GLENDALE – The Arizona Cardinals are a piece away from making the leap into contention next season. The franchise is coming off a free agency period that was a wild success with the signing of edge Josh Sweat that will help a lackluster pass rush from last year. Despite the Sweat signing, general manager Monti Ossenfort will still need to do some work in the interior defense as Max Chadwick of Pro Football Focus believes that Arizona still needs help in that department.
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Josh Sweat speaks to members of the media at the Arizona Cardinals Training Center in Tempe on March 13, 2025. Syndication: Arizona Republic
Sweat is a massive signing for the Cardinals, but their defensive tackles last season were graded one of the worst groups in the NFL by PFF. Chadwick believes Arizona need to spend their first round pick on the many talented defensive tackles in this year’s draft.
Chadwick on Cardinals need:
“They fielded the third-lowest-graded group of defensive tackles last season, and while they added a capable starter in Dalvin Tomlinson in free agency, the other two spots are unknowns. The Cardinals will hope 2024 first-round pick Darius Robinson can emerge in Year 2, but they may need to spend their first-round pick this year on a player like Kenneth Grant or Walter Nolen.”
Kenneth Grant:
Michigan defensive lineman Kenneth Grant (78) celebrates a tackle against USC during the first half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024. Syndication: Detroit Free Press
Many mock drafts have Grant as a top-15 player, which just falls out of the Cardinals range at the 16th pick. However, if Grant is there, he will provide a massive size in the interior at 6’3 and 330 pounds. His junior season he had seven tackles for loss and three sacks, while leading the Michigan Wolverines to the fifth best rushing defense in the nation.
Walter Nolen:
Feb 26, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Mississippi defensive lineman Walter Nolen (DL23) during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Nolen is a late-first round grade, after earning All-American honors at Ole Miss in 2024. His first season with the Rebels he was sensational in the trenches, with 14 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. Ole Miss had the best run defense in the nation and Nolen is the reason why, his 6’3 and 304 pound frame is a nightmare for opposing offensive lineman.
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Reporter Tanner Tortorella covers general assignment for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @TannerTSports
