The Cardinals agreed to a trade for Browns cornerback Jamar Taylor on Saturday.
The Cardinals addressed their need in the secondary on Saturday, agreeing to terms with the Browns on a trade for cornerback Jamar Taylor. Cleveland will receive a 2020 sixth-round pick in return, provided Taylor passes a physical.
The 27-year-old has started 29 games over the past two seasons and is projected to play outside cornerback opposite Patrick Peterson.
Taylor has three career interceptions, all of which came in 2016, his first year as a full-time starter. In the past two seasons, the 5-foot-11, 192-pound Taylor has been given overall grades of 82.0 and 74.0 by Pro Football Focus.
Taylor was originally a second-round pick of the Dolphins in 2013, starting nine games for the team in
three seasons. Taylor was traded to the Browns in 2016 and won a starting job. He signed a three-year, $16.5 million extension that December.
Taylor's base salary is listed at $4.25 million for 2018, per OverTheCap.com, but NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported he is restructuring to make the contract more palatable for the Cardinals. The Cardinals reportedly had free agent cornerback Bashaud Breeland in for a visit on Thursday, but the trade for Taylor makes that signing unlikely.
In early April, Peterson spoke of adding a veteran cover man on the other side of the field to bolster the defense.
"If we're able to get a true No. 2 cornerback that has solidified himself in this league, I think quarterbacks won't have an option anymore," Peterson said. "He has to go with his gut feeling, or he has to go with his first read. He has to second-guess himself on both sides of the field now. I believe if we can get us another corner that can stand up, make plays, build a name for himself, I think that would present more opportunities for me."
The No. 2 cornerback spot was viewed as the defense's biggest question mark prior to the trade. Veteran Tramon Williams did a nice job opposite Peterson down the stretch last season but departed for the Packers in free agency.
The Cardinals drafted a cornerback – Penn State's Chris Campbell – but not until the sixth round, keeping the position a priority. While the Cardinals have other options on the roster, including Brandon Williams, Bené Benwikere and Marcus Williams, there was no clear-cut choice to start.
Images from the third OTA of the offseason
![S Budda Baker](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/cardinals/tgrmb5mlx8zugt7wneev.jpg)
S Budda Baker
![P Andy Lee](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/cardinals/ytl1bsfj1o3ck08rimvu.jpg)
P Andy Lee
![QB Sam Bradford](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/cardinals/o1chcudsxt0fgb6uqogj.jpg)
QB Sam Bradford
![WR Brice Butler](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/cardinals/brdjmt7eat4af0j9lnji.jpg)
WR Brice Butler
![LBs Haason Reddick and Josh Bynes](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/cardinals/war413assegt87srnkpd.jpg)
LBs Haason Reddick and Josh Bynes
![RB Chase Edmonds gets a fist bump from coach Steve Wilks](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/cardinals/he64r3mr5daeikknzad2.jpg)
RB Chase Edmonds gets a fist bump from coach Steve Wilks
![CB Chris Campbell](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/cardinals/bxmwosy84sg47y6ggxpa.jpg)
CB Chris Campbell
![RB David Johnson](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/cardinals/wmj8u9gpkazpqhyfssoy.jpg)
RB David Johnson
![Defense breaks the huddle](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/cardinals/rpid9gjobmozhkpip8bs.jpg)
Defense breaks the huddle
![DEs Chandler Jones and Vontarrius Dora](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/cardinals/wapi8l5er0ztzmwb0txn.jpg)
DEs Chandler Jones and Vontarrius Dora
![WR Carlton Agudosi](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/cardinals/g2jnp0kdttrrghaulnnx.jpg)
WR Carlton Agudosi
![WR Larry Fitzgerald](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/cardinals/luvrlhni12dwtenww6wn.jpg)
WR Larry Fitzgerald
![RB D.J. Foster](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/cardinals/j4jusoy4hjqf5zdpf6o4.jpg)
RB D.J. Foster
![QB Mike Glennon](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/cardinals/wvigcrwh1beuikec0zmo.jpg)
QB Mike Glennon
![WR Cobi Hamilton](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/cardinals/wjovwv0a4fveyenb8vb6.jpg)
WR Cobi Hamilton
![Helmets ready for work](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/cardinals/zg65auxgvw9skspbscvv.jpg)
Helmets ready for work
![G Mike Iupati](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/cardinals/gvboqzfhvybnhkxy42hh.jpg)
G Mike Iupati
![CBs Brandon Williams (26) and Marcus Williams (28)](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/cardinals/ukrbgeol48ib9muw0o0s.jpg)
CBs Brandon Williams (26) and Marcus Williams (28)
![WR J.J. Nelson](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/cardinals/tinfcaidpmryunpjbjz6.jpg)
WR J.J. Nelson
![RB Elijhaa Penny](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/cardinals/dqgi4f9p5s2pvr7kkxmu.jpg)
RB Elijhaa Penny
![G Justin Pugh (right) dispenses advice to rookie lineman Will House](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/cardinals/qvwwroe6kgdwaxvgq6rw.jpg)
G Justin Pugh (right) dispenses advice to rookie lineman Will House
![The quarterbacks](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/cardinals/rmj1u8wfm9dgwdpyzn7e.jpg)
The quarterbacks
![WR Rashad Ross](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/cardinals/nbg7p2eulz6d2h3fzjvi.jpg)
WR Rashad Ross
![TEs Beau Sandland (81) and Bryce Williams (80)](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/cardinals/d34imat8rq2jrxnxsfct.jpg)
TEs Beau Sandland (81) and Bryce Williams (80)
![LB Scooby Wright](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/cardinals/zeaqh2jbk7xwlgu4ufpk.jpg)
LB Scooby Wright
![TE Ricky Seals-Jones](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/cardinals/xama8sazvriwb9bimwpc.jpg)
TE Ricky Seals-Jones
![C A.Q. Shipley](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/cardinals/go6gogiahwrsuqizyur6.jpg)
C A.Q. Shipley
![CB Tavierre Thomas](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/cardinals/fdzzzofcxbggr6ukdljq.jpg)
CB Tavierre Thomas
![The tight ends](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/cardinals/veaoarcb7a5bxfvfrtm6.jpg)
The tight ends
![WR Trent Sherfield](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/cardinals/ugwsnms0xaawvn7tjuqn.jpg)
WR Trent Sherfield
![OL John Wetzel](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/cardinals/dd0kutkunljp0mkiznm6.jpg)
OL John Wetzel
![Coach Steve Wilks](https://static.clubs.nfl.com/image/private/t_new_photo_album/t_lazy/f_auto/cardinals/oztrk4gqtlcgisbc6gqg.jpg)
Coach Steve Wilks