For the second consecutive season, many Arizona Cardinals fans were left frustrated with the team’s seeming to play their first-round pick inside linebacker. We saw a big second-year leap from 2020 No. 8 overall pick Isaiah Simmons, though he did not get a ton of playing time during his rookie season.
With the Cardinals opting to release three-year starter and team captain Jordan Hicks, the defense is going to need someone else to step up at that position. The projected man for that job is 2021 No. 16 overall selection Zaven Collins, who did not have many opportunities last season.
NFL Network analyst Jim Trotter mentioned Collins as a player that will be essential to the defense’s chances of improving from last season, particularly with the loss of standout edge rusher Chandler Jones.
