Arizona Cardinals banking on revamped back end of defense

For the past four seasons, they were the perfect tandem on the back end of the Cardinals’ defense. They meshed so well together, Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson weren’t afraid to tell the world they felt like they were the best pair of safeties in the NFL.

It was supposed to be a dynamic duo that continued to thrive and make plays for a long, long time.

The arrival of a new coaching staff this year, however, meant change. And among many of the new wrinkles, designs and schemes was the decision to basically split Baker and Thompson up and try something a little different.

Baker, the five-time All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowl selection, would remain at safety with the freedom to roam, track the football, and make plays all over the field. Thompson, though, was asked to move to the nickel slot position, especially in passing down situations.

Why the switch?

“A lot of things. He can cover,” defensive coordinator Nick Rallis said. “To put it simply, he’s sticky in the slot and that’s a hard position to play because you get matched up on the quick guys. There’s different slots around the league. Some guys have really good long speed and they’re going to run away from you on over routes and then they’re going to suck you in and run these high sails, high sevens, and you’ve got to be able to run long speed.

“But there’s also the guys who are going to be very quick – boom – in and out of cuts and you have to be able to get sticky on those. And then honestly, that’s also a thinking position so you have to have all those traits and be smart. And Jalen has those traits, so he fits really good in there.”

The rest of the plan, initially, was to use Isaiah Simmons at deep safety, freeing up Baker to move around and hunt and cover as he saw fit. But Simmons didn’t pan out quick enough or efficiently enough to stick, so the Cardinals traded him to the Giants during the preseason for a seventh-round pick.

Six days later, on Aug. 30, Arizona was awarded its waiver claim on safety K’Von Wallace from the Eagles and the problem was solved. Baker and Thompson would stay in their respective spots and Wallace quickly fit in nicely at Simmons’ position as the second safety.

“Oh, 100 percent. K’Von is doing really well,” Thompson said. “He’s had a little time with this coaching staff as well so it’s been an easy transition for him. It was just a good fit. I think he brings that leadership as well from him knowing the defense and I feel like it’s only going to make our defense better.”

During Sunday’s 31-28 loss to the visiting Giants, Wallace led the Cardinals with eight tackles. Thompson was tied for second with seven and also made an interception that he returned 35 yards to help set up a field goal that gave the Cardinals a 20-0 lead.

The worry now, of course, is when will Baker be able to return from the hamstring injury that forced him to miss the home opener against New York? On Monday, he was placed on injured reserve, meaning he will have to miss at least the next four games. But what if it's longer than that?

Baker pulled his hamstring in practice on Friday, which forced another new face and yet another ex-Eagles player, Andre Chachere, into Baker’s starting role. Chachere was in on a couple of tackles and also had two passes defensed.

Moore analysis: Arizona Cardinals looked good for a half, then it got ugly in loss to the New York Giants

Baker, though, is the heart and soul of Arizona’s defense and it was clear his team missed him.

“We missed him a lot. That’s our defensive captain right there,” Thompson said. “It’s always good having him on the field. As a leader, he makes sure we are all set and we’re all good. It was a big loss to not have Budda out there but it’s next man up. We have to keep going and keep playing hard.”

Wallace is doing his part in short order, ranking second on the team overall with 15 total tackles.

“I just want to get better,” he said after Sunday’s game. “Not only for myself but for the team so we can win games. That’s all there is to it. I don’t really care about the stats and performance as long as we win, that’s all that matters. Being that we didn’t get that victory is very disappointing, but I’m a fighter. I come from the bottom and I’ve always had to fight to get where I am and I’m going to continuously do that.”

Rallis isn’t surprised with how quickly Wallace has stepped into his situation here, saying, “We knew with the familiarity with Ka’Von that he was going to play a big role for us. He did a great job getting here and getting caught up to speed fast.”

Thompson’s position switch has gone just as seamlessly and he welcomed it as well.

“Yeah, I was definitely cool with that,” he said. “I feel like I can play DB anywhere – corner, safety, nickel, wherever they need me to be at I can be at, you know what I mean? They say a DB, I can do it all I feel like. I can go back and play the safety at times. I can go down and even play corner at times if they need me.”

As for the intelligence factor that weighs into playing in the nickel spot, Thompson said it’s not that different from having played safety for so long.

“That’s an easy transition, especially coming down from safety where you’ve got to make all the calls and all the checks and everything,” he said. “Pretty much nickel is just second nature, I feel like, because it’s knowing your job and knowing what everybody else is supposed to do and I’ve been doing that.”

If there was anything positive to take away from Sunday’s loss to the Giants, Thompson said it was that it won’t make the Cardinals crumble moving forward.

“I felt like we stayed together as a team through it all,” he said. “We stayed together as a team and I feel like that’s going to lead us down the road in a season – staying as a team and staying together when things are not looking our way.”

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Cardinals feeling confident after defensive changes