Five Reasons to be Optimistic About the Arizona Cardinals
By Jeremy Meek
The Cardinals should continue to rush the passer at a high level next season
In 2016, the Cardinals lead the NFL in sacks, with 48. The bulk of the damage was done by their two outside linebackers, Chandler Jones and Markus Golden, who had 12 1/2 and 11 respectively. The now-departed Calais Campbell added 8 more.
Campbell’s loss will be felt, but Jones and Golden will be back. Golden is still young, and likely only getting better. Adding Reddick through the draft will only help in this area. A college defensive end, he has the ability to make an impact as a blitzer.
The Cardinals also tend to get effective blitzes from the secondary, and guys like Budda Baker and Tyrann Mathieu could keep opposing offenses on their toes. The key will be getting some production from the new starters along the defensive line.