Cardinals Must Lower Expectations for Fan-Favorite

It wasn’t long ago BJ Ojulari was a top 40 selection for the Arizona Cardinals with hopes of becoming one of the team’s new and young defensive staples. After a promising rookie season, his second year was taken away by a devastating knee injury.

Now, he enters year three with more questions than answers.

The Cardinals' front-seven underwent a metamorphosis this offseason that included big free agent signings, and plenty of draft investment from this year‘s class. The entirety of that group has been shaken up for the better and will create plenty of competition.

Our question here is how does Ojulari fit into those changes?

It’s anything but easy to predict how anyone will slot into this defense, which we expect will see a heavy amount of rotation. But it’s even more difficult for Ojulari, who is coming off injury.

As far as how big his role will be, I am providing reasons to buy or sell his stock along with my final verdict. Let’s start with why I’m buying.

Why I am buying

Ojulari was always predicted to inherit a significant role for last year‘s defense. His loss was heavily felt, as the Cardinals were forced to generate sacks by committee rather than within an established player. It worked last year, but it’s very unlikely to repeat.

Insert Ojulari - and the Cardinals have more depth and validity to the group. A player like Ojulari provides you with some ace pass rushing skills, and pairing him with guys like Josh Sweat and Baron Browning should revitalize Arizona’s ability to sack the quarterback without needing to get too fancy with it.

Why I am selling

It’s extraordinarily difficult to bounce back from the kind of injury Ojulari sustained in a year’s time. If the structural damage was truly as bad as we are led to believe, then who knows when he will be 100%.

The Cardinals also invested into their past rush to help off the edge, which in one sense will alleviate any perceived need for Ojulari to force his way back into the lineup, but in another sense could keep him off the field longer.

It makes it incredibly difficult to envision a massive role so early for him.

Verdict: Sell

This verdict has absolutely nothing to do with my feelings on Ojulari as a player. I have no doubts of him being a good football player, and someone who can impact this team, but I do worry that it will take likely a substantial amount of time to get to that point again.

I want to believe that he will immediately become a big-time producer for the defense, but it seems incredibly unlikely and borderline irresponsible to have those kind of expectations for him. I can see him contributing down the road, but I’m holding out on this year.