Why Cardinals Pass Rusher is Underrated

The Arizona Cardinals didn't get much out of their pass rush in the 2024 season, but that doesn't mean edge rusher Zaven Collins' season was a waste. The veteran defender put up modest enough numbers, but still contributed at an undervalued level.
It's been a difficult journey for Collins, transitioning between off-ball linebacker and outside linebacker, but he seems to have finally slid into a groove in Arizona's defense, with help from defensive coordinator Nick Rallis and head coach Jonathan Gannon.
Collins finished 2024 with 57 total tackles, including seven TFLs, seven quarterback hits and five sacks, leading the Cardinals' defense in bringing down the quarterback. He also forced two fumbles.
Sure, five sacks isn't a large number by any means, and Arizona's defense struggled mightily with rushing the passer in 2024. But Collins' value was more than simply getting to the quarterback.
Pro Football Focus awarded the veteran an astounding 85.5 grade in run defense - an aspect of Arizona's overall defense that had been nothing short of a joke in previous seasons.
In the 2023 season, Arizona allowed the most rushing yards per game in the NFL, surrendering 143.2 ground yards per game. In 2024, they made a 12-spot jump, placing 20th in the league with 126.4 allowed per game.
Considering Arizona's additions on the defensive line mostly struggled, both with injury and poor performance, Collins' contributions to stuffing the run certainly weren't negligible.
Collins has been generally proficient in run defense, but 2024's grade was over 12 points higher than his previous high. As an overall defender, he graded out at a solid 72.0.
Now granted, PFF grades aren't everything. But they do mean that Collins was technically sound, and was able to win reps. Maybe that didn't translate into major pass rush production, but it was a contributing factor nonetheless.
The Cardinals likely expected more out of defensive lineman such as Bilal Nichols, Justin Jones and rookie Darius Robinson, who only played in six games. All three of these key additions spent at least a major portion of the season down with injury.
So it's not entirely on the shoulders of the incumbent members to replicate the anticipated production without support. Even edge rusher Dennis Gardeck went down mid-season with a torn ACL.
With all that in mind, Collins started 17 games. He's only missed one game since he was drafted in 2021. Sometimes, the best ability is availability, and Collins was one of the only members of Arizona's defensive front that played consistent snaps.
But that should change come 2025. It's quite likely that additions are made to the pass rush and interior D-line, whether that be via draft, free agency or trade.
But Collins will have the ability to be exactly what he profiles best as: a situational, rotational member of the pass rush, who can be brought on run downs and for a change of pace in passing situations.
Gannon and Rallis believe in rotating members of their unit, and with a healthier, bolstered D-line, Collins could be going into the 2025 season with an opportunity to prove his ability to make an impact, with greater support around him.