The Arizona Cardinals ranked just 25th in defense this past season, so the fact that they are likely going to be searching for major defensive help in free agency should not come as much of a surprise.

However, I’m not sure anyone would expect them to land one of the best defensive players on the market.

But that’s what Dallas Robinson of Pro Football Network expects them to do.

In a piece where Robinson predicts one key free-agent signing for each team, he predicts that the Cardinals will land Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Justin Madubuike next month.

Madubuike will be one of the most sought after players on the open market after he racked up 56 tackles, 13 sacks and a forced fumble in what was a breakout 2023 campaign.

The 26-year-old, who played his collegiate football at Texas A&M, was selected by the Ravens in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

He played in just 10 games during his rookie season and barely made an impact, logging 19 tackles and a sack. The following year, Madubuike showed some progression, appearing in 15 contests and registering 36 tackles and a couple of sacks.

Then, in 2022, Madubuike finally showed signs of breaking through, participating in every game and finishing with 42 tackles and 5.5 sacks.

That led to Madubuike’s monster season this past year, which led to a Pro Bowl appearance and a Second-Team All-Pro selection.

The Cardinals have considerable cap space going into the offseason, so they certainly have the financial wherewithal to sign Madubuike. The question is, would Madubuike want to sign there?

Going from Baltimore to Arizona would represent a stark difference in terms of organizational culture, and the Cardinals are not exactly close to contending.

Then again, if Arizona shows Madubuike the money, he might have no issue taking his talents to the desert.

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