TEMPE, Ariz. -- Coming back from a week on vacation, my inbox was full of moves by the Arizona Cardinals since last weekend’s rookie minicamp.
They signed a handful of draft picks, a veteran linebacker and a few free-agent rookies.
Here’s a look at the week in review:
Rookies getting signed: Arizona signed four draft picks last week -- second-round pick Markus Golden, fourth-round pick Rodney Gunter, fifth-round pick Shaq Riddick and fifth-round pick J.J. Nelson.
All four received four-year contracts.
Vet linebacker added: The Cardinals continued to add depth at inside linebacker with the future of Daryl Washington still unknown. They signed veteran Darryl Sharpton to a one-year contract.
Safety Eddie Whitely was released in a corresponding move.
Sharpton has played five years in the NFL. He spent last season with the Chicago Bears and played the four previous years with the Houston Texans. He had 15 tackles in five games last season with the Bears before going on injured reserve with a hamstring injury in December.
He has one career sack.
Rookie minicamp attendees leave impression: Three players who attended the Cardinals’ rookie minicamp performed well enough to leave with contracts.
Arizona signed free-agent safeties Harold Jones-Quartey and Brandon Person, as well as quarterback Phillip Sims.
Wide receiver Travis Harvey, tackle Kelvin Palmer and safety Ross Weaver were released in corresponding roster moves.
All three rookie free agents played at Division II schools last season: Jones-Quartey at Findlay, Person at Tiffin and Sims at Winston-Salem State. Sims played at the University of Alabama from 2010-11 and the University of Virginia in 2012.
