Arizona Cardinals agree to terms with LB Josh Woods on 1-year deal
Mar 23, 2023, 3:43 PM | Updated: 4:22 pm
Josh Woods #51 of the Detroit Lions celebrates during the second half against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on December 18, 2022 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
The Arizona Cardinals and former Detroit Lions linebacker Josh Woods agreed to terms on a one-year deal, the team announced Thursday.
Woods, who was a team captain for the Lions in 2022, recorded 14 tackles in 17 games played, all coming as a special teamer. His 10 solo tackles on special teams were tied for fifth in the NFL last year.
The four-year veteran has served primarily as a special teamer throughout his career.
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He got his NFL start as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Maryland with the Chicago Bears in 2019. He played in eight games his rookie season before seeing that number jump to 15 in Year 2.
His stint with the Bears wouldn’t last much longer than 2019, though, with the Lions signing Woods off of Chicago’s practice squad. He played in 12 games for Detroit that season, finishing with 21 tackles, two of which were for losses, and two QB hits before being placed on injured reserve with a neck injury suffered against the Cardinals in Week 14.
Despite the injury, Woods still saw more defensive snaps (113) than he had his previous two seasons combined (46). More than 100 of those 2021 reps came at inside linebacker.
He’ll now join a linebacker room that features Zaven Collins, Isaiah Simmons, Ezekiel Turner and Blake Lynch.
