Arizona acquired safety Kerry Rhodes from the Jets for a 2010…
Arizona acquired safety Kerry Rhodes from the Jets for a 2010 fourth-round pick and a 2011 seventh-rounder. Rhodes immediately became a productive starter, recording four interceptions and four fumble recoveries in his first Cardinals season and remaining a starter for three years. New York used the fourth-round asset in the move up for Joe McKnight and later selected Greg McElroy with the 2011 seventh. Arizona gained the better direct football value.
Arizona Cardinals Received
- player Kerry Rhodes
New York Jets Received
- pick 2010 4th round pick (124th overall; traded with pick 198 to Carolina for pick 112, used on Joe McKnight; Carolina selected Eric Norwood at 124)
- pick 2011 7th round pick (208th overall, Greg McElroy)
Trade Analysis
Arizona needed a free safety immediately after Antrel Rolle left for the Giants in free agency and filled the vacancy by acquiring Kerry Rhodes from the Jets. The Cardinals sent their 2010 fourth-round pick and a seventh-round selection in 2011. Earlier versions of this record incorrectly labeled both choices as 2010 picks; contemporary reports and the Jets' own media guide confirm that the second asset was a 2011 seventh-rounder.
Rhodes fit quickly next to Adrian Wilson. In 2010 he started all 16 games, intercepted four passes, recovered four fumbles and returned two turnovers for touchdowns. He remained Arizona's starting free safety through 2012 and produced 11 interceptions over three Cardinals seasons. The team did not become a contender during that stretch, but Rhodes supplied dependable, playmaking secondary value at a position Arizona needed to fill immediately.
New York's fourth-round pick was No. 124. The Jets packaged that selection with No. 198 to move up to No. 112 and select running back Joe McKnight. McKnight became an excellent kick returner and useful rotational back before his Jets tenure ended after three seasons. Arizona's 2011 seventh-rounder became No. 208, used on quarterback Greg McElroy, who served as depth and made one start. The Jets therefore extracted some value, just not an equivalent starting defender.
Arizona earns a B+ for acquiring three productive seasons from Rhodes at a manageable Day 3 price. New York receives a C+ because the return helped create McKnight and added quarterback depth, but neither asset matched Rhodes' direct impact. The Cardinals win moderately, and the asset correction is important because it restores the actual 2011 seventh-round compensation without changing the existing page address.