Cardinals linebacker John Abraham set a big goal for himself last month.
Abraham said that he is shooting for 20 sacks this season, which would be both a career high for Abraham and one of the best totals since the league started using sacks as an official statistic. It would also be a pretty remarkable achievement for a player who turned 36 in May, but Cardinals coach Bruce Arians isn’t doubting the veteran pass rusher’s ability to get the job done.
“He did it last year and there’s no reason to think he’s going to slow down,” Arians said, via the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “He’s one of those freaks of nature. He just keeps getting it done. We are looking forward to another big year out of him.”
Abraham went from a part-time to full-time player as last year unfolded and his increased comfort level at linebacker led to 11.5 sacks from Week Seven through the end of the season. With Karlos Dansby and Daryl Washington both gone from last year’s unit, the Cardinals will need at least that kind of production again this season if they are going to approach double-digit wins again.