Cardinals make trio of undrafted free agent signings

Even though the Arizona Cardinals drafted 12 new players last week, the team continued to add to their roster this week as they signed three undrafted college players.

After coming away from the 2024 NFL Draft with a load of picks, the Cardinals signed UNC defensive lineman Myles Murphy, Colorado wide receiver Xavier Weaver and NC State long snapper Joe Shimko.

Murphy played 52 games in four seasons (2020-23) at his hometown school, University of North Carolina. The 6-foot-5, 310-pound lineman collected 99 tackles and defended four passes as a Tar Heel. Murphy started in all 13 games and totaled 24 tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery a season ago.

Weaver spent four seasons (2019-22) with Southern Florida before transferring to Colorado last year. Under the guidance of the Buffaloes’ head coach Deion Sanders, the 23-year-old played 11 games, accumulating 68 receptions for 908 yards and scored four touchdowns. While at Southern Florida, Weaver received second-team All-AAC honors in 2022.

As for the New Jersey native Shimko, the Cardinals are getting the reigning Patrick Mannelly Award winner for the best long snapper in college football. Flawlessly, Schimko snapped 607 times in 62 games during his five-year (2019-23) college career at NC State, not having a “bad” snap.

More teams around the league will sign numerous amounts of undrafted free agents usually, but Arizona ended up with just three. Since the Cards drafted a dozen players, the team was reaching the limit of 90 on the roster.

The drafted and undrafted rookies will participate in the Rookie minicamp starting on May 10.

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