Analyst Says Cardinals OLB Could be on Hot Seat

Dennis Gardeck enters the last year of his contract with the Arizona Cardinals.

Arizona Cardinals linebacker Dennis Gardeck (45) during organized team activities at the Dignity Health Arizona Cardinals Training Center on May 28, 2024. / Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

ARIZONA -- The Arizona Cardinals are counting on some prominent names to take the next step in 2024 while others are facing a critical year in terms of job security.

OLB Dennis Gardeck checks both boxes.

The Cardinals approached 2024 with little improvements made to their room of edge rushers, which was a simultaneous concession to address other positions while also a vote of confidence in names such as Gardeck, Zaven Collins and BJ Ojulari.

With Ojulari now out for the season with a torn ACL, Gardeck - who was projected to be a rotational outside linebacker - is now slotted as a starter opposite of Collins in Arizona's base 3-4 scheme.

ESPN's Josh Weinfuss labels Gardeck as Arizona's player on the "hot seat" in the site's recent power rankings, which had the Cardinals at No. 29 out of 32 NFL teams:

"If anyone is on the hot seat this year, it would be Gardeck because of Arizona's attempts to strengthen its pass rush. In reality, his seat is lukewarm to warm, at worst," said Weinfuss.

"He's coming off a productive season with six sacks, a forced fumble and seven disrupted dropbacks, plus 33 pass rush wins. However, the Cardinals were set to relegate Gardeck to the second team with BJ Ojulari's emergence during training camp until Ojulari suffered a torn ACL, which propelled Gardeck back into the starting lineup.

"Gardeck could lose his job if Arizona continues to see a need to replace him, but his seat isn't burning at the moment."

Gardeck and Collins (who inked a two-year extension with the Cardinals earlier in training camp) have yet to play in preseason action, which has afforded the likes of Xavier Thomas and Cameron Thomas the opportunity to shine in recent weeks.

Weinfuss is correct in Gardeck's seat not being scorching hot, though he does need to perform at higher levels if the Cardinals want to bring him back following the 2024 season.

Gardeck is in the final year of his contract and just turned 30-years-old.