Cardinals Confident in Former First-Round Pick

Despite the change of positions, Zaven Collins is poised to anchor the edge for the Cardinals in 2024.

Jan 7, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals linebacker Zaven Collins (25) looks down | Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

ARIZONA -- The Arizona Cardinals are confident in LB Zaven Collins moving into 2024.

Last season was rocky for the former first-round pick, who began his career at inside linebacker before the new regime of HC Jonathan Gannon and DC Nick Rallis moved him to the outside. Despite posting solid run-stopping metrics on sites such as Pro Football Focus, Collins failed to establish himself as a true pass-rushing threat for Arizona.

After arriving to the league, Collins struggled in his first season in the interior but took a considerable step at the position in year two.

Arizona hopes that same leap can be made as an edge rusher.

"He's got all the tools he's shown on tape, he can do everything that we need to do to be a premium player for us," Gannon said of Collins at the NFL Owner's Meetings (h/t AZCardinals.com). "(He needs) the consistency of doing that every single day. He's so bright and so smart. But at that position, there's times where we talk to him about 'Hey, man, like, you just gotta cut it loose. You can't overthink this.'"

Collins registered just 3.5 sacks for the Cardinals and 41 tackles despite starting every game for Arizona.

Arizona has a financial call to make on Collins' future in May, as the Cardinals can either elect to pick up his fifth-year option or decline it (similar to what they did with Isaiah Simmons last offseason), which would see Collins hit free agency after 2024.

"I thought Zaven had a good year," Cardinals GM Monti Ossenfort said at the NFL Combine. "We went through a transition year positionally. I thought Zaven made great strides. He played a lot of snaps for us. With him, like all players, we expect to see a jump from year one to year two, with his comfort level and getting used to the position."

Collins' fifth-year option would cost Arizona $14.4 million and that number could jump to $20 million if Collins earns a Pro Bowl nod this season.