We know the Arizona Cardinals will roll with Kyzir White as their starting inside linebacker in 2023. But who will line up next to him?
When the Arizona Cardinals signed Kyzir White, we knew he would end up stepping in as one of the starting linebackers. The mystery, however, is we don’t know who will line up alongside White to play in the other spot at inside linebacker in a 3-4 alignment, or another pair of linebackers if the Cards line up more in a 4-3 base.
Despite this, we do know who will, or could be, lining up at the position in 2023. Below, we will cover five players who could ultimately wind up starting alongside White. So without further ado, let’s meet the candidates.
5 Arizona Cardinals linebackers who could start alongside Kyzir White
1 - Zaven Collins
Zaven Collins is the wildcard on this list, since we’ve been given every indication out there that he will be playing defensive end/edge. I’ve even outlined this fact in my own depth chart projections.
However, it doesn’t mean head coach Jonathan Gannon and defensive coordinator Nick Rallis won’t throw us a curveball. Collins did put up good numbers last season at inside linebacker, and despite the fact he’s been playing a lot of edge lately, he could still wind back up at inside linebacker if the Cards feel he best serves the team there.
2 - Krys Barnes
Krys Barnes was one of the more intriguing signings, given how effective he was over his first two seasons in the NFL. In 2020 and 2021, he racked up 161 tackles and nine tackles for a loss, despite seeing time in just 984 snaps, per Pro-Football-Reference.
While he only saw the field in six games last season (one start), Barnes was on pace to record 82 tackles over a 17-game season after amassing 29 over those six contests. Look for him to be a serious contender and the possible favorite to line up alongside White this season.
3 - Owen Pappoe
The Arizona Cardinals were lucky to see Owen Pappoe fall to the fifth round. And despite being a Day 3 pick, he could wind up as the starter alongside White if he enjoys a strong training camp and an even stronger preseason.
When healthy during his sophomore and senior seasons, Pappoe was incredible, racking up 93 and 91 combined tackles, respectively, and nine tackles for loss, and six sacks. Given his draft status and the fact Collins could be playing exclusively at defensive end/edge, don’t be surprised if Pappoe inserts himself in as the starter in 2023. He will have more than earned the gig.
4 - Josh Woods
Josh Woods came to the desert from the Detroit Lions to be a special teams ace, and you can expect him to once again excel in that role. However, Woods will be just 27, and he has a lot of football left in him. He’s just one impressive camp away from at least seeing time in a starting rotation.
5 - Zeke Turner
Zeke Turner is another member of the Arizona Cardinals linebacking unit known more for his ability to excel on special teams. But last season, he turned heads when he logged a start in 15 appearances, before recording 22 combined tackles and three for a loss.
Like Woods, Turner will be just 27, so he too has tread on his tires. Look for Turner to at least make things interesting in camp, and perhaps the undersized special teams ace can earn more reps than the 107 snaps he received on defense last season.
So who’s my top pick to line up alongside White? With Collins likely to play at defensive end/edge, I’m giving the early leg up to Krys Barnes. However, I’ll also admit that Owen Pappoe is just one big camp away from snagging the starting gig. Woods and Turner could end up there, but they would need to be beyond impressive.
Source: Cardinals could have unexpected starter at ILB by Jess Root, CardsWire.USAToday.com
(Statistics provided by Pro-Football-Reference and College-Football-Reference)