TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) -Shoring up a leaky defense was the No. 1 objective of the Arizona Cardinals in the NFL draft, and they traded up 11 spots in the second round to address one of their biggest needs by nabbing linebacker Daryl Washington of TCU.
Coach Ken Whisenhunt said the Cardinals had Washington high on their board at No. 12, right behind Arizona’s first-round pick, nose tackle Dan Williams of Tennessee.
The two selections give the two-time defending NFC West champions a young core in the middle of what had been a shaky defense, especially in the playoffs, when the Cardinals gave up 45 points each to Green Bay and New Orleans.
raft and it just so happens that they fit needs for us.”
Washington, small for the position at 6-foot-2, 235 pounds, will be groomed as the replacement for inside linebacker Karlos Dansby, who signed a five-year, $43 million contract with Miami, $22 million of it guaranteed. General manager Rod Graves said it was an easy decision to make the trade up to get the linebacker.
Washington was the 47th selection overall on Friday. New England got Arizona’s 58th selection overall and the 89th choice overall in the third round. Arizona retained the 88th pick.
“Obviously we felt the time was right to do it,” Whisenhunt said. “In losing a player like Karlos Dansby, who’s a very athletic linebacker who did a lot of things on the field, we feel like we’ve addressed that with a young guy that can do a lot of the similar type things.”
The Cardinals had Washington in for a visit.
“We were struck by how intelligent the kid was,” Graves said. “We felt like he had an excellent year. He certainly fits a need for us. Our guys felt like he was probably the most athletic linebacker in the draft.”
Washington, part of the No. 1 defense in college football at TCU, said he knows how difficult it will be to replace the skilled, quick Dansby as the playmaking linebacker in Arizona’s 3-4 defense.
aggressive player, a very smart player, knows the game of football. … It’s going to be big shoes to fill but I’m ready to get in there and work as hard as I can and be a better player than him or be as good as him.”
Williams flew from New York to Phoenix on Friday, and at a news conference at Cardinals headquarters, he said the fact that he was picked later than expected was “a blessing in disguise.”
The 6-foot-3, 327-pound lineman from Tennessee comes to a team that has an immediate need at nose tackle.
“I am going to a good team, a good playoff team,” he said at a news conference. “You have great players around you.”
Williams said he wants to be a starter but knows he has to earn the spot. He repeated that he is good at stopping the run but needs to work on his pass rush.
“It is just like I am starting all over again,” Williams said. “I am in front of a new coaching staff. I have to prove myself to my coaches and to my teammates, that they can depend on me. … I do want to start and I am not expecting anything to be handed to me.”
The selection makes it unlikely Arizona will try to re-sign Bryan Robinson, who had started at nose tackle the last two seasons. As of now, Williams’ chief competition would be Gabe Watson, the only nose tackle on the roster. Alan Branch was drafted at the position, but was much more effective when he was shifted to end.
Williams said it will be “a relief” when he puts on a uniform and participates in next weekend’s mini-camp.
“I finally know where I am going to be playing and it is like back to football,” he said. “… It will be my first chance to show coach what their investment can do on the field. Next week I just want to get on the field and start proving myself all over again.”
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