Cardinals Urged to Make Defensive Adjustment

Arizona Cardinals LB Owen Pappoe needs to find the field more, according to one analyst.

Dec 31, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Arizona Cardinals linebacker Owen Pappoe (44) in the tunnel before game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

ARIZONA -- The Arizona Cardinals are 0-2 out of their bye week, and suddenly have slipped out of first place in the NFC West.

It's going to be a tight race down the stretch of the season, and though Arizona's defense has stepped up in a massive way, the Cardinals can still find some ways to adjust their play.

Bleacher Report says that can come at inside linebacker, where Matt Holder says second-year linebacker Owen Pappoe needs to play more.

"Linebacker is a current weakness for the Cardinals as Kyzir White has struggled in coverage this season, owning a 38.8 grade from Pro Football Focus in that department heading into Week 13.

"Meanwhile, Pappoe hasn't gotten much playing time. It's a small sample size, but he has earned a mark of 76.0 in coverage with limited opportunities. B/R's scouting department was high on the Auburn product coming out of college, primarily because of his athleticism and sub-4.4 speed.

"Given White's struggles, seeing what the second-year pro can do with more reps would be worth it."

Could this very well happen?

Pappoe is blazing fast and has played in 11 games for the Cardinals this season, though he's played just 15% of snaps in Arizona.

There's good reason for that, however.

White is not a coverage linebacker, though that's not what the Cardinals have signed him to be - Arizona brought him over for his command of the front seven, leadership and ability to plug running lanes - which is something White has done in both years with the organization.

While White's struggled in pass coverage, his PFF run grade of 72.1 ranks top-eight in the team.

You're also not going to replace the versatile Mack Wilson at the other inside linebacker position, either.

There's certainly more the Cardinals could do defensively, though removing one of their top players shouldn't quite be on the menu.

That's where the creativity of defensive coordinator Nick Rallis can come into play - Pappoe's speed could certainly be deployed in various situations, though the Cardinals tend to use three-safety looks more than three-linebacker looks.

With five games left, most of the Cardinals have their roles already settled, so it's tough to see Pappoe kicking the door down this late in the season.