Eyes of the Guru IDP Info, Part 17: Arizona Cardinals

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An Overview of the Arizona Cardinals Defense

The Cardinals have struggled defensively over the last few years. They threw everything out and started over in 2022. That did not go well for them. The 2023 team resembled a Chinese fire drill, as they were all over the place and couldn't get on the same page. The 2024 unit showed some improvement, but not enough to convince anyone that they had turned the corner. Arizona managed to finish 15th in points allowed, but they were 21st against the pass and 23rd versus the run. Their 41 sacks and 17 takeaways were middle of the pack.  

The organization was determined to change its fortunes this offseason. They started with a transition to a nickel base defense featuring an even front. Then they went about bringing in the personnel to run it. Free agency brought several players, including four probable starters. That was followed by the use of their first five draft picks on the defensive side. Add in some guys returning from injury, and the week one starting lineup could legitimately feature as many as nine new starters. At the least, there will be a heap of heated competition at every level of the defense this summer.

Arizona Cardinals Defensive Linemen

With the move to a 4-2-5 base defense comes sweeping personnel changes. The team, however, is not throwing out the entire 3-4 playbook. There will be some three-man fronts to keep opponents guessing. Thus, the goal was to build a versatile roster, especially along the defensive line.

Between talented holdovers Darius Robinson and Baron Browning, the additions of veterans Calais Campbell, Josh Sweat, and Dalvin Tomlinson in free agency, and the selection of Walter Nolan III and Jordan Burch in the first and third rounds, respectively, Arizona is completely retooled, far more talented, and significantly deeper up front.

The challenge for the IDP community is to determine who, if anyone among this group, will be fantasy-friendly. There is certainly enough talent and potential for a fantasy factor to emerge. What concerns me the most is the possibility of a huge rotation. There are as many as eleven players who could legitimately be in the mix for playing time.

It is safe to assume that Josh Sweat will man one of the edge positions. Seven years with the Eagles gives us a pretty good idea of what we can expect from him. Sweat was a redshirt in his rookie season. He has 42 sacks over the six years since, with a career best of 11 in 2022, and at least 6 in each of the last five seasons.

If he made enough tackles, Sweat's sack numbers would be sufficient to make him roster-worthy in most leagues. To this point in his career, that has often not been the case. His personal best of 31 solos and 17 assists also came in 2011. Sweat has no more than 43 combined stops in any other season. The change of scenery could make a difference, especially if he gets a bigger share of the snaps. That was an issue during his time with the Eagles. Philadelphia is one of the teams that frequently rotates its players. As a result, Sweat led the team's defensive linemen with 622 plays last year. He should lead this edge group in playing time as well. The count will depend on how many players are being worked in.

After Sweat, several players are vying for playing time at the edge position. Zaven Collins started on the outside in the 3-4 over the past three years. He has been largely ineffective in that role, producing just 10 sacks over 51 games. Collins could end up seeing time as a strong side linebacker in the new scheme.

BJ Ojulari was a second-round pick of the Cardinals in 2023. He was 23-16-4 on 409 snaps as a rookie. Ojulari was set to take on a bigger role in year two when an ACL injury ended his season early in training camp. With a full year to rehab, he should be ready and is a potential breakout player.

Third-round rookie Jordan Burch is an intriguing prospect. He possesses impressive physical gifts and flashed great play at Oregon, but also displayed a lack of consistency that will have to be addressed. Burch has a powerful build, explosive burst, and good bend, making him a potential disruptive force against both the run and pass. Heavy competition and the need for some refinement likely point to a limited role in his first season. 

When the team selected Darius Robinson in the first round last year, it was unclear if the plan was to use him mostly as an outside tackle in the 3-4 or to have him work on the edge. Robinson missed the first eleven games with a calf injury. Upon his return to action, he worked mostly at the outside tackle position. Between the small sample of six games and the shift in scheme, we have to ask the same question again: where will he line up?   

Robinson is a physically gifted player who, in some ways, is reminiscent of future Hall of Famer Calais Campbell. Robinson has superior quickness and upper body strength to jamb and shed blockers at the point of attack. He is tall at six-five, with long arms to leverage blockers and obstruct passing lanes. Robinson is not a great upfield speed rusher off the edge, relying on strength and physicality to beat blockers.  

Robinson's physical attributes give the coaching staff options. He can be successful working on the edge on early downs and shifting inside to rush the passer, or he would be a great fit as a three-technique tackle. There is a better chance that Robinson would be fantasy-relevant as an interior lineman. With a crowded depth chart at the inside positions, Robinson could find playing time easier to come by on the edge as the team searches for someone to step up.

The Cardinals have become hoarders at the tackle position with six players capable of starting. Calais Campbell will turn 39 in September and is the oldest defensive player in the league. He spent nine seasons with the team in his first stint, starting in 2008. With career numbers that include 110 sacks, 33 takeaways, and 918 tackles, Campbell has helped a lot of fantasy teams to championships over his 17 seasons.

Remarkably, Campbell is still playing at a high level. He spent 2023 with the Falcons and last season with the Dolphins. Between those two stops, he recorded 67 tackles, 41 assists, 11.5 sacks, 3 turnovers, and 6 batted passes. Campbell is an iron man who hasn't missed a game since 2016, but his greatest asset in this situation may be versatility.

Campbell has played every position across the front of both 4-3 and 3-4 defenses, having success at all of them. While he can give the team snaps on the edge if needed, he projects as a three-technique in four-man fronts, shifting to a five-technique or outside tackle in 3-4 looks. At 35-17-5 with a turnover and 5 batted passes, Campbell was the fantasy game's number ten tackle in 2024. If the Cardinals use a multi-player rotation on the inside, he may not see enough action to reach those numbers this year.    

Sixteenth overall pick Walter Nolen is not a lock to be a week one starter, but he is sure to see plenty of action. If he gets on the field enough, it should translate to good box score production. Nolan is not the strongest or most physical of tackles, but is explosive and athletic enough to get off blocks and make plays against the run with enough wiggle to get by pass blockers. Nolen checks the box for college production. He was a starter at Texas A&M in 2023 and at Ole Miss in 2024. Between those two seasons, he totaled 85 tackles, 10.5 sacks, and 4 turnovers.  

Robinson, Campbell, and Nolen are candidates to provide fantasy value. Dalvin Tomlinson, Justin Jones, and Bilal Nichols are former NFL starters who are also in the mix for playing time. Tomlinson is a hard-to-move anchor for the run defense who is projected as a starter by many. He could eat up enough snaps to hurt the others, but he will come off the field in passing situations. Jones and Nichols have a lot of starting experience, but have never been fantasy-friendly.

• Edge Josh Sweat – Bye week depth with a little upside
• Edge Zaven Collins – Marginal impact at best
• Edge B.J. Ojulari – Watchlist sleeper with breakout potential
• Edge Baron Browning – Rotational pass rusher with limited potential
• Edge Jordan Burch – Dynasty watchlist
• DT/Edge Darius Robinson – High upside but uncertain role
• DT Walter Nolen – Dynasty target with a high ceiling
• DT Dalvin Tomlinson – Marginal impact expected
• DT Calais Campbell – Solid DT2 if he is on the field enough
• DT Justin Jones – No impact
• DT Bilal Nichols – No impact

Arizona Cardinals Linebackers

The Cardinals will have a different look at linebacker in 2025. The nickel base defense will still feature two linebackers, with a third seeing action in some situations. The team moved on from Kyzir White, replacing him with Akeem Davis-Gaither. Then they selected Ohio State standout Cody Simon in the fourth round to compete for the other position. Holdovers Mack Wilson Sr. and Owen Pappoe could be in the mix for roles as well.

Davis-Gaither is a player who is being widely overlooked in early drafts. The former Bengal spent his first five seasons as a part-time third linebacker and top backup behind Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt in Cincinnati. The timing of Wilson's season-ending injury last year could not have been better for Davis-Gaither, who was in the final year of his contract. He took full advantage of the six-game audition. Davis-Gaither performed like an NFL starter on the field. In the box scores, he was fairly impressive, averaging five tackles and five assists while contributing a pair of turnovers and two pass breakups. He managed double-digit points in all six games. The Cardinals took notice and jumped on him when free agency started.      

At six feet two and 238 pounds, Davis-Gaither has optimal size for a middle linebacker with the speed and cover skills to work sideline to sideline and stay on the field in any situation. He is all but certain to be a week one starter. The only question is, will he play in the middle or on the weak side? He is versatile enough to be successful at either, so the decision could come down to where the rest of the pieces fit best.

Arizona's linebackers have been well below average fantasy options of late. We can blame that on personnel and/or the previous scheme. With both gone, Davis-Gaither is one of my favorite sleepers. He is not, however, the only potential fantasy contributor at linebacker on this team.

Holdover Mack Wilson Sr. will compete with the rookie for the other starting job. Wilson was the team's second starter last year, though he spent much of his time working in what amounted to a strong-side linebackers role where he often served as an extra rusher. With six years in the league and ample opportunity to start in various roles, Wilson has proven that he is not a fantasy option. Cody Simon, on the other hand, may well prove to be.

Simon is stout and tough versus the run. He has decent instincts, does a good job of navigating traffic, and has a nose for the ball. He is good enough in coverage to stay on the field in sub-packages, though there are some limitations to that aspect of his game. The biggest knock on Simon is his average speed. He is a plug for the run defense between the tackles but lacks chase-down speed while struggling to get position on wide runs and perimeter passes. The skillset suggests that Simon's best fit would be in the middle.

Davis-Gaither is the top IDP target here. There is a good chance that Simon will eventually emerge as a quality contributor for us as well. He held a significant role with the Buckeyes over the last four years, including 15 starts as a senior and 25 total. Simon checks the box for college production with 112 tackles, 7 sacks, 7 passes defended, and a pair of turnovers as a senior.    

• WLB Akeem Davis-Gaither – Target as depth, but don't be shocked if he becomes your LB2
• MLB Cody Simon – Rookie sleeper/dynasty alert
• SLB Mack Wilson Sr. – Marginal box score impact regardless of role
• MLB Owen Pappoe – Deep sleeper at best 
• WLB Mykal Walker – No impact expected

Arizona Cardinals Defensive Backs

The Arizona secondary gave us the fantasy game's top defensive back in 2024. It was not Budda Baker's first time sitting on the throne, but it was his first time since 2019. Baker was number two in 2020 and top twelve in 2021 and 2022. Had he not missed six games in 2023, we might be looking at a string of seven top-twelve finishes.

Baker does most of his work in the tackle columns. He's reached 90 solos three times, including the 95 last year, which was the second most in the league across all positions. It doesn't hurt that he plays for a team with a home stat crew that is very generous with assists. Baker's 69 were the most among defensive backs in 2024. He is not a ball hawk but will make a decent contribution in the splash play columns, with at least three in every season except the injury-shortened 2023.  The team hopes they will improve enough in the front seven to knock Baker down in the fantasy rankings. Even if that does happen, he will still be a quality DB1 for us.   

Jalen Thompson has manned the other safety position for Arizona since 2021. He's never made the top ten, but had he not missed a pair of games in each of the last two seasons, Thompson would have landed in the top 20 in four straight. Thompson does a good job in run support, is solid in coverage, and will contribute in the big-play columns. His four interceptions in 2023 were a career best, as were his 80 tackles and 41 assists in 2021.

Thompson fended off a challenge from rookie Dadrion Taylor-Demerson last summer. He will have to do so again in the upcoming training camp. The second-year pro appears to be the future of the position for Arizona. He is physical and dependable in run support with good instincts, strong ball skills, and the versatility to man either safety position.

Taylor-Demerson worked sparingly as a rookie, playing 258 snaps on the year. Considering the limited opportunity, his 37 tackles, 1 takeaway, and 5 pass breakups are pretty strong numbers. He made two starts when Thompson was dinged late in the year. In those games, Taylor-Demerson totaled 11-4 with 3 pass breakups, reaching double-digit points in both. The second-year pro will push for a bigger role but might have to wait one more season before getting his shot, as Thompson is in the final year of his contract.

The Cardinals are looking at a six-man cage match to determine the pecking order at the corner positions. With the release of Sean Murphy-Bunting ahead of training camp and the addition of second-round pick Will Johnson, the group is young, deep, and fairly talented. There are no elites in a cornerback room that includes returning players Garrett Williams, Max Melton, Starling Thomas V, and Kei'Trel Clark, along with free agent addition Jaylon Jones and the rookie Johnson.

Thomas and Williams were the starters on the outside last year, with Murphy-Bunting usually in the slot and Melton seeing action in sub packages. There is a possibility that Johnson will simply replace Murphy-Bunting and the ship will sail on, but that is far from a sure thing. It's more likely that the coaching staff will take a long look at all combinations and options during camp and pre-season. That could include an expanded role for Taylor-Demerson as the slot defender.

There has been no fantasy value among Arizona corners in recent years. Wilson ranked highest of the group last year at number 47. The scheme change is unlikely to have a considerable impact on the unit, and Johnson could be the only new face to have a major role. While he is a big-play threat with nine interceptions and three scores in 32 games at Michigan, his tackle numbers were horrible at 68 combined. The good news is that if one of these corners begins to stand out in September, they will be available on the waiver wire because no one will be rostering an Arizona corner before week one.      

• S Budda Baker – Elite tier safety who should be first off the board at the position
• S Jalen Thompson – Solid depth with marginal upside
• S Dadrion Taylor-Demerson – Sleeper with dynasty value
• S Kitan Crawford – Developmental rookie
• CB Garrett Williams – No fantasy impact expected
• CB Willie Johnson – No fantasy impact expected
• CB Max Melton – No fantasy impact expected
• CB Kei'Trel Clark – No fantasy impact expected
• CB Starling Thomas V – No fantasy impact expected
• CB Jaylon Jones – No fantasy impact expected.

That's a wrap for part 17. We're past the halfway point. Next up, the Los Angeles Rams.

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