The Arizona Cardinals are bringing the band back together. After signing former San Francisco 49ers guard Mike Iupati to a huge contract prior to the 2015 season, the team has added his former teammate, Alex Boone.
That information comes directly from Boone’s agents.
Alex Boone has agreed to terms with the @AZCardinals Arizona Cardinals
— Neil S Schwartz (@Neilsschwartz) September 5, 2017
Boone was just recently released by the Minnesota Vikings after just one season. It was a surprise move, especially considering Minnesota signed him to a four-year, $26.8 million contract prior to the 2016 campaign.
Simply put, Boone was a major free agent bust for the Vikings. But he does add talent and depth to a Cardinals offensive line that is lacking in both areas. It would not be a surprise to see Boone earn the starting right guard job over current first-team player Evan Boehm. In fact, that’s likely the reason Arizona signed the former Pro Bowl-caliber guard.
The Cardinals need to find something that works in pass protection in front of the immobile Carson Palmer. That’s only magnified by the fact that the team has to take on three elite-level defensive fronts in the Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers a total of six times this season.
Boone joins Iupati, Phil Dawson and Andy Lee as former members of the 49ers to join the division-rival Cardinals. It’s an interesting dynamic to look at heading into the 2017 regular season.