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.
3 - Larry Ogunjobi
Larry Ogunjobi has become a bit of a journeyman over this NFL career, seeing time with the Cleveland Browns, Cincinnati Bengals, and Pittsburgh Steelers, having played both defensive end and defensive tackle, depending on the system. In 2021, he enjoyed a monster season, logging 7.0 sacks, 12 tackles for loss, and 16 quarterback hits, but Ogunjobi did not match that production in 2022.
This makes it unlikely that the Steelers will re-sign him. But even with marginal production last season, Ogunjobi would be a massive upgrade over what the Arizona Cardinals have had in recent years at defensive tackle, which he will likely play in Gannon’s system.
2 - Yannick Ngakoue
Another underrated player and journeyman, Yannick Ngakoue would also be a perfect fit if the Arizona Cardinals are considering to go in a different direction for the 2023 Draft. And despite his journeyman status, Ngakoue has logged at least 8.0 sacks over his seven seasons in the NFL.
He could find a home in the desert, and hopefully a long-term one, as the Cards need to find a sound replacement for J.J. Watt. And at 28, he could form a dynamic duo with Zach Allen if the latter re-signs. Overall, Arizona can’t go wrong here.
1 - Javon Hargrave
And finally, we got Javon Hargrave, who would be an ultra-stellar fit in the desert. Like Graham, Hargrave is familiar with Jonathan Gannon’s system, and he would work wonders with the Arizona Cardinals as an interior defensive lineman.
Likewise, Hargrave also enjoyed his two finest seasons as a pro while playing for Gannon, having logged 123 combined tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 34 quarterback hits, and 18.5 sacks in 2021 and 2022. Given such production in Gannon’s unit, he is the best fit for the Cards and the likeliest one on the list to sign with the team.
If Hargrave comes to the desert and repeats the success he had in Philadelphia, then the Redbirds solved their issues at defensive tackle for at least a couple of seasons. Gannon, Ossenfort, and defensive coordinator Nick Rallis need to make a serious sales pitch to lure Hargrave to Arizona. And given his success in the system, Hargrave might just take them up on that potential offer.
(Statistics provided by Pro-Football-Reference)