Arizona Cardinals End of the Season Awards
By Jeremy Meek
Chandler Jones has made a huge impact on the Cardinals, and on opposing quarterbacks
The 2015 Cardinals struggled in several areas, including the ability to get to the quarterback. They ranked 20th in the NFL in sacks, and were led by Dwight Freeney’s eight. They had just 35 sacks as a team, and went into the offseason looking to improve the pass rush. They brought in Chandler Jones, via trade, to help.
Jones instantly added teeth to the Cardinals defense, giving them a pass rusher that opponents had to scheme for on every down. He paid dividends right away.
Jones opened the season with a sack in each of Arizona’s first four games, and he ended up totaling 11 on the season. He was also credited with three passes defended, four forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. His presence also allowed other players to shine, most notably Markus Golden, who flourished with another pass rush threat around him.
The Cardinals have a plethora of free agents to deal with this offseason, and Jones is one of them. The team seems determined to bring him back, and for good reason. Jones was a huge addition to the Cardinals in 2016, and he clearly made them better.