The Arizona Cardinals did not intend on giving linebacker Jordan Hicks a playing time when they selected Zaven Collins in the first round of the draft this year. He was told he could not compete for the starting job.
He asked for a trade.
Now, after working his tail off in the offseason, he barely comes off the field on defense.
Once again a team captain, Hicks is playing at a high level, much like his play in 2019.
He had another standout performance in Week 3, although he didn’t get the fanfare others got like Byron Murphy, A.J. Green or Christian Kirk, all of whom were given game balls.
His line in Week 3 against the Jacksonville Jaguars? He had 12 tackles, a sack, a QB hit, a forced fumble and a pass breakup.
He sacked Trevor Lawrence and forced a fumble on the final play of the game. His pass breakup was what created Murphy’s first interception.
His play hasn’t gotten unnoticed by head coach Kliff Kingsbury.
Kingsbury w/@PaulCalvisi postgame, "He's a stud human" re: Jordan Hicks; added "glad to we got him"#AZvsJAX
— Craig Grialou (@CraigAZSports) September 26, 2021
He called Hicks “a stud human” and said he is “glad we got him” after the game Sunday.
While Collins develops and plays, having Hicks playing at the level he is is a great thing to see for a great guy and a great teammate.
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