GLENDALE, Ariz. -- In their search to replace injured cornerback Robert Alford, the Arizona Cardinals signed veteran corner Dre Kirkpatrick to a one-year contract Sunday.
Kirkpatrick is the third corner the Cardinals have signed in the week since Alford was lost for the season with a pec injury. Alford was put on injured reserve on Friday. Kirkpatrick gives the Cardinals a veteran presence at outside corner opposite Patrick Peterson.
"Well, Dre has been a starting corner in this league for the last four or five years. I coached him for two seasons in Cincy. He was a young guy coming on fast there," Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said Sunday. "He's had some really good years in his league and he's excited about being here and he's obviously familiar with most of our system but some things have changed in the last four to five years, when it comes to my system so we're excited to have Dre here and we'll see how it shakes out."
Kirkpatrick is also the second former Cincinnati Bengals cornerback signed by the Cardinals in the past week. On Friday they signed B.W. Webb, who started in 12 games for Cincinnati last season.
Kirkpatrick became a free agent when he was released by the Bengals on March 31, ending his eight-year tenure with the franchise.
His release came on the heels of Cincinnati's massive spending spree during free agency in which the Bengals added two cornerbacks -- Trae Waynes and Mackensie Alexander. Waynes recently underwent surgery for a pectoral injury and coach Zac Taylor said last week that it was "too early to tell" if he would be able to play at some point in 2020.
Kirkpatrick, 30, started six games at outside cornerback for Cincinnati in 2019 before he suffered a season-ending knee injury on Nov. 10.
During his time in Cincinnati, he started 67 games and made 99 appearances. He tallied 10 interceptions, 65 passes defensed and 302 tackles.
The Bengals selected Kirkpatrick 17th overall out of Alabama in the 2012 draft.
ESPN's Ben Baby contributed to this report.