Has the Arizona Cardinals roster improved from 2021?
By Kyler Burd
The Arizona Cardinals linebacker room took some major hits this offseason and looks very different heading into 2022.
Of the three main groups on defense, it looks like the linebacker position will have the most noticeable changes this season.
Two of the main contributors in 2021 are no longer with the team, and their absence could have a massive impact on the production we see from this group in 2022.
Most notably, future Hall of Famer Chandler Jones signed a big contract with the Las Vegas Raiders after recording 71.5 sacks in six seasons as a Cardinal. The team also lost Jordan Hicks, who is now on a 2-year deal with the Minnesota Vikings.
Jones was the sack leader in 2021 with 10.5, and Hicks was the defense’s primary play-caller for 97% of all defensive snaps. So the loss of these pieces is undoubtedly noticeable, particularly given the unknowns of their replacements.
Infamously, the Arizona Cardinals drafted two inside linebackers in back-to-back first rounds in 2019 and 2020. Isaiah Simmons and Zaven Collins barely touched the field in their respective rookie seasons, and a lot is still to be seen from both players. However, whether or not they are ready, Simmons and Collins are slated to be the inside linebacker duo of the future.
At outside linebacker, veterans Markus Golden and Devon Kennard return alongside the drafted additions of 3rd-rounders Cameron Thomas and Myjai Sanders.
Golden played well in 2021, and Kennard was outstanding against the run, but pass rush production will be a huge question mark with the team relying on a pair of rookies to replace the legendary Chandler Jones.
Better, Equal, or Worse?
The loss of key pieces and the unknowns of multiple young players make this a relatively easy one. Unfortunately, it looks like this position has gotten worse.