Paris Johnson Jr. with PHNX Cardinals Wired Up and Fired Up

Cardinals' Defense: An Exasperating Case of "Arrested Development"

By Walter Mitchell

Here is a list of young offensive players whom Monti Ossenfort has drafted or signed as free agents who are developing nicely within the Cardinals' offense:

QB Kedon Slovis

RB Korey Kiner (traded), Evan Hull

WR Michael Wilson, Marvin Harrison Jr., Jalen Brooks

TE Elijah Higgins

OL Paris Johnson Jr., Isaiah Adams, Jon Gaines II, Hayden Conner.

Call these Cardinals' offensive players "developments in progress."

"Arrested Development"

Conversely, on the other side of the ball, how many of Monti's draft picks are showing signs of being well developed with Nick Rallis' defensive system?

The only one I can think of is ILB Owen Pappoe --- yet, the irony is, Arizona pundit and fans don't believe he will make the team this season. 

Pappoe has been the team's best cover ILB since he arrived as a 5th round rookie from Auburn in 2023. 

Where he struggled early on was in his consistency as a tackler. 

Yet, last year and this pre-season, OP has popped as a tackler. 

Last year, when Nick Rallis finally gave OP some playing time (it took until Week 14), when he subbed in at times for a struggling Akeem Davis-Gaither, OP recorded 14 tackles and did not have a single miss. His 82. 8 tackling grade was the 2nd highest tackling grade on a defense that was #32 in the NFL in tackling.

Owen Pappoe's PFF Grades:

2023 Overall: 65.3, Tackling 61.4, Coverage: 69.9 #1 ILB

2024 Overall: 63.0, Tackling 40.9, Coverage 76.9 #1 ILB

2025 Overall 64.1, Tackling 82.8, Coverage 70.3 #1 ILB

2026 PS Overall 70.3, Tackling 74.7, Coverage 69.4 #1 ILB

This pre-season, OP led the team with 15 tackles, with only a single miss.

Once again he earned the highest coverage grade of all the Cardinals' ILBs with a 69.4.

Given the close look at Owen Pappoe's improvements, his 4.38 speed and impressive coverage and tackling skills, I think there's a good chance that he could be claimed off waivers.

Which leads to the question of which other young Cardinals' defensive players would have a strong chance to be claimed off waivers, if released?

Walter Nolen III --- talent jumps off the tape, question is durability

Cody Simon --- scouts who spent time analyzing the Ohio St. inside linebackers are apt to recognized that of Ohio St.'s big three ILBs, Cody Simon, Sonny Styles and Arvell Reese, Cody Simon was the bell cow, especialiy in big games, garnering defensive MVP awards in the 2024 Rose Bowl and 2024 National Championship game.

Will Johnson --- name recognition? However, in his one season, he confirmed the NFL scouts concerns about his durability, tackling "want to", lack of speed and versatility in pass coverage, which is why he slipped to pick #47 (Round 2) in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Jordan Burch --- his physical talents are attractive. The question is, what position is Burch ideally suited to play in the NFL? Isn't he more suited to play 43 DE than 34 OLB?

Dadrion Taylor-Demerson --- versatile, playmaking safeties are in vogue in today's NFL and, while Rabbit has not been developing as well as yet as one would hope (looks like he won't start this season), teams would be apt to believe they could develop him in ways that the Cardinals have not.

Would any of the other draft picks be claimed?

* DE Darius Robinson? Would any team take on his 1st round contract?

* DT Dante Stills? No.

* ILB Karson Sharar? No.

* OLB B.J. Ojulari? No.

* CB Denzel Burke? His 2025 tape, up and down pass coverage and embarrassingly poor tackling are apt to turn off would-be suitors.

* CB Max Melton? No.

* CB Garrett Williams? Injury, man-to-man coverage and tackling concerns.

* CB Kei'Trel Clark? No.

* CB Elijah Jones? No.

* S Kitan Crawford? No.

The Cardinals could feel free to waive any of these young players with the hope of re-signing them to the 16-player practice squad. That is --- if the players don't choose to sign with other teams' practice squads the way Clayton Tune did last year.

Yet the biggest and most alarming question is, of all of the young players listed above, how many can you point to as being sufficiently developed by the defensive coaches?

The stunning answer is --- none --- as of yet.

The "lack of talent" excuses for the failure of Nick Rallis' defense are bullshit.

Not when a fan cannot point to the encouraging development of a single player now heading into year four.

Go look at what the Rams have done from 2023 to today with fewer and lower draft picks. The disparity is humongous.

Let's hope that somehow, some way, the Cardinals' defensive players experience a renaissance this season. So far, nothing has appeared to have changed from the last three year to this year.