New Arizona Cardinals linebacker Devon Kennard has been playing outside linebacker his entire NFL career and will continue to do for in Arizona. However, it is the first time he will play outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. That means he will be rushing the passer more than ever before.
Each of the last two seasons for the Detroit Lions, he had seven sacks.
One thing he did relatively often was drop into coverage, which is common for 4-3 outside linebackers.
He is excited rush the passer more.
“Playing in Detroit was the first time I got to rush more often,” he told reporters in his initial press conference via video. “Even with that said, I think I was a top-two or three outside linebacker, I dropped (into coverage) more than any outside linebacker in the league. I was in the top two or three. I still dropped a lot more than most guys in my position. It was definitely the first opportunity I’ve had to rush more regularly, and that was something that I was grateful for being there and I want to continue to progress with being here.”
The Cardinals had issues covering running backs and tight ends last season. Could that be something Kennard does in his new role?
“I imagine I’ll be rushing and on the line of scrimmage a lot more than man-to-man covering people,” he said. “Not that I can’t be in coverage. I am in coverage, but playing man-to-man on tight ends down after down is not really my thing.”
Now, between him and Chandler Jones, Kennard will likely be the one to drop into coverage from time to time. In defensive coordinator Vance Joseph’s defense, one of the edge rushers has to drop into coverage from time to time. Last year, Jones did that for most of the year while Terrell Suggs was on the team because he was better at it than Suggs. However, in roughly 13 games, he dropped into coverage about 40 times, according to Joseph.
When Suggs was released and Haason Reddick played more, he was the drop linebacker.
Presumably, Kennard will be the drop linebacker, which means he will cover a guy maybe two or three times a game.
Playing as a 3-4 outside linebacker might be Kennard’s natural position. He will get to rush the passer more and is athletic enough to cover backs and tight ends. He won’t be doing it on a down-to-down basis, but his athleticism and experience playing in space will benefit the Cardinals in an area the struggled last season.
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Ep. 262
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Ep. 261
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