The Arizona Cardinals’ front office has put together an impressive group of defensive ends to go into the 2018 campaign with
It’s been hard to ignore the stellar play of the Arizona Cardinals’ defensive ends this summer. A torn ACL suffered last season by Markus Golden, one of the squad’s starters at the position, had raised some questions at the spot. Would the personnel department be able to adequately replace the talented defender if he was slow to recover from his knee injury?
After four preseason games, the answer to that question would appear to be a resounding yes. General manager Steve Keim and his helpers have done a magnificent job in addressing the situation. Some impressive talent has been added, giving the Cardinals an extremely deep group of ends to attack the 2018 schedule with.
Vontarrius Dora, an undrafted free agent of the Denver Broncos in 2016, is back with Arizona after being jettisoned last year. The 6’4″, 256 pounder has been outstanding, registering three quarterback sacks, and six tackles overall. The Cards couldn’t make room for Dora last season, but it appears that he could very well be sticking around in 2018.
Fan favorite Cap “Sack Happy” Capi has once again excelled during the exhibition contests. The 26-year old journeyman leads the team with four sacks in the preseason. Capi’s Achilles heel has been his run defense, but his pass-rushing ability is undeniable.
Free agent pickup Benson Mayowa has also performed well, collecting six tackles during the August games. Another free agent signing, Jacquies Smith, has tallied nine tackles, and even added an interception versus the Broncos this past Thursday night. Undrafted rookie Alec James has also entered the equation by chipping in three tackles, including one sack.
Veteran addition Arthur Moats has been removed from the defensive end picture. The 30-year old, who spent the last four campaigns with the Pittsburgh Steelers, sprained his MCL and has been placed on injured reserve.
The team revealed some good news when it announced that Golden is expected to be activated in time for next week’s season-opener. The Cardinals’ 2015 second-round draft pick could’ve missed the first six games if he had been left on the PUP (physically unable to perform) list. Golden, who led Arizona with 12.5 sacks in ’16, will be reunited with fellow starter Chandler Jones, who led the NFL with 17 quarterback takedowns in 2017.
Defensive coordinator Al Holcomb’s newly-implemented 4-3 alignment seems to be a good fit for the unit’s personnel. Turnovers and sacks have been the theme of the preseason. The defensive ends, specifically, are shaping up to be one of the Cards’ major strengths.