Ranking the top 5 free agent linebackers for the Arizona Cardinals
By Sion Fawkes
The Arizona Cardinals may end up signing a linebacker in free agency, depending on what they decide to do with Isaiah Simmons.
It should be safe to say that the Arizona Cardinals won’t be drafting another linebacker in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Even if Will Anderson Jr. is, by all technicalities, an outside linebacker, I think we can all agree that he’s more of a pass/edge rusher first.
Meanwhile, star linebacker Isaiah Simmons has seen time at nickelback, corner, and safety, so it’s hard to call him a pure linebacker as well. If the Arizona Cardinals decide to keep Simmons in a versatile role, chances are, they will need to pick up someone else at the position to at least rotate in.
Below, you will find five players who would best fit that potential void. As with previous rankings, remember that they contain players who would best fit the Cardinals, not top five rankings overall. So who tops the list? Keep reading to find out.
5 linebackers the Arizona Cardinals can sign in 2023
5 - Devin Bush
After a stellar rookie season, Devin Bush never got it together with the Pittsburgh Steelers. While Bush can definitely re-sign with Pittsburgh and turn things around, a change of scenery could be in his best interests.
However, Bush is entering only his fifth season in the league, and he’s by no means a bust. Lining up alongside Zaven Collins could be a step in the right direction for the linebacker, and his productivity could potentially skyrocket.
4 - Kyzir White
Kyzir White enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2021 when he was with the Los Angeles Chargers. In 2022, he went to Philadelphia and played under Arizona Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon, logging 110 combined tackles.
White isn’t going to make many eye-popping plays behind the line, given his three tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks last season. But he could be a three-down linebacker when called upon, having played in 84% of his snaps in 2021 and 76% in 2022.