Former Cardinals Captain Signs With Jaguars

Arizona Cardinals linebacker Dennis Gardeck is signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.

Gardeck first entered the league as an undrafted rookie in 2018 but made the Cardinals' roster thanks to his heavy impact on special teams.

His rookie season, he played 16 games and appeared in 89% of special teams snaps.

Dennis Gardeck Earns New Opportunity

That trend continued the next two seasons, as he played 85% and 80% of special teams snaps before slowly earning defensive time at outside linebacker in 2020, where he netted seven sacks on 94 snaps.

The final four years of his career saw him play regular snaps on defense with 2023 featuring eight starts under his belt. Through that time, Gardeck still was a prominent feature on special teams.

Gardeck was a team captain for the Cardinals and was highly regarded by the locker room, coaching staff and fan base in Arizona thanks to his high effort and personality - which is sure to translate to Jacksonville.

Unfortunately for Gardeck, the Cardinals beefed up their outside linebacker room in a major way over the course of the last two seasons, which ultimately contributed to his departure.

Injuries also held Gardeck back, as he finished two seasons on injured reserve - both knee ailments and the latest coming in 2024 when he tore his ACL in Week 7.

"It’s a part of the game. It’s just tough to swallow at times, so obviously we know what he puts into the game, into his craft, and being a pro and being the teammate that he is. So, that’s going to hurt," Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said of the injury.

As much as the Cardinals are hoping to turn things around in terms of their overall organizational shift, the same goes for Jacksonville.

The Jaguars hired new head coach Liam Coen this offseason and hope to get back to postseason football for the first time since 2022.

After spending seven years in Arizona, he departs with 96 career games played and 17 sacks. The 30-year-old certainly still has some gas left in the tank, especially if he's not asked to do too much for the Jaguars off the bat when he returns from injury.

Gardeck survived numerous coaching staff changes in Arizona and earned his way to a solid NFL career with hustle, heart and determination despite odds being stacked against him.

Best wishes to him in Jacksonville.

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