ARIZONA CARDINALS

Cardinals’ Dennis Gardeck says old knee injury impacted him in 2021

May 23, 2022, 2:20 PM | Updated: 5:07 pm

Dennis Gardeck #45 of the Arizona Cardinals reacts after Zaven Collins #25 of the Arizona Cardinals...

Dennis Gardeck #45 of the Arizona Cardinals reacts after Zaven Collins #25 of the Arizona Cardinals recovers an onside kick during the fourth quarter against the Los Angeles Rams at State Farm Stadium on December 13, 2021 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)

(Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)

Arizona Cardinals outside linebacker Dennis Gardeck really believed his ACL-repaired knee felt not just recovered, but back to normal when we made a quick return from early 2021 surgery.

Gardeck was in line to play in Week 1 last season before a hand injury gave him a few weeks of extra rest, and he appeared in 14 games with three starts under his belt. The production, though, didn’t carry over from his breakout 2020 campaign.

The seven sacks in 94 total snaps as a reserve that season before the ACL tear were followed by zero sacks and four quarterback hits in 173 defensive snaps last year.

“It felt good. I wasn’t lying to you guys,” Gardeck said when he joined Arizona Sports’ Wolf & Luke on Monday. “You just don’t know how good feels until you feel good. I thought I was back to my normal speed and I felt way more confident than I did weeks previous, months previous, until I got out there this offseason.

“Then it was like, ‘Man, I feel way better.’ And then it’s like, ‘Maybe I wasn’t all the way back.'”

Gardeck’s role is open for change this season after he went into free agency and re-signed with Arizona on a three-year, $12 million contract.

Pro Bowler Chandler Jones left in free agency, and Markus Golden and Devon Kennard are the only known commodities at outside linebacker.

Waiver pickup Jessie Lemonier, second-year man Victor Dimukeje, plus rookies Myjai Sanders, Cameron Thomas and Jesse Luketa are among the bodies who could fill out the depth chart.

Gardeck figures to be ahead of all of those players if he can look like something close to his high-efficiency self from two years ago, before his ACL injury.

“Obviously it’s realistic (to rediscover the same form as 2020). It’s been done before,” Gardeck said. “I think getting back to that and improving upon that is the goal this offseason. What I attribute (the success) to is just being able to pay my dues and pay the system in terms of practices and getting my steps right and getting reps after reps after reps and everything moving into that year.

“I felt like this past year it was hard to get in all that work because I’m rehabbing and everything, so I spent the whole year paying my dues and I’m hoping this year it’ll pay off again.”

Presented By
Western Governors University
Arizona Cardinals RB Eno Benjamin warms up ahead of OTAs on Monday, May 23, 2022, in Tempe. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) An Arizona Cardinals helmet during OTAs on Monday, May 23, 2022, in Tempe. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals CB Darrell Baker Jr. warms up ahead of OTAs on Monday, May 23, 2022, in Tempe. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals WR Rondale Moore warms up ahead of OTAs on Monday, May 23, 2022, in Tempe. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals WR Rondale Moore warms up ahead of OTAs on Monday, May 23, 2022, in Tempe. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals WR Antoine Wesley speaks with the media after OTAs on Monday, May 23, 2022, in Tempe. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury speaks with the media after OTAs on Monday, May 23, 2022, in Tempe. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals S Budda Baker speaks with the media after OTAs on Monday, May 23, 2022, in Tempe. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals DL Manny Jones runs through drills during OTAs on Monday, May 23, 2022, in Tempe. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals DL Leki Fotu runs through drills during OTAs on Monday, May 23, 2022, in Tempe. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals DL Kingsley Keke runs through drills during OTAs on Monday, May 23, 2022, in Tempe. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals DL J.J. Watt runs through drills during OTAs on Monday, May 23, 2022, in Tempe. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals DL J.J. Watt runs through drills during OTAs on Monday, May 23, 2022, in Tempe. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals DL Leki Fotu runs through drills during OTAs on Monday, May 23, 2022, in Tempe. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals S Budda Baker talks with CB Marco Wilson during OTAs on Monday, May 23, 2022, in Tempe. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports) Arizona Cardinals TE Zach Ertz speaks with the media after OTAs on Monday, May 23, 2022, in Tempe. (Tyler Drake/Arizona Sports)

Arizona Cardinals

Joshua Dobbs, Arizona Cardinals QB vs. the Dallas Cowboys...

Haboob Blog

‘Speeding in a school zone’: Cardinals QB Joshua Dobbs pushed 20 mph vs. Cowboys

Joshua Dobbs is not Kyler Murray, but he's been a threat to run just like the recovering Arizona Cardinals startering quarterback.

5 hours ago

Presented By...

Arizona Sports Video

Video: Arizona Cardinals QB Joshua Dobbs talks win over the Cowboys

Video: Felisa Cárdenas and Jeremy Schnell/Arizona Sports Subscribe to the Arizona Sports daily newsletter: https://bit.ly/3QWcj1x Read articles from Arizona Sports: https://arizonasports.com/ Download the Arizona Sports app: https://arizonasports.com/the-arizona-sports-98-7-fm-app/ Sign up for texts from Arizona Sports: https://arizonasports.com/text-alerts/ Listen live to Arizona Sports: https://arizonasports.com/listen-live/ Follow the team: https://bit.ly/3R0PIAJ ARIZONA SPORTS SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArizonaSports/ X: https://x.com/azsports TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@arizonasports987 […]

7 hours ago

Joshua Dobbs celebrates with Monti Ossenfort after a Week 3 win over the Dallas Cowboys...

Tyler Drake

Arizona Cardinals QB Joshua Dobbs comes full circle in win over Cowboys

The Arizona Cardinals' 28-16 victory over the Dallas Cowboys was certainly a game to remember in more ways than one for QB Joshua Dobbs.

8 hours ago

Kyzir White celebrates with Jonathan Gannon in Week 3...

Tyler Drake

Kyzir White proving Jonathan Gannon, Cardinals right early into Arizona tenure

Kyzir White has been everything and more for a scrappy Cardinals defense led by head coach Jonathan Gannon and DC Nick Rallis.

20 hours ago

Marquise Brown #2 of the Arizona Cardinals celebrates a touchdown with teammate James Conner #6 dur...

Wills Rice

Gannon after 10 analysts pick Cowboys to beat Cardinals: ‘Good’

Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon had a brief word for all 10 analysts that predicted the Cowboys to beat the Cardinals in Week 3.

21 hours ago

Drew Petzing looks on...

Tyler Drake

Cardinals OC Drew Petzing’s creativity on display in win over Cowboys

Throughout the Cardinals' first win under the new regime, OC Drew Petzing showed off his creativity from a play-calling standpoint.

22 hours ago

Cardinals’ Dennis Gardeck says old knee injury impacted him in 2021