Robert Nkemdiche’s 2016 started by going out the window. Once he got to Arizona, he was more often under the bus.
But after an utterly disappointing rookie season in which he appeared in only five games and collected three tackles, the Cardinals are encouraged by what they’ve seen so far from the mammoth defensive tackle.
Via Bob McManaman of the Arizona Republic, Cardinals coach Bruce Arians praised Nkemdiche for being “disruptive” (which is a good thing in this context) and said there was a good reason for it.
“He just had to learn what pro football is all about,” Arians said. “When you’re the No.1 high school recruit in the country and you kicked everybody’s ass in high school, and you did it in college, you just showed up and did it.
“That doesn’t work here, especially when you’ve got guys that have children and are paying bills. This is a whole different level here. . . . Guys that were highly recruited sometimes have such an entitlement that it doesn’t work here.”
The physical talent was never a question. But his pro career that began with the bizarre story of his falling out an Atlanta hotel window while under the influence of something. The police said drugs, Nkemdiche said he was just drunk (such that that makes it better when you’re flying, somewhere between window and Earth). His rookie season made little more sense. He was openly criticized by Arians last year and routinely made inactive.
If he has truly learned how to work like a pro, it will go a long way toward helping the Cardinals replace Calais Campbell, who left for the free agency dollars in Jacksonville.