Phoenix-area Native LB Devon Kennard Returns Home as Cardinals Free-Agent Addition

The Arizona Cardinals reportedly acquired former Detroit Lions linebacker Devon Kennard on a three-year deal Wednesday.

It was another seemingly productive day in free agency on Wednesday as the Arizona Cardinals signed a potential pass rusher to line up on the opposite side of Pro Bowl outside linebacker Chandler Jones, who had 19 sacks in 2019 and received my vote as NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Jones also had 11 tackles for loss, 26 quarterback hits, eight forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.

But this story is not about Jones; rather, it is about linebacker Devon Kennard, whose release was announced by the Detroit Lions on Monday and who had his contract officially terminated on Wednesday as the 2019 league year came to an end.

It did not take long for Kennard and the Cardinals to come to terms, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, on a three-year contract worth $20 million that includes guarantees of $12.25 million. It is a homecoming for Kennard, who was born in Tempe, where the Cardinals' team facility is located, and attended Desert Vista High School in Phoenix.

#AZCardinals are giving LB Devon Kennard a three-year, $20 million deal that includes $12.25 million guaranteed, source says. The Phoenix native heads home and gets more than he was slated to earn from the #Lions.

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 18, 2020

Most impressive, aside from numbers, is that Kennard was a team captain for the last two seasons after signing with the Lions as an unrestricted free agent in 2018 after four seasons with the New York Giants.

The biggest sin for Kennard in Detroit might be that he is not a former New England Patriot, the team where Lions head coach Matt Patricia was previously defensive coordinator and where Bob Quinn also worked in the personnel department for 16 years before becoming Detroit’s general manager in 2016.

The release of Kennard, who was also the Lions’ NFLPA player rep, saves the team $5.675 million in cap space and cleared the way for them to sign linebacker Jamie Collins — yes, a former Patriot — for a reported $30 million for three years with $18 million fully guaranteed.

Playing in a 4-3 defense, Kennard still managed to have 7.0 sacks in each of the last two seasons, so he should be even more effective in the Cardinals’ 3-4 scheme. With the Lions last season, Kennard played in all 16 games with 15 starts, and had 58 tackles (45 solo), nine tackles for loss, 15 quarterback hits two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble.