Post-NFL Draft defensive roster review for the Arizona Cardinals

Done with the NFL Draft, the Arizona Cardinals began virtual team meetings Monday with the 2020 season on the horizon.

It’s a good time to recap where the roster stands after free agency and now the draft.

Though this is rolling out in two parts — offense and special teams went first — it should be known that the list of potential rostered players includes 27 offensive players, 27 defensive players and three special teamers.

That means, with a full offseason ahead, we’re above the 53-man roster limit by four players.

Below, you’ll see each positional group followed by the number of roster spots eating into the 57 players considered.

The list of players in each group are broken into starters, depth/developmental and a tough-cut zone. The last of those categories indicates the players or players who might be on the bubble if the cuts were tomorrow.

Obviously, free agents can still sign. Not every player on the current roster, including 21 undrafted free agents, are listed below. Training camp will have to play out for those Cardinals to move into consideration.

As it stands just after the draft, here is what sketching out a 53-man roster looks like from the defensive side.

Defense (27)

Inside linebacker (7)

Starters: Jordan Hicks, De’Vondre Campbell, Isaiah Simmons

Depth/developmental: Tanner Vallejo, Evan Weaver

Tough-cut zone: Zeke Turner, Dennis Gardeck

After needing a starter to begin the offseason, no positional group saw the influx of talent like Arizona’s inside backers. Adding Campbell in free agency and Simmons with the first-round pick gives them exceptional depth.

It’s possible Arizona rolls with three of them at a time with Simmons serving as a slot man.

We’ll say sixth-round pick Evan Weaver has higher upside than Gardeck or Turner — only because of his draft slot and rookie status. All three, though, remain high-level special teams contributors. The drafting of two inside linebackers, however, could squeeze somebody’s spot on the regular season roster.

Cornerback/nickel (4)

Starters: Patrick Peterson, Robert Alford

Depth/developmental: Byron Murphy, Chris Jones, (Isaiah Simmons)

Tough-cut zone: —

Murphy must make a leap and find consistency in a slot position that he at times struggled with after starting the year outside at corner. His ability to play one position and have more help covering big tight ends should go along with his second-year growth, and it’s expected he becomes a starting-quality DB.

Jones can hang and serves as a nice backup, but behind him it’s still a little thin, especially if Alford or Peterson get hurt. Simmons could play a bit in the slot depending on matchups but probably shouldn’t be considered as true depth.

This is the biggest need that wasn’t addressed in the draft.

Safety (5)

Starters: Budda Baker, Jalen Thompson

Depth/developmental: Deionte Thompson, (Isaiah Simmons), Chris Banjo, Charles Washington

Tough-cut zone: —

You could argue Jalen Thompson should fall into the depth tier, but considering he was a late addition via the supplemental draft and improved without major concerns, it’s his starting job to lose alongside Baker. That Arizona has not addressed safety other than re-signing backups Banjo and Washington, who are key special teamers, might also indicate the Cardinals feel good about this positional group.

Again, Simmons could also contribute here in spot duty.

Outside linebacker (3)

Starters: Chandler Jones, Devon Kennard

Depth/developmental: Haason Reddick, (Isaiah Simmons)

Tough-cut zone: —

Reddick has a chance to find his role as a pure edge-rusher after Jones and Kennard take most of the snaps. And it’ll be interesting to see if Simmons is an edge rusher for more than a handful of snaps per game or used more as a second-level chess piece.

If Arizona is down on Reddick as the 2017 first-round pick approaches the fourth year of his rookie deal, then Simmons or somebody else will be needed as the third outside linebacker.

Defensive line (8)

Starters: Corey Peters, Jordan Phillips

Depth/developmental: Jonathan Bullard, Zach Allen, Leki Fotu, Rashard Lawrence

Tough-cut zone: Michael Dogbe, Miles Brown

It’s still not clear if there’s a favorite to become the third starter next to Peters or Phillips, but Bullard is the most logical choice at this time due to his experience.

Who’s even in the two-deep rotation? There are at least enough options where you would think one or two of the young players can separate themselves.

Fotu, Lawrence and Allen in theory should join Bullard as rotational pieces, but Dogbe and Brown might not be too behind after getting a decent number of snaps during their rookie campaigns.

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