5 most improved Arizona Cardinals during the 2021 season

Zach Allen – DL

In his first two seasons, Zach Allen showed flashes, but he only appeared in 17 of 32 possible contests in 2019 and 2020. Finally healthy, he played in 15 games, starting 14, and showed why the Cardinals brought him to the desert.

In 2021, Allen recorded his first interception for a 25-yard return in Week 13 against the Chicago Bears. And while he only logged four sacks, Allen was arguably the most disruptive pass rusher on the defensive line next to J.J. Watt with 14 quarterback hits, 18 pressures, and 10 quarterback knockdowns.

Allen’s consistency impressed more than anything else. Looking at his statistics, he had just two games where he recorded a single stat. Expect Allen to return next season and build off of his 2021 performance. That says a lot about his improvement from year two to year three.