Cardinals' Zaven Collins: Healthy for Sunday's game
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Collins (hand) does not carry an injury designation ahead of Sunday's game versus the Panthers, Zach Gershman of the Cardinals' official site reports.
Collins sustained a hand injury during Arizona's season opener at New Orleans, but it evidently was minor and won't be a problem for Week 2. He projects to continue to play a rotational role at linebacker versus Carolina.
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Cardinals' Zaven Collins: Suffers hand injury vs. NOLA
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Collins is questionable to return to Sunday's game against the Saints due to a hand injury.
Collins suffered the injury in the third quarter of Sunday's game, and he'll undergo further tests to determine the severity of the issue and whether he can return. Collins' absence opens the door for Baron Browning and Owen Pappoe to see more snaps with the first-team defense at linebacker.
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Cardinals' Zaven Collins: Sets career high in sacks
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Collins played all 17 regular-season games in 2024 and finished with 57 tackles (33 solo), including 5.0 sacks, one pass defense and two forced fumbles.
Collins has accumulated 98 combined tackles over the past two seasons, which is less than his total from the 2022 campaign (100 combined tackles across 16 regular-season games). However, Collins has developed into more of a pass-rushing threat, leading the Cardinals with 5.0 sacks in 2024. He'll look to develop his pass-rushing abilities during the offseason and improve on his numbers during the 2025 campaign.
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Cardinals' Zaven Collins: Picks up neck injury
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Collins (neck) was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.
Despite playing 23 defensive snaps and recording three total tackles in Arizona's Week 15 win over New England, Collins appears to have sustained a neck injury. The Tulsa product has yet to miss a game this season and is expected to play through the issue, provided he does not downgrade to no practice participation Thursday or Friday.
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Cardinals' Zaven Collins: Gets to QB in win
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Collins recorded six tackles (two solo), including 2.0 sacks and a tackle for a loss, in Sunday's 29-9 win over the Bears.
The defensive end also played on more than half of the defensive snaps for the sixth time in nine games this season. Collins has 37 tackles (22 solo), including 3.0 sacks, in 2024.
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Cardinals' Zaven Collins: Nine tackles vs. Buffalo
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Collins finished Sunday's 34-28 loss to Buffalo with nine tackles (five solo).
Collins tied Mack Wilson for third-most combined tackles on Arizona on Sunday behind Kyzir White (11) and Budda Baker (10). Collins didn't record more than five total tackles in a regular-season game in 2023, and his nine combined tackles in Week 1 tied a career best he set in 2022. The 2021 first-round pick played 40 of the Cardinals' 58 defensive snaps.
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Cardinals' Zaven Collins: Inks contract extension
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Collins and the Cardinals agreed to a two-year, $14 million contract extension Saturday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. The deal includes $11.25 million in guaranteed money.
It was somewhat surprising when Arizona didn't pick up Collins' fifth-year option in April, but the defensive end will ultimately stick with the organization for at least two more seasons. Collins transitioned from inside linebacker to the edge ahead of the 2023 campaign and saw his tackle numbers drop dramatically, though he did finish the campaign with a career-high 3.5 sacks. Collins will look to grow in 2024 in his second year as an edge rusher.
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Cardinals' Zaven Collins: Option not picked up
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The Cardinals have opted not to pick up Collins' fifth-year option, Tyler Drake of ArizonaSports.com reports.
This move is somewhat of a surprise, as Collins' started all 33 games he has played the previous two seasons, and he projects to continue starting at defensive end in 2024. He did see his production decrease this past year in the tackle department, dropping from 100 (63) in 2022 to 41 (27 solo) in 2023. The 24-year-old is now heading into a contract year and will look to prove his value accordingly.
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Cardinals' Zaven Collins: Will play at Philadelphia
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Collins (ankle) does not carry an injury designation into Sunday's game at Philadelphia, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.
After missing practice Wednesday, Collins was able to manage a limited practice Thursday and upgrade to a full practice Friday, allowing him to avoid carrying an injury designation into the weekend. He will likely start on the edge in Week 17.
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Cardinals' Zaven Collins: Raises to limited practice session
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Collins (ankle) returned to practice in a limited fashion Thursday, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.
Collins suffered an ankle injury in Sunday's loss to Chicago and did not practice Wednesday. However, he was able to upgrade to a limited session Thursday, so he seems to be showing some improvement. Collins has yet to miss a game this season, but if he were to sit out Sunday in Philadelphia, Cameron Thomas could see an uptick in defensive snaps.
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Cardinals' Zaven Collins: Misses practice Wednesday
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Collins (ankle) did not participate at the Cardinals' practice Wednesday, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.
Collins exited the team's Week 16 loss to the Bears with a lower-leg injury, which has now been clarified as ankle issue. The defensive end's absence Wednesday isn't surprising, but he'll likely have to practice in some capacity this week to have a shot at playing Sunday versus the Eagles.
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Cardinals' Zaven Collins: Exits game with foot injury
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Collins (foot) is questionable to return to Sunday's game against the Bears, Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com reports.
Collins exited Sunday's game in the first half without recording a stat. Cameron Thomas and Dante Stills should see more action at defensive end alongside starter Kevin Strong for as long as Collins remains on the sidelines.
Collins (eye) was a full participant in Wednesday's practice, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.
Collins was poked in the eye in the Week 3 win over Dallas but is good to go for this week's game against the 49ers. The No. 16 overall pick of the 2021 Draft, Collins has recorded seven tackles, 1.5 sacks, one interception, one fumble recovery and one pass breakup through three contests.
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Cardinals' Zaven Collins: Working with edge rushers
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Collins has been lining up as an edge rusher during minicamp practices, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.
Collins primarily played inside linebacker during his first two NFL season. Head coach Jonathan Gannon said a decision hasn't been made whether the 23-year-old will continue to line up on the edge come the start of the regular season, but where on defense Collins plays will be worth tracking throughout the spring and summer.
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Cardinals' Zaven Collins: Scores first career touchdown
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Collins recorded seven tackles, including a tackle for loss, and a pick-six during Sunday's 31-21 defeat to the Seahawks.
Collins has been consistent on the tackle front in his second pro campaign, hovering between four and nine per week en route to 61 through nine games. Aside from a two-sack Week 6, though, he didn't make much of an impact in box scores elsewhere until his acrobatic interception of Seattle quarterback Geno Smith on Sunday that he returned 30 yards to the house. The Cardinals expect to be without leading tackler Budda Baker for a few weeks due to a high-ankle sprain, so Collins may have elevated tackle totals as long as the former is sidelined.
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Cardinals' Zaven Collins: Totals five tackles Sunday
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Collins accrued five tackles and one pass defense during Sunday's 34-26 loss in Minnesota.
Through eight games, Collins has reached five tackles on seven occasions, helping him rank second on the Cardinals in tackles (54) behind Budda Baker (60). Aside from a two-sack Week 6 in Seattle, though, Collins doesn't have much else on his overall ledger this season. With another matchup against the Seahawks on tap Sunday, he'll look to get after Seattle quarterback Geno Smith yet again.
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Cardinals' Zaven Collins: Ready for Thursday Night Football
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Collins (shoulder) doesn't have a designation for Thursday's contest versus the Saints, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.
After being listed as limited on Monday's practice estimate, Collins had a cap on his reps at Tuesday's session and handled every rep at Wednesday's walkthrough. With his availability confirmed ahead of Thursday, he'll again serve as one of Arizona's top producers of tackles along with safeties Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson (hamstring, questionable), assuming the latter is active.
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Cardinals' Zaven Collins: Still dealing with shoulder injury
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Collins (shoulder) was listed as limited on Monday's estimated practice report, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.
During Sunday's 19-9 loss in Seattle, Collins went off for nine tackles, including two sacks, and he now ranks second on the Cards in terms of tackles (41) behind safety Budda Baker (45) through six games. Collins has been dealing with a shoulder issue since a Week 3 matchup against the Rams, but he's proceeded to earn 100 percent of the defensive snaps in each of the team's last three contests. He'll look to ditch his injury designation ahead of Thursday's outing against the Saints.
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Cardinals' Zaven Collins: Stays limited at practice
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Collins (shoulder) was limited at Wednesday's practice, Tyler Drake of ArizonaSports.com reports.
Collins had a cap on his practice reps during Week 4 prep, but he still suited up this past Sunday in Carolina and paced the Cardinals in tackles with eight. Through four games, he ranks fifth on the team in defensive snap share (92.9 percent), while his most-recent performance has pushed him to a close third in tackles (27) behind safeties Budda Baker (32) and Jalen Thompson (28). Collins will look to get rid of his designation for a Week 5 matchup with the Eagles.
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Cardinals' Zaven Collins: Will play
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Collins (shoulder) will play Sunday against the Panthers.
Collins was limited in practice all week after suffering the injury in a Week 3 loss to the Rams. He should start alongside Isaiah Simmons at inside linebacker.
