Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Jess Root

Cardinals have none of the top 32 D-linemen in NFL per PFF

The Arizona Cardinals lost J.J. Watt to retirement and Zach Allen to free agency, leaving a void of high-end talent on the defensive line. Now there are a bunch of young and unproven players.

As such, it is no surprise that the Cardinals had no player mentioned in Pro Football Focus’ rankings of the top 32 interior defenders in the NFL.

One former Cardinal, Allen, now with the Broncos, cracked the list and came in at No. 32, but no Cardinals player is mentioned.

But why would they?

The most accomplished defensive lineman on their roster currently is Carlos Watkins.

Watkins has been in the league for six seasons and has started 36 games but he is definitely not close to one of the best in the league. He is what you would call a nice veteran piece on a line.

After Watkins, Leki Fotu and Rashard Lawrence have the most experience. They are in their fourth year and have not yet proven themselves as even reliable starters.

Kevin Strong, Eric Banks, Ben Stille and rookies Dante Stills (drafted in the sixth round) and Jacob Slade (undrafted) round out the group.

Head coach Jonathan Gannon did wonderful things with the Philadelphia Eagles as a defensive coordinator, but he had dominant defensive linemen. We will see what he can do with a bunch of players mostly unknown in the league.

An offer for Cardinals fans

For the best local Phoenix news, sports, entertainment and culture coverage, subscribe to azcentral.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.