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The Arizona Cardinals have produced several quality players from undrafted free agents. Lyle Sendlein, Tony Jefferson, and Marcel Shipp are among the top players who began their careers with Arizona and went on to play in the NFL. Kurt Warner, the current Super Bowl champion, was once an undrafted free agent.
Warner was not drafted out of Northern Iowa in 1994. He went to training camp in Green Bay but did not stick, eventually settling in St. Louis. You never know what to expect from an undrafted player. This year, Arizona could unearth a hidden treasure in Xavier Weaver, a wide receiver from the University of Colorado.
Weaver joins the Cardinals at an ideal time. The squad started the offseason in severe need of wide receiver help. They selected Marvin Harrison Jr. with the fourth overall choice in the 2024 NFL Draft, but they still need to add receivers. Arizona’s current depth chart lists Harrison Jr., Michael Wilson, and journeyman Zay Jones as the top three receivers. That means Weaver will only have to compete with Greg Dortch, Chris Moore, Zach Pascal, and others for a spot on the roster as wide receiver depth. That is entirely possible.
The structure of Weaver’s contract differs from that of other UDFAs. The Cardinals signed Weaver to a three-year, $2.87 million contract, according to Spotrac. His contract includes a $30,000 signing bonus and a $255,000 guarantee upon signing. This isn’t a huge contract by NFL standards, but the Cardinals are clearly displaying their commitment to Weaver. This means they may prefer to cling onto him instead of other players when push comes to shove.
Weaver is an intriguing wide receiver prospect. He played four seasons at USF and was the team’s leading receiver in 2021. Despite missing three games due to injury, Weaver earned Second-Team All-American Athletic Conference honours in 2022, racking up 718 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. He switched to Colorado and led the team with 908 receiving yards in his final year. Weaver caught four touchdown passes in 2023 and got a good 69.2 receiving grade, according to PFF.
Ryan Fowler of Bleacher Report is a fan of Xavier Weaver and believes he can stick with the Cardinals. “Xavier Weaver was a standout at South Florida, where he caught 94 passes for 1,433 yards and eight touchdowns across the 2021 and 2022 seasons,” Fowler stated. “He then transferred to Colorado to end his collegiate career under the tutelage of head coach Deion Sanders.”
“While quarterback Shedeur Sanders and CB/WR hybrid Travis Hunter drew most of the spotlight last season, Weaver quietly posted 908 yards, leading all Colorado pass-catchers.” Weaver’s ability to emerge as a team’s leading receiver bodes well for him after college.
His ability to get open could help him survive in the NFL. “At 6’1″ and 169 pounds, Weaver has an excellent release package,” said Fowler, “and he isn’t afraid to mix it up in the condensed areas at the second level.” Xavier Weaver has a good chance of making Arizona’s 53-man roster. If he does not make the final roster, he will presumably remain on the team’s practice squad. Weaver appears to be a guy that Arizona does not want to lose, thus he may end up on the final roster if another team tries to take him from the Cardinals’ practice squad.
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