It’s clear that none of us really knows what truly goes on behind closed doors of an NFL franchise.
To that end, we can only speculate on the reported news that the Arizona Cardinals have moved on from Derrick LeBlanc and will now be looking for a new defensive line coach.
It could be that someone in the NFL became available after the end of the 2024 season that head coach Jonathan Gannon believes will be an upgrade amid the musical chairs that exist on coaching staffs every year at this time of year.
Perhaps there was a disconnect between LeBlanc, Gannon and defensive coordinator Nick Rallis.
What is absolutely known is that LeBlanc was dealt a pretty bad hand in his two seasons with the team, yet he was always upbeat and insightful when he talked to the local media and got the most out of an ever-changing roster.
It’s instructive to examine the always-moving pieces that defined the position group during LeBlanc’s tenure.
Among a unit that would usually have five or six players active on game days, in two seasons there were a total of 21 that played in games and another four that were only practice squad guys. Of those 25, only five were with the Cardinals both seasons. Nine of the 20 different players entered the NFL as undrafted free agents. Of the 11 that were drafted, five were selected in the fifth, sixth or seventh round.
Most notable is that eight players who started games in the two seasons combined were on injured reserve for a total of 72 games. Ten players were inactive for games because of injury.
Heck, even LeBlanc wasn’t able to avoid the injury bug. He suffered an Achilles injury and for about two months at the beginning of the summer this past season navigated practice from a motorized scooter or using a cane.
Here is a look at every player from the last two seasons with the numbers for games broken down by games played/started/inactive. The order is by games played.
2023 Season
Dante Stills: 2023 sixth-round pick (Cardinals), Games 15/8/1
- On injured reserve for the final game of the season.
- Got his opportunity because of season-ending injuries suffered by L.J. Collier and Carlos Watkins.
Roy Lopez: 2021 sixth-round pick (Texans), Games 14/5/0
- Added to the practice squad on Sept. 23 before being signed to the active roster three days later.
Kevin Strong Jr.: 2019 UDFA (Lions), Games 14/11/2
- Surprisingly waived on Jan. 5, 2024, but went unsigned in the offseason and was then suspended for three games of the 2024 season for violating the personal conduct policy.
- Spent the final month of the 2024 season on the Los Angeles Rams practice squad.
Jonathan Ledbetter: 2019 UDFA (Dolphins), Games 12/12/3
- The three inactive games were because of an injury and he was placed on IR for the final two games of the season.
- Was not with any NFL team in 2024.
Leki Fotu: 2020 fourth-round pick (Cardinals), Games 11/9/1
- Missed six games because of an injury with five on injured reserve.
- Signed with the New York Jets as an unrestricted free agent in 2024.
- Played only two games with the Jets and spent the other games on injured reserve.
Ben Stille: 2022 UDFA (Dolphins), Games 5/0/0
- Was signed to the practice squad after being cut in the roster reduction to 53.
- Spent 15 games on the practice squad with three of the five games played as elevations.
Phil Hoskins: 2021 seventh-round pick (Panthers), Games 5/1/0
- Signed to the practice squad on Oct. 3 and elevated from there for three games before being signed to the active roster on Dec. 27.
- On the practice squad for eight games.
- Waived by the Cardinals on Aug. 27, 2024.
Naquan Jones: 2019 UDFA (Titans), Games 4/1/1
- Signed to the practice squad on Nov. 10 where he spent four games and signed to the active roster on Dec. 5.
Carlos Watkins: 2017 fourth-round pick (Texans), Games 2/1/0
- Injured in Week 2 and spent the final 15 games on injured reserve.
Eric Banks: 2020 UDFA (Rams), Games 2/0/0
- Signed to the practice squad on Aug. 30 and released Nov. 10.
- Was on the practice squad for nine weeks including being elevated for the two games he played.
L.J. Collier: 2019 first-round pick (Seahawks), Games 1/1/0
- Injured in the season opener and was on injured reserve for the remaining 16 games.
Kendal Vickers: 2018 UDFA (Steelers), Games 0/0/0
- Signed to the practice squad on Nov. 2 and was there for nine games.
Jacob Slade: 2023 UDFA (Cardinals), Games 0/0/0
- Was on and off the practice squad four times spending a total of four games there.
2024 Season
L.J. Collier: Games 17/15
- Re-signed as an unrestricted free agent in the offseason and ended up being the only defensive lineman in two seasons to play in all 17 games.
Roy Lopez: Games 16/16/1
- Missed one game because of injury and played through an injury for the final few weeks of the season.
Dante Stills: Games 16/10/1
- Similar to his rookie season, Stills received more playing time because of injuries, this year to Darius Robinson, Justin Jones and Bilal Nichols.
Khyiris Tonga: 2021 seventh-round pick (Bears), Games 13/1/4
- Signed as an unrestricted free agent, Tonga was a solid rotational piece.
- One of the four games inactive was because of an injury.
Naquan Jones: Games 12/0/2
- Waived by the Cardinals in the cut to 53 and signed to Miami’s practice squad on Aug. 29.
- Returned to Arizona after being signed off the Dolphins practice squad on Sept. 25.
Bilal Nichols: 2018 fifth-round pick (Bears), Games 6/5/0
- Spent the final 11 weeks of the season on injured reserve.
Darius Robinson: 2024 first-round pick (Cardinals, Games 6/0/0/3
- Suffered a calf injury on Aug. 22 and while rehabbing his mom passed away.
- After being activated from injured reserve, was inactive for three games before playing in the final six games of the season.
Justin Jones: 2018 third-round pick (Chargers), Games 3/3/0
- Spent the final 14 weeks of the season on injured reserve.
Ben Stille: Games 3/0/0
- After being waived by the Cardinals on Aug. 27, he was signed to the practice squad, but was then signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sept. 6 where he played three games and was inactive once.
- The Bucs waived him on Sept. 30 and he returned to the Cardinals practice squad on Oct. 3 where he spent the remainder of the season and was elevated for the three games he played.
- Signed to a contract for 2025 on Jan. 6.
Angelo Blackson: 2015 fourth-round pick (Titans), Games 1/0/0
- Signed to the Cardinals practice squad on Sept. 10 after being released by the Denver Broncos and was elevated for one game.
- Suffered an injury in the game and spent the final 13 weeks of the season on the practice-squad injured list.
P.J. Mustipher: 2023 UDFA (Broncos), Games 0/0/0
- After being released by the Philadelphia Eagles in the cut to 53, he was signed to the Cardinals practice squad and spent the entire season there.
- Signed to a 2025 contract on Jan. 7.
Anthony Goodlow: 2024 UDFA (Rams), Games 0/0/0
- Waived/injured by the Rams on Aug. 27 and after being placed on IR the next day was waived with an injury settlement on Sept. 6.
- Spent nine games on the Cardinals practice squad after being signed on Oct. 30.
- Signed to a contract for 2025 on Jan. 6
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