The Arizona Cardinals have hired one of the franchise’s all-time great defensive players as a team scout.
According to Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports, the Cardinals are giving former safety Adrian Wilson a chance to be one of Arizona’s NFL scouts.
Cardinals have hired retired S Adrian Wilson as a scout. Has been working hard at it the last year-plus. Gets his shot.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) April 11, 2016
Wilson, who officially retired from the NFL last April, made five Pro Bowls and one All-Pro team for the Cardinals. He finished his 14-year career with 27 interceptions, 25.5 sacks, 87 passes defended and 14 forced fumbles.
The Cardinals inducted Wilson into the team’s Ring of Honor during September of last year.
Wilson saw the late portion of his career derailed by injury after leaving Arizona in 2012. He missed the entire 2013 season with the New England Patriots after tearing his Achilles tendon in training camp, and the Chicago Bears later released him before final cuts ahead of the 2014 season.
Now, the 36-year-old will return to Arizona to help his former team by finding talent for head coach Bruce Arians and general manager Steve Keim.
According to Pete Prisco of CBS, Wilson has been described as “a natural.” Not all former athletes make a seamless transition into the personnel side of the business, but if Wilson is as good at evaluating players as he was an NFL safety, the Cardinals just improved their scouting room.
