman J.J. Watt and Zach Allen are retiring and entering free agency.

Hargrave is going to be a priority re-sign candidate for the Eagles, but getting him would help the Cardinals make a huge splash in free agency. The only downside to this is that Hargrave would likely be extremely costly. As the Cardinals are retooling their team, the aging veteran may not be worth the money to Ossenfort and Gannon. If possible, Hargrave is worth pursuing, but the new regime must not work themselves up against the cap this offseason in doing so.

Defensive tackle Javon Hargrave of the Philadelphia Eagles reacts after a fumble recovery against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Lincoln Financial Field on Oct. 2, 2022, in Philadelphia. (Mitchell Leff/Getty).

2. Jacoby Brissett Fills Arizona Cardinals Depth QB Need:

Relocating to Arizona with his former quarterback coach, Drew Petzing, Jacoby Brissett is a prime fit for the Cardinals this offseason. The Cleveland Browns quarterback played some of his best football working alongside Petzing whilst replacing the suspended Deshaun Watson. Regarded as one of the best backups in the NFL, the 30-year-old formerly spent time with Ossenfort in New England. Throwing for over 2,600 yards and 12 touchdowns and adding 243 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in 2022, Brissett was hardly the problem in his 11 starts in Cleveland. With a good scheme fit under Petzing, the difficult process of QB switching teams would be mitigated by consistency in coaching.

As a good stand-in for Kyler Murray, Brissett could help the Cardinals tread water or even exceed expectations until Murray is back from rehabilitating an ACL tear. Set to return midway through the 2023 season, the Arizona Cardinals may opt to keep Murray out for the year if the team is towards the bottom of the league. In that case, a competent and healthy backup is key to carry over for the rest of the year.

Sure, Colt McCoy has been serviceable, but the veteran backup is dealing with numerous injuries too. At 36 years old, it is doubtful he can deal with more of a physical toll in 2023. Bringing in Brissett would eliminate that risk and leave room for upside in 2023.

Jacoby Brissett of the Cleveland Browns passes during the fourth quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at FirstEnergy Stadium on November 27, 2022, in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images).

1. Arizona Cardinals Bring in Star in T.J. Edwards:

Another former Eagle who fits the criteria of being connected to Gannon, T.J. Edwards is a budding NFL star. The do-it-all linebacker racked up 159 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and two sacks in a career 2022 season. The former undrafted free agent has been a pleasant surprise for the Eagles, with Nick Rallis being heavily credited for his development. A player both loved and trusted by Gannon and Rallis, Edwards is an easy fit in Arizona, especially if the team moves to a base 4-3 defense. At 26 years old, the linebacker would be the most experienced at his position for the Arizona Cardinals but is still a young star in his own right.

Coming from Philadelphia, he has also grown in the culture that is going to be implemented by Ossenfort and Gannon. His mix of veteran knowledge and youth makes him an extremely valuable player. With the incredible season that Edwards had, he also could be pricey though. Unlike Hargrave, his age makes him worth the price as he will have a larger window to compete as the Cardinals retool. With the mega-contract the Arizona Cardinals gave to Kyler Murray kicking in, the team may look for a smaller-scale signing, but if they are willing to spend, Edwards is a must-get.

T.J. Edwards celebrates a big game win for the Eagles in 2022. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images).