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Deone Bucannon thriving as 'moneybacker' for Cardinals

Zach Buchanan , azcentral sports Published 2:19 p.m. MT Jan. 1, 2016 | Updated 4:43 p.m. MT Jan. 1, 2016
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When you look at Deone Bucannon, just about everything screams safety. It was his college position at Washington State, one at which he excelled enough for the Arizona Cardinals to select him in first round of the 2014 draft. He certainly fits the mold of an Adrian Wilson-style thumper at 6-1 and 211 pounds, and his No. 20 is a mainstay for defensive backs.

Everything but the game film. That brands Bucannon clearly as a linebacker.

“I’ve watched a lot of defensive film over the last three year and he’s one the best linebackers in the National Football League,” Cardinals defensive coordinator James Bettcher said. “You turn his tape and you see how well he chases the ball.”

Indeed, the 23-year-old Bucannon hasn’t lined up at safety once as a pro. He was thrust into the linebacker role a year ago because of the (ongoing) suspension to Daryl Washington, initially playing only on passing downs.

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This season he’s barely come off the field. Bucannon has played 94.7 percent of defensive snaps – the most of any linebacker and up from 65.3 percent a year ago, when he was still listed as a safety.

Even without top two safeties Tyrann Mathieu and Rashad Johnson last week against the Green Bay Packers, there was no thought of moving Bucannon back to the position he was ostensibly drafted to play.

“This is my position, there’s no doubt about that,” Bucannon said. “This is what I play.”

There was definitely some adjustment. The last time Bucannon played so close to the line of scrimmage so often was high school, although Washington State ran some zone blitzes that brought him down into the box.

Bucannon was used to seeing the whole field and having a few seconds to diagnose the play. Now he has much less time to pick up on things before much bigger bodies crash into him.

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“At safety, you have 10-15 yards and nobody’s going to touch you until you figure out what the play is,” Bucannon said. “Linebacker, sometimes you’ve got to guess and anticipate.”

The transition is more or less complete. Bucannon leads the Cardinals with 103 total tackles and is tied with safety Tony Jefferson with three forced fumbles. He was named Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against the Philadelphia Eagles two weeks ago.

This season, the team finally succumbed to common sense and officially changed his position, from safety to the newly minted “moneybacker.”

“He can play physical at the point,” Bettcher said. “It’s just the more snaps he plays, the more he improves his techniques of playing his position, I think he can be a real special player in there.”

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Before last week’s game, Packers head coach Mike McCarthy said Bucannon “looks like he plays about 240 or 250” pounds, but linebackers closer to Bucannon’s size may be more in vogue. With the passing game favored more and more each year, Hulk-sized linebackers have been phased out in favor of something closer to Captain America.

Even Arizona’s other inside linebacker, Kevin Minter, checked in at 6-0 and 246 pounds, and he had to lose weight before the season in order to play faster. Bettcher, who came up through the college ranks, thinks it’s a case of the pro game copying the college version.

“(We were) recruiting safeties to play linebacker because you had to do two things: you had to tackle in space and you had to align in space,” Bettcher said. “You go play Seattle, your linebackers have to align in space and play in space quite a bit.”

Bucannon is certainly adept at that, but at 211 pounds he’s also adept at collecting bumps and bruises after collisions with players who significantly outweigh him. It’s a trade-off he’s willing to make to keep his speed.

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He enters each season at around 217 pounds – gradually shedding weight along the way – but envisions himself adding just a few more pounds of muscle in the offseason to better hold up. Anything else would rob him of the player he is.

“One of my strengths is being faster than the people I’m going against and using my quickness,” he said. “I won’t ever be a traditional linebacker. I’m not going to be 240 or 250 pounds. I’m too old for that, to be gaining all that weight. I’d be a whole different guy. I’d be slow, unathletic.”

Wearing No. 20 makes you look faster, too. Fans who have bought Bucannon jerseys can rest assured they won’t need to re-up. No linebacker digits for him.

“I’ve had 20 since I was in Pop Warner,” Bucannon said. “That’s my number. I’ve always had it. I’m not going to change my number.”

Injury update

The Seahawks likely will be missing two starting offensive linemen when they play the Cardinals on Sunday.

Guard J.R. Sweezy has been ruled out with a concussion, and tackle Russell Okung is doubtful due to a calf injury.

A handful of Cardinals enter the game listed as questionable, and their availability will be determined hours before kick off.

Receiver Michael Floyd (knee), safety Rashad Johnson (ankle) and defensive tackle Frostee Rucker (ankle) practiced Friday for the first time this week.

All are starters and were limited on Friday.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/13/2017 04:36PM by Blue and Gold.