Entering the offseason program and with the arrival of head coach Jonathan Gannon and defensive coordinator Nick Rallis, the Arizona Cardinals were expected to have three starting linebackers playing off the ball.
It was presumably going to be Isaiah Simmons, Zaven Collins and newcomer Kyzir White.
Position changes seem to change that.
Simmons has been moved to safety.
Collins appears to be moving to the edge to play outside linebacker, based on all his offseason reps.
Now, the defense appears to be a 3-4 base defense, leaving the Cardinals with two off-ball linebackers to play.
White will be one, but if Simmons is a safety and Collins is playing more off the edge, who will be the other starting inside backer with White?
They drafted Owen Pappoe, a freak athlete linebacker out of Auburn in the fifth round.
They brought back Zeke Turner, a special teams stud. They added Josh Woods, another special teams ace, and Krys Barnes in free agency. They signed former Arizona State linebacker Kyle Soelle as an undrafted free agent.
Of this group, only Barnes has significant starting experience, starting 23 games in his first two seasons.
Woods seeks to be more than just a special teamer this season.
The Cardinals are off for the summer until training camp.
When they return, it will be one of the many positions to watch.
Will Collins play multiple roles, getting time at inside linebacker next to White and rushing off the edge? Or will he play full-time as an edge defender, giving someone else the opportunity to play linebacker with White?
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