The Cardinals had lost a couple of their own defensive linemen in free agency, but a third chose to stay on Wednesday.

Veteran L.J. Collier agreed to a one-year contract, his third straight one-year deal with the team. This comes after Roy Lopez left to take a deal with the Lions and Khyiris Tonga found a new home with the Patriots.

The Cardinals will reportedly also sign former Commanders linebacker Mykal Walker, who has four career interceptions in 74 career games and had 21 tackles and two fumble recoveries in a reserve role last season. He was a key special teams player. The Cardinals potentially can lose inside linebackers Kyzir White and Krys Barnes in free agency.

Collier set career highs in games played (17) and sacks (3.5) a season ago as a key part of coordinator Nick Rallis' D-line rotation. He also had six quarterback hits, for tackles for loss, two pass deflections and a fumble recovery. He was a major veteran presence in the room as well once fellow vets Justin Jones and Bilal Nichols were lost for the season with injuries.

The former first-round pick originally signed a one-year contract with the Cardinals in 2023 after four years in Seattle, but suffered a season-ending injury in his first game with Arizona. He returned last year to help anchor the line.

Naquan Jones is now the last Cardinal free agent defensive lineman remaining from the 2024 rotation. Jones and Nichols are returning to regain their roles this season, and the team is also expecting a big jump from 2024 first-round pick Darius Robinson.

The draft is also replete with the deepest defensive line class in years, and the Cardinals are expected to address the position then as well.