Arizona Cardinals: Round two for Markus Golden and Chandler Jones
The Arizona Cardinals have placed the franchise tag on Chandler Jones, bringing him back with Markus Golden for another season
The Arizona Cardinals have officially placed the franchise tag on line backer Chandler Jones. Jones who was traded to the Cardinals in 2016 from New England, improved an Arizona pass rush that was looking for more help. In his first season as a Cardinal he piled in 11 sacks, 18 tackles for a loss and hit the QB 22 times.
“The Cardinals are obviously happy to have their 2 best pass rushers back on the same field for another season, but I’m sure the rest of the NFL, and the NFC West is not.”
Something the Cardinals got as well in the trade for Chandler Jones, was the emergence of Markus Golden. The second year line backer added 12.5 sacks and made the Cardinals defense terrorizing from both rushing edges. Golden in his rookie season only had 4 sacks, and 31 tackles. So his emergence with Jones on the field came at the right time.
The Cardinals now have 2 young pass rushers in their prime for another season to wreak havoc on opposing offenses. After the 2015 season the Cardinals knew they needed to improve their pass rush. In 2015 the defense totaled 36 sacks. Their defense and not being to rush the QB was a reason they struggled in the NFC championship game.
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After the Cardinals traded for Jones, and Markus Golden’s emergence. The Cardinals in 2016 totaled 48 sacks, 12 more than 2015. 23 of those coming from Golden and Jones. Heading into 2017 the Cardinals will have one of the best pass rushes in the NFL. Which is key in winning football games, and playing in the physical NFC West.
If Jones and Golden can keep up what they starting in 2016, it will improve the Cardinals defense even though they could be losing a lot of key defensive players to free agency. The Cardinals pass rush from Golden and Jones will open up more chances and opportunity to other defensive players in the pass rush, because teams offenses are going to have to game plan to control the 2 edge rushers.
The Cardinals are obviously happy to have their 2 best pass rushers back on the same field for another season, but I’m sure the rest of the NFL, and the NFC West is not.