Ranking the top 5 free agent defensive linemen for the Arizona Cardinals
By Sion Fawkes
The Arizona Cardinals need help along the defensive line, so which free agents would best solve their woes at the position?
With so many pending free agents, the Arizona Cardinals are going to need to sign more than a few players on both sides of the ball. While there are plenty of decent defensive linemen and edge rushers in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Cards would also do well to consider upgrading the unit in free agency.
Below, I’ve outlined the top five defensive linemen who would fit the Redbirds well. Keep in mind that this isn’t a list of the top five free agent defensive linemen overall, but instead, those who look like winning matches for Arizona.
Who made the list? Keep reading to find out.
Top 5 free agent defensive linemen for the Arizona Cardinals
5 - Samson Ebukam
Samson Ebukam spent his entire NFL career in the NFC West, and he would make a great piece in the event the Arizona Cardinals cannot re-sign Zach Allen. Ebukam posted similar numbers to Allen in 2022, with 5.0 sacks, 7 tackles for loss, and 13 quarterback hits.
Even if the Cards retained Allen, Ebukam would also fit well into the defensive rotation if Ossenfort elected to go in a direction other than defensive end/edge rusher in the NFL Draft. Overall, he would be a solid pickup for the Cardinals.
4 - Brandon Graham
We spoke about Brandon Graham already, and he deserves recognition here, too. Graham, 34, is coming off his best season with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he posted 11.0 sacks, 11 tackles for loss, and 16 quarterback hits.
Although he is an older player who likely won’t play long in the desert, Graham can oversee the Arizona Cardinals transition on defense to the system head coach Jonathan Gannon and defensive coordinator Nick Rallis plan to run. He would also provide sound leadership skills to the team as a whole.