The Arizona Cardinals took a close look at four defensive backs this week, bringing in all four for a workout and physical as they search for help in the secondary.
The group was made up entirely of safeties: D’Anthony Bell, Dan Jackson, Mark Perry, and Nate Valcarcel. And while teams often use these workouts to keep tabs on available players for later in the year, this one had a more immediate purpose - finding bodies who could help at cornerback and safety.
That need has grown sharper since Will Johnson went down for the season. Before the injury, the Cardinals’ defensive backfield was seen as one of the stronger parts of the roster.
Since then, the coverage issues have piled up. The pass rush hasn’t helped either, leaving defensive backs stuck trying to cover for too long while quarterbacks get extra time to pick apart the field.
Bell is the most experienced name of the bunch. The 6-foot-1, 211-pound safety won a national championship at the Division II level with the University of West Florida, went undrafted, and signed with the Cleveland Browns.
He ended up appearing in 50 games with seven starts for Cleveland and made his mark on punt and kickoff coverage. He later spent time with the Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks.
Bell has 76 total tackles, 0.5 sacks, 3 QB hits, 2 interceptions, 4 pass defenses, 1 forced fumble, and 3 pressures, and he runs a 4.51.
Jackson, listed at 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds, comes from Georgia, where he played in two national championships and earned a Senior Bowl invite. The Detroit Lions selected him in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but he has not yet appeared in a regular-season game. He runs a 4.46.
Perry, a 6-foot, 211-pound safety, played at Colorado and TCU. He entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2024, signed with the Miami Dolphins, and was cut on final cutdown.
Since then, he has bounced to practice squads with five NFL teams. He has not played in a regular-season game and runs a 4.42.
Valcarcel, who measures 6-foot-1 and 194 pounds, went undrafted in 2025 out of Northern Illinois. He signed with the Los Angeles Rams, was waived, then spent the entire 2025 season on the practice squad.
He later signed a reserves/future contract, had a strong training camp, and still got waived on final cutdown. He has yet to appear in a game and runs a 4.53.
Among the four, Bell was the only one with significant NFL experience, having played in 64 total games. After the workouts, the Cardinals signed Perry to the practice squad.
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