The Arizona Cardinals acquired a number of defensive players in free agency. Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph told the Cardinals staff, as shown in the latest episode of Cardinals Flight Plan, “we’ve acquired probably eight new starters in free agency.”
Eight seems a little high, but coaches sometimes consider players starters in different packages.
Who are the defensive free agents they added?
On the defensive line, they re-signed Rodney Gunter and Darius Philon. Both are expected to start. More recently, they also signed veteran Terrell McClain, who probably will not start.
They added outside linebackers Brooks Reed and Terrell Suggs. Reed will probably be a starter in their base defense and Suggs will be considered a starter in sub packages, if not more.
They signed inside linebacker Jordan Hicks.
They added cornerbacks Robert Alford, Tramaine Brock and Josh Shaw. Alford will start and Brock might start while Patrick Peterson is suspended.
It wasn’t in free agency, but they acquired safety D.J. Swearinger off waivers last December before the end of the season.
Joseph said eight starters in free agency. If Swearinger included, the number is more like six or seven.
Whether it is eight or six, the Cardinals defensive starting lineup in Week 1 will look quite different than in 2018.
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