One of the Arizona Cardinals’ free agent signings was linebacker Devon Kennard. He was a bit of a surprise because he was not scheduled to hit free agency. The Detroit Lions released him and the Cardinals took advantage, inking him to a three-year deal.
Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph is pleased to add him to the defensive lineup.
“Kennard is a guy I’ve been watching for four or five years as a SAM backer,” he told reporters in a video conference this week. “He’s ideal. He’s heavy-handed. Versus the running game, he’s a dominant run stopper. He’s averaged seven sacks as year as a dropper so he should be hopefully better than that for us. But a smart, tough football player that’s going to be accountable for every snap for us.”
He had seven sacks each of the last two seasons playing as an outside linebacker in a 4-3 defensive scheme. That position more resembles an inside linebacker position in the Cardinals’ 3-4 scheme. Kennard dropped more than almost any other linebacker in the league last year and still had seven sacks.
Now he will play as an edge defender opposite Chander Jones, where the linebackers drop into coverage only every so often. Jones played the drop linebacker position most of last season because he was better than Terrell Suggs at it and he only dropped about 40 times during the season.
Kennard should fit perfectly. Playing 3-4 OLB is what he is built for.
The Cardinals haven’t gotten more than 5.5 sacks from a player not named Chandler Jones since 2016. Kennard should be able to at least produce the seven sacks he has had the last two seasons because he will rush the passer far more than he has in any seasons.
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Ep. 266
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Ep.265
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