Markus Golden

Golden's seven pro campaigns have been interspersed with quiet stretches and sudden outbursts, as evidenced by four years with 4.5 or fewer sacks and three with double-digit tallies. Last season was one of the flare-ups, with the then 30-year-old again erupting for 11 sacks among his 48 tackles across 16 games. Golden also matched his career high in forced fumbles with four and recovered a career-best two fumbles. The pass rusher will aim to put together the first back-to-back campaigns with 10-plus sacks of his career this year.

Golden split time between the Giants and Cardinals last season on his way to 33 tackles, 4.5 sacks and one interception in 16 games. It marked his second stint in Arizona, who made him a second-round selection in the 2015 Draft. Golden has a pair of 10-plus sack campaigns on his resume - 12.5 in 2016 with the Cards and 10 in 2019 with New York - so another could be in the works this year as he works opposite sack artist Chandler Jones.

Given the unrestricted free-agent tender in April, Golden will stick with the Giants unless someone else signs him by July. That's probably a good thing because he was the team's leader in sacks with 10 last year, the second time in Golden's career he's reached double digits. Should he remain in New York, expect him to be one of their starting edge rushers and a modest tackle source to go along with his sacks.

Golden broke out in 2016 by racking up 12.5 sacks, 16 tackles for loss and a colossal 22 QB hits,. In two years since, however, the 28-year-old has been debleted by injury in missing 17 games due to a torn ACL and an ankle issue. Over his final two seasons in Arizona, Golden accumulated only 2.5 sacks, six tackles for loss and 10 QB hits in 15 games.

Golden burst onto the scene in 2016 with a team-leading 12.5 sacks, which is quite the feat on a defense that rosters premier pass rusher Chandler Jones. The follow-up was less than ideal, though. Golden didn't make a mark in the sack department through the first three games of last season before tearing his ACL in Week 4. In the aftermath of a lost campaign, he enters the final year of his rookie contract but is still contained to a running program as of mandatory minicamp in mid-June.

Golden tapped into the potential that spurred the Cardinals to nab him in the second round of the 2015 draft, jumping from four sacks as a rookie to 12.5 sacks last season. The offseason addition of Chandler Jones aided Golden's cause, but he complemented a third-place finish in the sack department with four forced fumbles, which was good for a tie for seventh in the NFL. While the loss of Calais Campbell as a free agent removes a key piece of the pass rush, Golden will again have the newly-minted Jones operating on the other side as the unit attempts a repeat performance in the fall.

The Cardinals struck for Golden in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft with notable 3-4 outside linebackers Randy Gregory and Owamagbe Odighizuwa still on the board, surprising talking heads and viewers alike. Golden has responded by climbing the depth chart throughout the offseason and even logging first-team reps at weak-side linebacker early in training camp. If the trend continues, he could usurp the role intended for Lorenzo Alexander, which isn't a hit to the veteran due to his ability to play all four LB spots as well as his special teams prowess. In his final season at the pass-rush factory that is Missouri, Golden notched 78 tackles (43 solo) and 10 sacks in 13 games.