Arizona Cardinals: The Talent at Linebacker
The Arizona Cardinals could continue to add to an already talented linebacker corps
The new acquisitions of the Arizona Cardinals in the 2017 offseason are full of potential. Two of the players added are linebackers, Karlos Dansby and Jarvis Jones. With a lineup that already features Marcus Golden, Chandler Jones and linebacker/safety Deone Bucannon, adding in the talent of Dansby and the potential Jones has is exciting to think about for the upcoming season.
With the NFL draft starting next week, the Cardinals hold the 13th overall pick. Most mock drafts have Arizona taking a quarterback, or going with a wide receiver. Something that could happen, unexpectedly, is the Cardinals taking a linebacker. Reuben Foster is the top name that comes to mind. The top ranked, talented linebacker out of Alabama helped make the Crimson Tide a defensive monster in 2016. Another player that comes to mind is Zach Cunningham out of Vanderbilt. Both Foster and Cunningham have the ability to play in the middle or outside.
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In 2016 Jones and Golden showed they were a force to be reckoned with. Both ended the season in double digit sacks and helped the Cardinals become the 2nd best defense in the NFL. Jones and Dansby have a chance to produce at a high level with the attention that will be given to Chandler Jones and Golden. Which means the talent on defense could just keep getting better.
If the Cardinals do end up drafting a line backer at 13, that young player has a chance to enter a defense that can develop them into a star. Learning from Chandler Jones, Marcus Golden and Karlos Dansby would help a rookie like Foster or Cunningham be able to move into a starting spot and immediately make an impact.