Why Chandler Jones could be the Arizona Cardinals’ savior
By Jim Koch
The Arizona Cardinals’ biggest offseason need was a pass rusher so general manager Steve Keim acquired one of the best
Time was ticking away. The Arizona Cardinals entered the free agency period needing to improve their pass rush. Desirable pass rushers were signing but not with the Cardinals.
Von Miller never even became available because he was hit with the franchise tag by Denver. Jason Pierre-Paul flirted with Arizona before ultimately heading back to the Big Apple. Mario Williams took his talents to South Beach, Bruce Irvin bolted Seattle for Oakland, Tamba Hali decided to remain in Kansas City.
It was starting to look bleak. Dwight Freeney was available although the Cards seemed in no hurry to re-sign him. Picking at #29 in the draft probably wasn’t gonna net them the stud they craved.
And then it happened.
The glorious news broke that Arizona had acquired sack-master Chandler Jones from the New England Patriots. What they gave up to get him didn’t seem to be much at all. A second round pick in the upcoming draft plus under-achieving guard Jonathan Cooper was all the Pats asked for in return.
GM Steve Keim was applauded throughout the NFL for acquiring such a young, talented player such as Jones. The 26 year old recorded double-digit sacks in 2015 and 2013 and most likely would have in 2014 also had he not missed six games.
Jones is joining a defense in the desert that without him was still able to rank fifth in the league last season. The addition of a player who tallied 12.5 sacks in ’15 could make this Arizona unit very special.
Besides Jones the Cards have promising second-year OLB Markus Golden who registered four sacks as a rookie and should improve that number with Jones demanding attention on the opposite side.
Also returning is fourth-year OLB Alex Okafor who’s in a contract year. Okafor disappointed last season with only two sacks. But in 2014 he showed he could get to the QB getting eight sacks in only 13 games.
It’s also not out of the question that the club’s leading sack artist from a year ago, future Hall of Famer Freeney, could be back in the fold. Besides his eight sacks in only eleven games Freeney provides valuable leadership and character.
Keim’s willingness to give up a second round pick and a player he spent a first round pick on for a player who will be a free agent next offseason says alot. It says that the club is going for it THIS year, that they are “all in” as the saying goes.
It could also be that the front office sees the window closing on the team that’s won double-digit games the last three seasons. Carson Palmer and Larry Fitzgerald aren’t getting any younger and the team has a laundry list of players set to hit free agency offseason, including Fitzgerald.
But as we sit here today, two weeks before training camp, the roster is loaded. Many experts saw Arizona as being one stud pass rusher away from a Super Bowl title and Jones has landed in the desert.
Maybe it’s time the Super Bowl dream becomes reality.