The Arizona Cardinals aren’t expected to do much this year. That much is certain.
On paper, the team doesn’t have much talent on the roster.
We already know who the stars will be on the roster. Tight end Trey McBride and safety Budda Baker are perennial pro-bowlers who will make a major impact on the Cardinals’ season.
Despite the team’s poor expectations, there are a handful of players ready to break out who could define the season.
According to Donnie Druin of Sports Illustrated, defensive lineman Darius Robinson is one of those players.
The former first-round pick could have a huge impact on the season.
Why Could Arizona Cardinals Defender Robinson Break Out?
The Cardinals selected Robinson in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft (27th overall).
In his rookie season, Robinson dealt with injuries, playing just six games and recording just one sack and 10 tackles.
Then, in his second year, he was able to stay mostly healthy, playing 15 games. However, Robinson did not live up to expectations in his sophomore season.
He recorded just one sack and 43 tackles (four for a loss).
According to Druin, Robinson is entering a pivotal third year.
“Should Robinson begin to make that climb, Arizona’s ability to control the interior will improve far more than past iterations,” Druin wrote. “A healthy Walter Nolen, Proctor, Roy Lopez and Dante Stills, combined with an improved Robinson, would work wonders for defensive coordinator Nick Rallis and a unit that simply has lost battles far too often in the past.”
Another disappointing season from Robinson would likely make the trenches that much worse and would likely lead to the team declining his fifth-year option.
Considering edge rusher Josh Sweat is the only player still on the Cardinals with more than two sacks last season, Arizona is in dire need of defensive line production.
So in reality, this is a make-or-break year for the former first-round pick.
How Is the Rest of the Defensive Line Looking?
With Sweat’s future in Arizona uncertain, the Cardinals really need some breakouts from players on the front seven.
BJ Ojulari is another name Druin wrote about. Ojulari has been hampered by injuries to begin his career. But when he’s been on the field, he’s looked solid. He’ll need to stay healthy for this defensive line to succeed.
Last year’s first-round pick, Walter Nolen, was severely hampered by injuries in his rookie season. But when he was on the field, the results showed two sacks, five tackles for a loss and a defensive touchdown in just six games.
Roy Lopez is another name that needs to produce in his second stint in Arizona. With the Detroit Lions last year, he had two sacks and four tackles for a loss in 17 games.
A great defensive line is the pillar of a great defense. We’ve seen that time after time with Super Bowl champions. While this is by no means a playoff-caliber front seven, the Cardinals may surprise people by winning a few more games than expected if Robinson and the defensive line produces.
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