Arizona Cardinals, Mike LaFleur
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Arizona Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur.
The Arizona Cardinals are coming off a four-year playoff drought. In a loaded division, it seemingly could not get worse for the Cardinals.
However, there are some bright spots on this Cardinals team. While they may not make an impact on the field, having guys with a strong locker room presence is huge for any team.
Cardinals wide receiver Simi Fehoko was asked on Twitter about who the underrated “glue guy” is in the locker room. The answer is quite surprising.
“Andre Baccellia,” Fehoko replied. “Dude is the glue. Close with EVERYONE and been in az a long time. You’re new to az? hit up Dre. You need food spots? hit up Dre. You need a barber? Hit up Dre. You need anything? Dre is the guy.”
Simi Fehoko
@YoungFocusBA @Cardschatter Andre Baccellia. Dude is the glue. Close with EVERYONE and been in az a long time. You’re new to az? hit up Dre. You need food spots? hit up Dre. You need a barber? Hit up Dre. You need anything? Dre is the guy.
Who is Andre Baccellia of the Arizona Cardinals?
Usually, the locker room “glue guy” is a quarterback or prominent player on the team.
The Kansas City Chiefs signed Baccellia as an undrafted free agent back in 2020. He spent time on both the Chiefs and the New England Patriots‘ practice squad before signing with the Cardinals in 2021.
Baccellia has been buried in the depth chart as a wide receiver the last few years, spending significant time on the Cardinals’ practice squad.
However, he has appeared in 18 NFL games, catching nine passes for 53 yards, while also returning some kicks in an injury-plagued 2025 season.
For a guy who’s now been through three coaching staffs with Kliff Kingsbury, Jonathan Gannon and Mike Lafleur, Baccellia has carved out a significant role in Arizona, even if it isn’t on the field.
During this past season, Baccellia played a career-high 26% of offensive snaps, while the Cardinals dealt with significant injuries to their wide receiver corps.
So, What’s Next For Baccellia?
It’s not often that a player survives three coaching staffs, especially when they aren’t a star player.
However, it seems the Cardinals have a use for Baccellia as a strong locker room presence. He is entering his age-29 year and will be a free agent after the 2026 season.
It’s unlikely Baccellia’s role will increase this upcoming season.
Wide receiver Michael Wilson broke out in 2025 with 1,006 yards and seven touchdowns. Marvin Harrison Jr. will still have a huge role with the team after a disappointing season and will look to bounce back.
The Cardinals also signed Kendrick Bourne during the first wave of free agency. Bourne played in 16 games with the division-rival San Francisco 49ers during the 2025 season, catching 37 passes for 551 yards. He should have a huge role as a possible slot receiver for Arizona.
While he won’t play many snaps on offense in 2026, barring significant injuries once again, Baccellia could still make the active roster as a special teams player/depth piece.
If Fehoko was right, which he more than likely is, Baccellia will likely still have a role on this Cardinals team as a vocal leader. He can be someone the players can trust and help the Cardinals have a strong locker room vibe in 2026.