The Arizona Cardinals made a league-high 12 selections in the 2024 NFL Draft. That largely eliminated the need for general manager Monti Ossenfort to pursue a large class of undrafted free agents. The Cardinals agreed to terms with just three UDFAs as a result (and one of them was a long snapper!). Former Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Xavier Weaver was the standout signing and has an excellent chance to make the 53-man roster.
Having the luxury of focusing on very few undrafted players, Ossenfort made a sizable financial commitment to Weaver. He signed a contract with the Cardinals that contained $225,000 in guaranteed money, according to Spotrac. That signals Arizona's high level of interest in him and increases his chances of making the team.
Weaver spent the 2023 college football season at Colorado after previously spending four years at South Florida. The Buffaloes standout immediately became a reliable target for Shedeur Sanders, totaling 68 receptions for a career-high 908 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Weaver led Colorado in both catches and yards.
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It represented the continuation of a strong 2022 campaign at South Florida. Weaver led the program in receiving yards with 718 and showed efficiency for the end-zone via six touchdowns. In 2021, he totaled 715 yards.
Weaver was invited to the NFL Combine but skipped the workout portion after recently undergoing shoulder surgery. He did recover in time for his pro day, where he ran a rock-solid 4.47 40 and 4.30 shuttle. Weaver also had a 37-inch vertical and a 10-foot-7 broad jump.
The Cardinals entered the draft with arguably the worst crop of wide receivers in the entire NFL. That prompted Ossenfort to select Marvin Harrison Jr. with the No. 4 overall pick. Arizona doubled down at wideout by taking UAB's Tejhaun Palmer in the sixth round.
Harrison Jr. will be Arizona's go-to receiver in 2024, and Palmer is a strong candidate to make the 53 based on his draft positioning. Last year's third-round pick Michael Wilson is a top-three receiver on the team and the Cardinals also signed veteran pass-catcher Zay Jones following his release from the Jacksonville Jaguars. Weaver should find himself in contention for the fifth, sixth, and potentially seventh spots on the roster, depending on how many Ossenfort decides to keep.
There are a pair of veterans on the back end of the depth chart, Chris Moore and Zach Pascal. Pascal appeared in 13 regular-season contests last season but hardly earned playing time, even among a putrid group of receivers. He accumulated four receptions and is firmly entering training camp on the bubble. Moore has been an underappreciated player throughout his nine-year career. He accumulated 22 catches for 424 yards for the Tennessee Titans last season. Another player vying for a spot is Greg Dortch, a 2019 UDFA who captured a role in Arizona's offense throughout 2023.
Weaver has legitimate upside with the athletic traits required to create explosive plays in an offense. His development should be prioritized over the likes of Moore, Pascal, and Dortch, who have had their opportunities. Weaver should make the Cardinals' 53-man roster as a rotational wideout.
The other Cardinals undrafted free agent worth monitoring is former North Carolina defensive tackle Myles Murphy, who dominated the East-West Shrine Bowl.
