The Arizona Cardinals had previously been completely shut out of any top player rankings on defense. Not a single Cardinals player could be found in Touchdown Wire’s rankings for safety, outside cornerback, the slot, interior defensive line or off-the-ball linebacker.
That finally changes with Doug Farrar’s ranking of the top 11 edge defenders in the NFL. While he is ranked lower than he probably should be, Cardinals outside linebacker Chandler Jones comes in at No. 8.
NFC West quarterbacks had an easier time in 2020 than they did in 2019, because Chandler Jones missed all but five games and 286 snaps due to a torn biceps. But even in limited duty last season, Jones showed that he was still the same guy who put up 19 sacks and 75 total pressures in the 2019 season. Jones is now 31 years old and in the final season of the five year, $82.5 million contract he signed in 2017, so while it’s understandable that the Cardinals have a wait-and-see attitude about a contract extension, Jones had a sack and 10 total pressures in just 166 pass-rushing snaps last season, and the tape shows that he’s still got it. Another huge season, and Jones could take it all the way to the bank all over again.
The Cardinals are counting on Jones returning to form. In 2019, he had 19 sacks and, had he gotten just one more, he likely would have been Defensive Player of the Year. The contract issue is intriguing because there has been nothing from either side, no reports of unhappiness — just a holdout.
Now, is eighth the right spot for Jones? Coming off an injury, it is understandable he might be lower. However, he is behind Nick Bosa, who is also coming off an injury.
Considering the fact no one has more sacks since Jones entered the league than he does, and that includes a year on injured reserve, he really should be in the top five.
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