Cardinals Edge B.J. Ojulari will miss the season after tearing his left ACL in Friday's practice, according to NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe. The 2023 second-round pick was set to start opposite Zaven Collins in a defense that produced the league's third-fewest sacks last season.
Ojulari totaled just 4 sacks as a rookie but grew his role and hidden pass-rushing production over the second half of the season. Pro Football Focus rated him second among all rookies in pass-rush productivity.
Losing Ojulari significantly damages a defense that already looked weak in the pass rush.
Edge Dennis Gardeck has been productive but plays part time (career-high 46% snap share last year). Collins was no more than OK in his first season on the edge last year.
Arizona drafted DE Darius Robinson in Round 1 and now need him more. He was a late bloomer in college, though (4.5 total sacks before his fifth season). And at 285 pounds, he's also not a direct replacement for the 256-pound Ojulari.
Don't expect a strong IDP producer to emerge from the Cardinals' edge group this season. And don't expect this to be a team defense you'll want to use much -- if at all.
Ojulari entered the league on the light side and with just OK college production (16.5 sacks, 25.0 tackles for loss across three seasons at LSU).
This was looking like a key season for him to show how much pass-rushing upside he might deliver in the pros. Instead, Ojulari now needs to work back from an ACL tear and try again.
Fortunately for him, he'll still be just 23 at the start of next season and thus has time.
That said, he's no must-hold in your IDP dynasty league -- unless it's especially deep and/or especially friendly to sack/pressure scoring.
Darius Robinson could find more opportunity with Ojulari out, but I'm wary of his upside -- both initially and over the long term. Don't let this development inflate his perceived value.
Gardeck's playing time will be worth watching. If his snaps increase, he could deliver sneaky production for deeper sack-friendly formats.
Otherwise, I'll be surprised if Arizona doesn't try to add another vet at the position.
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