Arizona Cardinals: Meet the 2019 linebackers

The Arizona Cardinals could have themselves a field day with opposing offenses with this group of linebackers

Now moving to a 3-4 defensive scheme, the Arizona Cardinals linebackers should be a much better group in 2019 than they were in 2018.  Last season it was one of the weakest positions on the team.

Now they have some terrific veterans coming in to right the ship.  However will age and past injury come into play?

OLB: Chandler Jones, Terrell Suggs, Brooks Reed, Cassius Marsh Sr. 

This should be a fun group to watch in 2019.  Jones moves back to the position that helped him lead the NFL in sacks in 2017 with 17 of them.  Jones still had 13 sacks last season from his defensive end position but this position seems like it is more comfortable for him.

Suggs comes back to Arizona after 16 years in Baltimore with the Ravens.  Suggs returns to the place he played his college ball.  So many Cardinals fans felt the team should have drafted him in 2003.  Looking back, it certainly would have been the much better call.

Reed comes over from the Atlanta Falcons.  He had some issues with injury early in camp but made the team despite some of our early reservations.

Marsh was with the Seattle Seahawks in training camp before being let go.  He spent last season with the San Francisco 49ers and despite only starting three games, still had 5 sacks.

ILB: Jordan Hicks, Haason Reddick, Ezekiel Turner, Joe Walker, Dennis Gardeck

Hicks was a nice free agent pickup from the Philadelphia Eagles.  His biggest issue has been trying to stay healthy.  In the four seasons since being drafted, he’s played in 8 games, 16 games, 7 games, and last season 12 games.

Going by that trend, Hicks is due for another injury-riddled season.  However, so far so good, so let’s hope he bucks the trend in 2019.

Speaking of injury, Reddick has been battling injury since the start of camp.  How much he can contribute remains to be seen.

Turner had a nice camp and preseason as did Walker.  Gardeck was a bit of a surprise making it on the roster over Pete Robertson, who some felt had the better preseason.  Gardeck was a nice story in 2018, but he will need to have a better regular season to stick around.