Cardinals’ safety pins on defense

Where the Cardinals safeties make the defense connect

Budda Ballin’:

If one were to ask Chandler Jones what one of his Cardinals’ teammates allowed him to play free and fast on the edge, he would immediately point to safety Budda Baker.

What?

Why would a safety be the most important teammate to an NFL sack artist?

Ideally, edge rushers are supposed to generate pressure on the opposing QB while also trying not to lose contain.

But big-time pass rushers need to be able to mix up their pass rushing paths to the QB. When an offensive tackle overcommits to an outside rush, the edge rusher needs to counter by employing an inside swim move.

However, any time an edge player attacks from the inside, he is immediately abandoning his contain responsibilities.

One of the more under-stated aspects of Budda Baker’s outstanding abilities is his penchant for taking over the responsibility of contain when the edge rusher to his side takes an inside move.

This has worked very well for the Cardinals versus both the run and the pass.

Case in point: watch how quicky Budda reacts and stuffs the play when the Cardinals’ edges get down-blocked:

Newly acquired UFA Josh Sweat is about the closest physical match to Chandler Jones that Cardinals have had since Jones departed via free agency.

Because of Budda Baker, Josh Sweat, as he has said himself since he arrived in Arizona, is going to be able to play fast and free.

Josh Sweat is going to able to do this knowing that Budda has his back:

Rabbit Feet:

The Cardinals’ effectiveness at the free safety position in pass coverage will be the key as to how fast and free the Cardinals’ cornerbacks can play.

When one looks at Will Johnson’s ability to jump routes, the thing that enables him to play to his instincts is the comfort of know the deep safety to his side, has his back if and when he jumps a route where the pass goes over his head.

Dadrion Taylor-Demerson at the free safety position also relies on quick instincts and is an ideal 3rd level compliment to Will Johnson and the team’s other ball hawking cornerbacks.

Listen to Jonathan Gannon’s assessment of what the “Rabbit” brings to the Cardinals’ skills at safety:

Look at Rabbit’s ability to cover the deep third on a play where the QB breaks contain:

Look at this college highlight in covering for a busted coverage:

With Rabbit behind him, Will Johnson should be able to play as aggressively as this:

Did you notice how the safety behind Will Johnson at first moves to cover the deep option?

Here, have a good look at each of these great plays generated by Will Johnson and imagine what having a player of Dadrion Taylor-Demerson’s quickness and range behind him should mean to the All-American wolverine.

Flying like a Cardinal with the wind at his back:

Under the watchful eyes of the Cardinals’ safeties.

Call them “safety pins” for the way they connect the whole defense.