A new era is set to begin for the Arizona Cardinals in 2023. They made major changes to the front office and coaching staff, as general manager Steve Kiem stepped down from his position and head coach Kliff Kingsbury was fired. Taking their place in Arizona is Monti Ossenfort as general manager and Jonathan Gannon as head coach.
There is a lot of work to do to get the Cardinals back on track. The most important thing for Gannon to find success early on is getting on the same page with Kyler Murray, whose relationship with Kingsbury seemed to sour near the end of his tenure.
If the Cardinals have any hope of turning things around quickly, that relationship is paramount. It will take some time for the roster to get up to speed as there are needs on both sides of the ball. Filling them in free agency wasn’t easy as their salary cap situation wasn’t great. But, the Cardinals were able to make one under-the-radar signing that has been praised.
That signing was linebacker Kyzir White. White played last season with the Philadelphia Eagles, following Gannon, who was the Eagles’ defensive coordinator, to the desert. That should make for an easier transition as White knows the system and what is expected of him.
He can provide leadership for the Cardinals’ defense and help his new teammates learn the nuances of Gannon’s system. His addition is also great news for linebacker Zaven Collins, who is heading into Year 3.
White is capable of playing off-ball linebacker, which will open Collins up to play a more versatile role. That will help Collins in his development. White can also play alongside Isaiah Simmons, who is a versatile chess piece defensively.
Having White on the second level of the defense will make life much easier for all of his teammates. He is a tackle machine, racking up triple-digits in each of the last two seasons as he has remained healthy, not missing a game since 2020. Reliable and productive, White is the exact kind of player that the Cardinals need more of.
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