Ninth-year NFL veteran Dre Kirkpatrick has been an outstanding addition to the defensive backfield of the Arizona Cardinals
Back in August, the Arizona Cardinals secondary was dealt a debilitating blow for the second consecutive year. Robert Alford, a free agent addition back in 2019, would miss the entire 2020 campaign with a torn pectoral muscle. Just 12 months before, the veteran cornerback suffered a broken leg that ended his first season with the Cards before it even began.
Just days after Alford’s latest injury, the Arizona front office got lucky. Surprisingly, with the season-opener just around the corner, general manager Steve Keim found an outstanding replacement for the fallen defensive back. In fact, the free agent that was signed by the Cardinals could quite possibly be giving the club more than Alford could’ve offered.
Dre Kirkpatrick, a longtime member of the Cincinnati Bengals, has been an excellent addition to Arizona’s defensive backfield. The 31-year old joined Patrick Peterson and Byron Murphy in the desert, giving the Redbirds a solid trio of cover guys. Kirkpatrick was released by the Bengals after eight seasons with the franchise, and the Cards have managed to use that break-up to their advantage.
