Arizona Cardinals profiles: Deone Bucannon

The Arizona Cardinals have concluded mini-camp with next stop training camp in Glendale

We continue our annual look at player by player from A to Z on the current Arizona Cardinals roster as we are now entering the final stages of the offseason before the start of training camp. The next stop is training camp on July 28th.

In this profile we look at safety Deone Bucannon.  Bucannon enters his third NFL season with the Cardinals.

2015: The former first-round choice out of Washington State continued to show improvement in his sophomore season.  After starting just nine games in his rookie season of 2014, he started all 16 games last season.

In 2014 he had 93 tackles but had 112 in 2015.  He had three passes defensed and one interception last year.  That interception was returned 39 yards for a touchdown. In addition, he forced three fumbles and recovered two.

2016:  Bucannon’s hard hitting no doubt lent itself to the numbers he put up last season and the Cardinals will expect even more this season.  He is expected to compete for a starting spot again at safety but can also play at the linebacker position.

Many people thought because of his size, it was hard to pigeon-hole him into one position.  Is he a safety or is he a linebacker.  He was kind of an in-between.  It has worked out well for him so far though through his first two NFL seasons.

Bucannon can also get after the quarterback.  After registering two sacks in 2014, he registered another three in 2015.  He not only hits hard but plays fast.  There is no doubt he will be in the final 53.  It will just be a matter of where.