Arizona Cardinals coach Bruce Arians likes depth of defensive front
Jul 31, 2013, 5:47 AM | Updated: 5:48 am
The Arizona Cardinals defense will have a bunch of new faces in their starting lineup this season.
There could be up to six new starters, five of whom weren’t even on the team last season.
The one area of the defense where there is little change is on the defensive line.
Calais Campbell, Dan Williams and Darnell Dockett all return to be the projected starters for the 2013 NFL season.
Along with the ‘big three’ comes a line with a lot of depth of veterans players that has head coach Bruce Arians excited.
“It’s paramount to have depth to keep guys fresh and attacking,” Arians said. “We want to be able to tap-out and put in a guy we trust. I like the rotation of guys we have right now, very multi-dimensional players and it’s a good group.”
David Carter, Frostee Rucker, John Abraham and Matt Shaughnessy give the Cardinals strong depth on the defensive line.
Abraham, the NFL’s active sacks leader, was signed last week to give the Cardinals a pass rushing option they have not had since Bertrand Berry.
“He does it within the structure,” Arians stated on how much freelancing he will give Abraham. “He knows if I got this guy on the up and under, he is going to let his tackle know to contain and he is going to take his shot.
“That is the beauty of veteran savvy.”
The depth Arians has on the line gives the coach options to move players around and see what they can do in situations they are not familiar with.
“A lot of it is experimentation,” Arians stated. “Right now you have to press guys out of their comfort zone to see what they can do.”
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