Cardinals Not Using Zaven Collins' Fifth-Year Option

Arizona Cardinals LB Zaven Collins will become a free agent after 2024.

Nov 26, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals linebacker Zaven Collins (25) reacts against / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

ARIZONA -- Arizona Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort told Arizona Sports' Burns and Gambo today the team would not pick up the fifth-year option of LB Zaven Collins. The decision was due for all 2021 first-round picks on May 2.

Cardinal GM Monti Ossenfort tells @BurnsAndGambo
that the team will not pick up the 5th year option on LB Zaven Collins.

— John Gambadoro (@Gambo987) April 30, 2024

Collins will become a free agent after 2024. He would have made $13.2 million in 2025 if the option was extended.

After first being introduced to the league as a middle linebacker, Collins was moved to the edge in 2023 after new head coach Jonathan Gannon and defensive coordinator Nick Rallis took over.

Many believe Collins functioned best as an off-ball linebacker and was only moved to the outside out of necessity. Fellow former inside linebacker Isaiah Simmons was traded last season to the New York Giants for a seventh-round pick.

With no true pass-rush experience at the next level, Collins struggled in his first season at the position. His four sacks tied for 77th in the league according to Pro Football Focus, though his 72.1 overall defensive grade leads all returning players on Arizona's defensive side of the ball. His 73.9 run support grade was 21st among all edge defenders last season, per PFF metrics.

Earlier in the offseason, Ossenfort gave his thoughts on the Tulsa product:

"I thought Zaven had a good year," Ossenfort said at the NFL Combine. 

"We went through a transition year positionally. I thought Zaven made great strides. He played a lot of snaps for us. With him, like all players, we expect to see a jump from year one to year two, with his comfort level and getting used to the position."

The Cardinals waited until the final day of the 2024 NFL Draft to draft an edge player, with Gannon telling reporters he was confident in his current crop of guys.

“Yeah, I love the group. Where they're at. I think that that entire room has done some really good things, and they all have a little bit different skill set, which is what we kind of like, the versatility there," he said.

Collins has a big year ahead of him, as he's now unofficially on a prove-it deal in Arizona.