Cardinals: 3 cap casualties that could alter 2021 NFL Draft plans

2. Maxx Williams, TE

While perhaps not rising to the expectations of an early second round selection in the NFL draft, Williams has nonetheless carved out a six-year career for himself in the league, thanks in no small part to his ability as a run-blocking specialist. At 6-foot-4, 252 pounds, he is a physical presence on the edge, and his utility in the team’s rushing attack is unquestioned.

However, Arizona’s front office will have to factor in both his lack of production in the passing game and his recent injury history in determining the value he would bring to the 2021 Cardinal team relative to the $3 million in cap space that they would free up by releasing him.

Though the NFL incarnation of Kingsbury’s offense utilizes the tight end position more than was customary with the teams he coached at the college level, it is far from a featured position in the Arizona offense. With fellow tight end Dan Arnold, the Cards’ primary pass-catcher at the position in 2020, in search of a new deal with the club this offseason, Williams’ spot on the roster could appear even more tenuous.

Factor in the intriguing mid-round possibilities at the position in the upcoming draft, such as Boston College’s Hunter Long, Georgia’s Tre McKitty, and Kenny Yeboah of Ole Miss, or even a late round sleeper candidate such as Kansas State’s Briley Moore, and the potential of adding a cheaper, more dynamic replacement could be what seals the deal on Williams’ prospects as an Arizona Cardinal.