The Cardinals like Zaven Collins. They wanted Zaven Collins, and that's why they gave him a contract extension. A reasonable one at that (and I do wonder, after all the anger about not giving Haason Reddick an extension ahead of his breakout season with the Cardinals, why anyone wouldn't like this deal, but that's a different discussion than this one.)

Collins was moved to outside linebacker last season, and only had 3.5 sacks. That's not enough, especially when he was shut out the final 10 games of the season. But the way the Cardinals use Collins -- which is all over the place -- it's fair to ask if Collins' sack total is how he should be judged.

I asked Jonathan Gannon that. And is answer was thoughtful, thorough, and steadfast in that it wouldn't really be fair.

"I know sacks get guys paid a bunch of money and you do have to affect the quarterback," Gannon said. "The outside linebacker's job description, truthfully, is to rush the passer, set an edge, and a little bit of drop in our system. But I think that's a very micro-view of how he impacts the game and who he is as a player, just to judge him off his number of sacks.

"Do I want to see his sack production go up this year? Absolutely I do, and it needs to go up. But that's not the end all be all of 'Here's who Zaven is for us.' He does a lot of things for us that I don't even see. He impacts the game in a positive way. He does a lot of things well for us. The next part of it is, let's get you winning a little bit more. And you don't have to sack the quarterback to beat your guy and affect the quarterback either."

I've long felt if Collins can be an eight-sack guy and do those other things, I think the Cardinals would be happy (assuming he is creating some pressure.) Does the BJ Ojulari injury change what they need? Probably. But Collins, who is still learning how to play on the outside the way Gannon wants, has a ceiling the Cards believe in.

The pass rush will continue to be a question. The report of veteran Carl Lawson working out seemed to stoke some fans, but as with anyone on the street right now, no one is a panacea. Lawson only played in six games last season and while he had some back issues in the preseason, he was essentially a healthy inactive in 11 games. Teams don't do that with standout players. Players joining now are about an attempt to help, not cure.