Bruce Arians calls John Abraham a 'freak of nature'

When the Atlanta Falcons let rush linebacker John Abraham go after the 2012 season, it seemed to indicate the team felt the veteran's best days were behind him.

Abraham proved that certainly wasn't the case after signing with Arizona, notching 11.5 sacks last season, his highest total since 2010. And Cardinals coach Bruce Arians told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution he doesn't expect the 36-year-old to slow down anytime soon (via ProFootballTalk):

"He did it last year and there's no reason to think he's going to slow down," Arians said. "He's one of those freaks of nature. He just keeps getting it done. We are looking forward to another big year out of him."

The addition of Abraham was a big reason for the Cardinals' defensive success a year ago, when they ranked sixth in the NFL in total yards allowed, up from 12th in 2012.

That defensive success, in turn, was the biggest reason Arizona was able to finish 10-6 last season. Another big year from Abraham could help the Cardinals repeat their stingy defensive ways, which seems necessary if the team is to make the playoffs for the first time since 2009.

The older he gets, the less likely it is Abraham can keep putting up double-digit sack totals. But he's defied his age to this point, so it's hard to fault Arians for thinking Abraham still has a lot left in his tank.

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—Ben Estes