The Arizona Cardinals came into the 2022 NFL Draft with plenty of needs on their roster. General manager Steve Keim did a solid job of addressing them throughout the draft despite trading away his first-round selection. There are plenty of exciting players in this Cardinals class who could make an immediate impact.
However, the most likely to provide unexpectedly good play is third-round selection, Cameron Thomas. Thomas, a San Diego State product, was a great find late in the draft who has the chance to develop into a really productive player in his rookie year.
With that said, we present Cameron Thomas as the Cardinals' rookie sleeper for the 2022 NFL season.
Cardinals Rookie Sleeper for 2022 NFL Season
Thomas will likely play 3-4 defensive end, a position the Cardinals sorely needed help at. Arizona is currently set to start JJ Watt and Zach Allen at the position. Watt is still a good player, but his health has been a problem for years now. He's only getting older, so it wouldn't be surprising at all to see Watt suffer another injury in the coming season. Allen has had some health issues of his own, as last season was the only one in his career that which he played double-digit games.
His play has also been less than stellar. Allen often loses control of his gaps against the run, and he is the definition of a mediocre pass-rusher. It's entirely possible that Thomas gets on the field because of an injury, or that Allen is benched in favor of a high-ceiling rookie.
Another factor that will help Thomas make an instant impact is his versatility. While the Cardinals likely view him as a long-term solution at 3-4 end, he can also play outside linebacker. Thomas is more than capable as a pass-rusher, something that should have him playing on the edge at some point as a rookie. There are plenty of snaps up for grabs at the position in Arizona, as there isn't too much talent there. Markus Golden is really the only legitimate starter the Cardinals have on the edge.
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Additionally, Dennis Gardeck is better served playing a big role on special teams instead of starting on defense. Devon Kennard has been declining for years now, and he only played 24% of Arizona's defensive snaps in 2021. It's hard to see him playing a serious role for the Cardinals at age 30 after a season in which he didn't notch a single sack.
In typical defensive alignments, the Cardinals will be using two outside linebackers. That means there should be an open starting spot across from Golden. There's good reason to think that Thomas can legitimately compete for that spot. We've already gone over why Gardeck and Kennard aren't great fits for the starting job, and there really isn't any competition. Assuming Thomas puts together a good training camp, there's a good chance he starts at one of the most important positions as a rookie. He should have plenty of chances to make plays out on the edge.
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