PHX Reporter

The Cardinals have shown confidence in Zaven Collins, extending his contract after a season where he transitioned to outside linebacker and recorded 3.5 sacks. This figure has raised questions about whether it adequately reflects his performance, given the versatile role he plays on the team.

Jonathan Gannon, when asked about judging Collins solely by his sack total, provided a comprehensive response. "I know sacks get guys paid a bunch of money and you do have to affect the quarterback," Gannon said. "The outside linebacker's job description, truthfully, is to rush the passer, set an edge, and a little bit of drop in our system. But I think that's a very micro-view of how he impacts the game and who he is as a player, just to judge him off his number of sacks."

Gannon acknowledged that while increased sack production from Collins would be beneficial, it is not the sole measure of his contribution. "Do I want to see his sack production go up this year? Absolutely I do, and it needs to go up. But that's not the end all be all of 'Here's who Zaven is for us.' He does a lot of things for us that I don't even see. He impacts the game in a positive way. He does a lot of things well for us."

Despite Collins' current learning curve at outside linebacker under Gannon's system, there remains optimism about his potential impact.

The team's pass rush continues to be an area of scrutiny. The recent report about veteran Carl Lawson working out has generated some interest among fans; however, expectations should remain tempered given Lawson's limited play last season due to injuries and being frequently inactive.

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