After a disappointing 7-8-1 season in the desert, the Arizona Cardinals will be relying on new playmakers.
The Arizona Cardinals 2016 campaign fell very short of the Super Bowl expectation that they had going into the season. After finishing the year prior with a 13-3 record, the Arizona Cardinals had to stratch and claw for second place in a top-heavy NFC West division merely for the second palce spot.
This second place position in the division kept the Cardinals out of the playoffs for the first time since Coach Bruce Arians’ rookie season. Not only are the Cardinals trying to bounce back from a disappointing season, but they are also attempting to compensate for a tight cap situation and an excess of unrestricted free agents.
For this reason, the Cardinals will be relying on free agents, draft picks, and players that are already a part of the roster to step up and make an impact. These players stepping up will be crucial, especially if players such as Calais Campbell, Tony Jefferson, D.J. Swearinger, and Kevin Minter are all free agents. This slide show will contain six current players and one additional honorable mention that could potentially fill in the numerous voids left by the soon-to-be absent playmakers.
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Rodney Gunter, DL
Drafted out of the small Delaware State, Gunter faced a steep learning curve when coming to the NFL. He does not lack the size as he is listed at 6’5″ and 305 pounds, a similar size to Calais Campbell, but he does lack an excess of experience. Though Gunter has been a part of the defensive line rotation for a few years now, he has found himself stuck behind Campbell, Rucker, and Josh Mauro as well as sharing snaps with Xavier Williams and Robert Nkemdiche at times.
Through his two seasons, Gunter has played in all 32 regular season games and has even started 12 of those, but he has posted 34 tackles and 2.5 sacks. If Calais Campbell does leave this offseason, then defensive lineman Rodney Gunter will have the chance to prove to Coach Bruce Arians that he has what it takes to fill the void of Pro Bowler. If all else fails, it is note-worthy that Gunter was only a fourth round pick.
Robert Nkemdiche, DL
Nkemdiche was taken in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft. The decision to draft Nkemdiche was high-risk, high-reward as he was seen as a player with a low motor. There were instances in college where it seemed the ultra-talented defensive lineman did not try.
Those concerns rang true in his first season as cardinal red. For most of his first season, Robert Nkemdiche was left inactive. Even though he was able to crack the rotation late in the lost season, he still received little playing time. Just like Gunter, Nkemdiche’s importance sky-rockets with the inevitable departure of Calais Campbell.
If Nkemdiche can improve on his work ethic and dig into game film and the playbook (and stops taking plays off), there is little doubt he can become a premier defender in the National Football League. The only question is whether or not he is up for it, and it seems like he may finally be.
Harlan Miller, DB
Weighing in at 6’0″ and a mere 182 pounds, Harlan Miller is the undersized, versatile defensive back that the Arizona Cardinals seem to value. Miller was a 6th round pick, 205 overall, in the 2016 NFL Draft. Although he has only played in two career games (both starts), he was able to register his first career INT against the Los Angeles Rams and coupled it with a 50+ yard return. His performances, though limited, have showed that he has potential to be an impact player.
The possible departures of both Tony Jefferson, Marcus Cooper, and D.J. Swearinger, as well as Tyrann Mathieu’s injury struggles, opens the door for now-second-year Harlan Miller to win over a substitution position if not a starting one. Can Miller can turn into the “best DB on the team” that Arians said multiple times Bethel could become? It is not likely since Peterson is still on the team, but it is worth the wait.
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J.J. Nelson/ John Brown, WR
There is one reason that both of these receivers are on the same slide: if Brown gets the sickle cell trait under control, J.J. Nelson will have less of a chance to have a breakout year this season. It is likely that Nelson could still take the role of the #2 wideout even with the presence of a healthy John Brown, but it may be as a “slash” player.
In 2016, Nelson ran the ball four times for 83 yards (a 8.3 average). He also averaged almost 17 yards per reception for 568 yards all in limited action. The reason that Brown will have dibs on the #2 spot is because of his proven ability.
As a rookie in 2014, John Brown recorded almost 700 receiving yards and five touchdowns. The year after in 2015 he put up 1,000+ yards along with 7 TDs while also tallying a 7.3 yards per carry average on the ground. See the similarities to J.J. Nelson? Even with the down year do to sickle cell, Brown still was able to rack up 517 yards in the passing game with two touchdowns (he played in games but started 6).
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Sio Moore, LB
Linebacker Sio Moore is listed as a free agent but is widely expected to remain in the desert on a reasonable deal. A career journeyman, Moore did not see much playing time, if any, until the late-season injury to $LB Deone Buchanon. Playing in four games and starting three, Moore tallied 35 combined tackle, one pass defensed, and two forced fumbles.
The tackle numbers pop out since Moore only played in four games. On that pace, Moore would have been on pace for 140 total tackles over a full 16 game season. Those numbers, however, do not stand out as much as the fumble numbers. With two forced fumbles in only four games, that is a 16 game pace of 8 fumbles.
Those numbers are more than solid and are what the Cardinals need in an inside linebacker. Kevin Minter may walk in free agency, but a cheap Sio Moore instead could turn into a blessing in disguise.
Honorable Mention: Scooby Wright
Scooby Wright is a fan favorite. After playing college ball in Arizona, Wright got the opportunity to play in three late-season games for the Cardinals in 2016, his rookie season. In those three games Wright only recorded two tackles, but now he will have a greater opportunity to step out onto the football field and show why he was an All-American among the college ranks.
Scooby Wright will have a full offseason to learn Bettcher’s defensive scheme, and with the departure of Kevin Minter, Wright could possibly find himself as high as three or four on the depth chart (behind Buchannon, Moore, and maybe Gabe Martin). In this scenario, any injury or the improbable departure of Moore could propel the former University of Arizona linebacker into a vital role of the National Football League’s second-ranked defense.
What is the best part about Scooby Wright? He was an undrafted free agent. His pay is substantially smaller than either Minter or Moore would possibly play at. With that being said, Wright’s value will become even greater if he does become an impact player.