The Arizona Cardinals do not have a premier pass rusher on their team. They will rely on the development of young players on the edge — former inside linebacker Zaven Collins, rookie BJ Ojulari and 2022 third-round picks Cameron Thomas and Myjai Sanders.
While nobody on the Cardinals is considered a premier edge defender, they will face many good ones as opponents.
Of the top 11 edge defenders in the league as ranked by Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar, the Cardinals will face five, including the top three.
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Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns (No. 1 overall)
Garrett, who has had 16 sacks each of the last two seasons, and the Browns are the Cardinals’ Week 9 opponent on the road.
Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers (No. 2 overall)
The Cardinals get to face Bosa and the 49ers twice every season. He had 18.5 sacks last season. He has three career sacks against the Cardinals but two of those came last season. The Cardinals face the 49ers on the road in Week 4 and at home in Week 15
Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys (No. 3 overall)
Parsons had 13.5 sacks last season. The Cardinals face him and the Cowboys at home in Week 3.
T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh Steelers (No. 5 overall)
Watt had 5.5 sacks in 10 games last season but led the NFL with 15 in 2020 and 22.5, tying the NFL record in 2021. The Cardinals face the Steelers on the road in Week 13.
Hasson Reddick, Philadelphia Eagles (No. 7 overall)
Reddick, the former first-round pick of the Cardinals in 2017, had a career-high 16 sacks in 2022 for the Eagles. The Cardinals face the Eagles on the road in Week 17 on New Year’s Eve.
