As NFL free agency for the Arizona Cardinals comes to a close, one NFL analyst believes the team has made significant strides in improving a key position.
Max Chadwick of PFF highlighted the Cardinals’ defensive line as the most improved unit through free agency. He pointed to the signing of edge rusher Josh Sweat and the re-signing of outside linebacker Baron Browning as critical moves for a team that ranked 28th in defensive line play last season.
The Cardinals had the fifth-lowest-graded defensive line in the league in 2024, prompting the team to invest nearly $125 million in strengthening their defensive front.
The biggest addition came in the form of Josh Sweat, an edge defender who has consistently earned PFF grades of 70.0 or higher in four of the past five seasons. He registered 10.5 sacks with the Philadelphia Eagles last year, including regular season and playoff performances. Baron Browning, returning to fill the other edge rusher spot, ranked 23rd in both pass-rush grade and win rate last year.
Sweat had 41 tackles and eight sacks in 2024 and played a pivotal role in the Eagles’ playoff run, finishing with 10 total tackles, including 2.5 sacks, in their Super Bowl victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Chadwick also highlighted the addition of defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson as another significant move to bolster the defensive line. Second-year defensive lineman Darius Robinson was identified as a player to watch in 2025.
Tomlinson, a proven interior defender with a track record of strong grades, joins the Cardinals after earning a 67.4 PFF grade last season with the Cleveland Browns. Over his eight-season career, he has amassed 316 tackles and 16 sacks with the Browns, Giants, and Vikings.
Following free agency, the Cardinals’ defensive line looks poised for improvement. Sweat and Tomlinson should help elevate a defense that ranked 13th in total sacks last season with 41, despite no player recording more than five sacks.
In addition to Sweat and Tomlinson, the Cardinals also re-signed Browning and brought back L.J. Collier on a one-year deal. The team is hoping for better injury luck in 2025, after losing Bilal Nichols and Justin Jones to season-ending injuries and dealing with Darius Robinson’s 11-game absence due to a calf injury.
The edge-rushing unit was particularly affected by injuries, with Dennis Gardeck suffering a season-ending knee injury and outside linebacker BJ Ojulari missing the entire season due to a knee injury sustained in training camp.
