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Cardinals 2024 position breakdown: Linebackers
Throughout training camp, PHNX Sports provided an overview of each of the Cardinals position groups with a look at the likely starters, the challengers and players who could provide depth.
To view past position breakdowns, follow these links:
Projected starters: ILB: Mack Wilson, Kyzir White. OLB: Zaven Collins, Dennis Gardeck.
Kyzir White doesn’t draw rave reviews from analysts but when he was injured last season, the Cardinals felt it. He played every defensive snap in the 11 games before he sustained a torn biceps against the Texans and missed the remainder of the season. He still led the team with 90 tackles (nine tackles for loss). His 53 solo tackles were third on the Cardinals and he added two sacks, two QB hits, an interception and three passes defensed. Jonathan Gannon calls him “war daddy.”
Mack Wilson only made four starts the past two seasons in New England but the Cardinals gave him a three-year, $12.75 million contract with $6.445 million guaranteed (including a $3.5 million signing bonus). It was clear from that move that they expect him to start alongside White. Some analysts wonder if he’ll be on the field for passing situations, but Wilson said that’s a part of his game that he didn’t get to show off until he got to New England, where he had 3.5 sacks last season.
Zaven Collins recently signed a two-year contract extension that will keep him under contract through 2026, but the Cardinals need to see a step up from Collins in his second season at his new position. GM Monti Ossenfort did not draft him; Steve Keim did. Collins only has 5.5 sacks and 10 QB hits in three seasons.
Arizona’s 2023 second-round pick (No. 41) BJ Ojulari (four sacks) had an undisclosed procedure that slowed him down during his rookie season and now he will miss the entire 2024 season with an ACL injury sustained in camp. Big things were expected of Ojulari this season. The Cardinals really needed his help to elevate a pass rush that finished 30th in sacks (33), 31st in QB pressures (98), and last in QB knockdowns (23) in 2023.
Without Ojulari, Dennis Gardeck will likely step into the starter’s role opposite Zaven Collins. He was listed there when the first depth chart of the season was released. Gardeck led the Cardinals in sacks last season with six. He also had 41 tackles (32 solo and seven for loss), along with 12 quarterback hits, four passes defensed and a forced fumble. He will be in the short rotation at the position, but he’ll turn 30 years old on Aug. 9.
Potential backups: ILB: Krys Barnes, Owen Pappoe. OLB: Jesse Luketa, Victor Dimukeje, Marquis Haynes.
The Cardinals signed Krys Barnes in March of 2023, after the Packers declined to tender him as a restricted free agent. Arizona re-signed him this offseason. He played 16 games last season, starting one. He finished fifth on the team with 53 tackles (34 solos) and also had three tackles for loss, one interception, six passes defensed and a quarterback hit. His contributions in depth and on special teams likely earn him a roster spot.
Arizona signed Marquis Haynes to a one-year contract following the season-ending injury to Ojulari. Haynes, 30, had 16 tackles and a sack in seven games (one start) last season with the Carolina Panthers. He has 99 tackles, 14 sacks and four fumble recoveries in 71 career games (two starts) since being the Panthers selected him in the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft out of Mississippi.
It remains to be seen if GM Monti Ossenfort will make another move, whether via trade, free agency, when players are placed on waivers, or when they are released as rosters are trimmed later in the preseason.
Cardinals 2021 sixth-round pick (No. 210) Victor Dimukeje; and 2022 seventh-round pick (No. 256) Jesse Luketa both saw action in five games last season.
Also in the mix: ILB: Tyreek Maddox-Williams, Trevor Nowaske, Markus Bailey. OLB: Xavier Thomas, Tyreke Smith, Cameron Thomas.
The Cardinals selected Xavier Thomas in the fifth round (No. 138) this year; about the only move they really made to shore up their edge rushing this offseason.
Arizona 2022 third-round pick (No. 87) Cameron Thomas played in five games last season. The Cardinals signed Tyreke Smith off the Seahawks’ practice squad last season.
Top photo of Kyzir White via Getty Images
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