Arizona Cardinals: Bucannon not going anywhere

Nov 20, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Arizona Cardinals linebacker Deone Bucannon (20) and defensive tackle Frostee Rucker (92) tackle Minnesota Vikings running back Jerick McKinnon (21) during the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports /

The Arizona Cardinals decided on the near future of Deone Bucannon’s playing days with the team

Linebacker Deone Bucannon isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. The fourth-year defender from Washington State had his fifth-year option picked up by the Arizona Cardinals on Wednesday.

Now Bucannon will remain a Cardinal through at least 2018. Bucannon is one of those players that can be slotted at linebacker or safety. It is nice to have a player so versatile.

The hard-hitting Bucannon has started 38 of the 45 games he’s played in since being drafted in the first-round in the 2014 NFL Draft. His production has been fairly steady since then.

He started just nine of his 16 games his rookie season but had 83 tackles and two sacks. Both of those numbers improved in 2015.

We've picked up the fifth-year option on @deonebucannon20 to extend him through 2018.https://t.co/k8A95nwnfv
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) April 26, 2017

During the 2015 regular-season, Bucannon tallied 112 tackles and three sacks, his career-high. He also returned his only career-interception for a 39-yard touchdown.

Last season he missed the last three weeks due to injury but still had a decent year. He finished with 91 tackles but no sacks. He did however have a career-high four passes defensed.

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He also has four forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries in his four seasons. All of that we get to continue to see for at least another two seasons.

Bucannon seems to get up for the bigger games. His two best games last season were against division opponents. That’s who you like to see the Cardinals defenders beat up on the most.

He had 13 tackles against the Seattle Seahawks in the tie-game in Glendale last October. He had a season-high 14 tackles against the San Francisco 49ers at Levis Stadium.

With the draft coming up this weekend this is a move I’m glad the Cardinals didn’t overlook. There could be some good competition coming in once the draft is completed. However if Bucannon can stay healthy, no reason to believe he won’t be a Cardinal for quite some time.