TEMPE, Ariz. – Tristan Okpalaugo has been away from American football for just two seasons, but it’s taken him just a rookie minicamp and a couple organized team activities to start readjusting with the Arizona Cardinals.

He said goodbye to a faster style of play in the Canadian Football League, which has smaller players and quicker tempo because of a shorter play clock.

He no longer will be one of 12 defenders on the field. He won’t have a yard of buffer space between the defense and the ball. And he’ll have an extra down to the get to the quarterback.

Otherwise, for the most part, at least, it’s the same game.

“It’s pretty much the same football,” Okpalaugo told ESPN. “Other than the yard off, it’s the guy. They don’t really have tight ends up there in Canada. [Otherwise] pretty much the same.”

While he gets used to subtleties, there will be two major changes for Okpalaugo for which to adapt. He’s switching from defensive end to outside linebacker and he’s learning a new set of terminology, which is essentially the equivalent to learning a new language.

Cardinals outside linebacker Tristan Okpalaugo is trying to make a transition back to the NFL after two stellar seasons with the CFL's Toronto Argonauts. Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports

Moving to outside linebacker means he’ll be standing up more when he rushes off the edge, something he’s not used to, and the drops in coverage will be different. There will also be specific packages in which he can get back into a three-point stance. He’s relying on constant repetition and meetings with linebackers coach Bob Sanders to help shrink his learning curve.

“I feel confident in my abilities,” Okpalaugo said, “So, I’m good.

“It’s just different for me. I’m getting the hang of it.”

Okpalaugo's pro football career started when he was signed by the Miami Dolphins in 2013 as an undrafted free agent. He was cut after the preseason and was signed by Minnesota in early September, but was cut about a week later. He signed with the Toronto Argonauts in June 2014 and spent the last two seasons north of the border.

He totaled 23 sacks in his two CFL seasons, catching the NFL’s eye in the process.

Okpaulaugo met with four teams – the Cardinals, New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks and Oakland Raiders – after surgery in December prevented him from going on workouts toward the end of the NFL season. Once he healed, he worked out for those four teams and received offers from all four before choosing Arizona.

“I felt confident in my abilities to switch to outside backer and play little bit of D-end with the Cardinals,” Okpalaugo said.

“I didn’t really look at the roster because I just felt comfortable with the coaches and my outside backer coach. He’s really cool. So I was just like, ‘I’m going to get here.’”