Arizona Cardinals release veteran linebacker Jordan Hicks

Published

The Arizona Cardinals have been one of the most talked-about teams early on in the NFL offseason. But the news that came down on Wednesday afternoon did not surround quarterback Kyler Murray and his disconnect with the organization.

The Cardinals announced they released veteran linebacker Jordan Hicks, who started all 17 games and served as a team captain this past season.

Hicks, 29, recorded 116 tackles and four sacks last season in Arizona. He ranked second on the team in tackles and was tied for the third-highest sack total. 

Hicks had asked to be traded last offseason after Arizona selected linebacker Zaven Collins with the No. 16 pick in last year's draft. The trade never materialized and Hicks ended up becoming a leader on the Cardinals defense, which ranked in the top 12 in the NFL in both points and yards per game in 2021.

With the move, the Cardinals will absorb $3 million of dead money against the salary cap, but pick up $6.5 million of cap space, according to overthecap.com. 

Hicks signed with the Cardinals in 2019 and posted 100-plus tackles in all three seasons with Arizona, including a career-best 150 his first season.

He spent the first four seasons of his career with the Philadelphia Eagles, who selected him in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft out of Texas. He appeared in 43 total games with Philadelphia, recording 254 tackles and five sacks.

Collins played in all 17 games for Arizona last year but started only six, tallying three passes defended and one tackle for loss, alongside 25 total tackles. He had two tackles in the Cardinals' playoff loss to the Rams.

With the Cardinals choosing to release Hicks on Wednesday, he will be now able to sign with another team before free agency officially begins next week.