Cardinals 'money' linebacker Deone Bucannon embracing new role in 4-3 base defense

We know how coach Steve Wilks’ decision to switch from a 3-4 to a 4-3 base defense will affect Cardinals pass rushers Chandler Jones and Markus Golden. They’ll be getting after the quarterback from now on with one hand in the dirt, rushing from the edge as defensive ends rather than as stand-up outside linebackers.

But what impact will that have on Arizona’s “money” linebacker, Deone Bucannon?

“Me? Oh, I’m still ‘money,’ man,” Bucannon said, sounding mildly offended at the suggestion he might be losing his dollar-sign moniker. “That’s me. I’m still the ‘money backer.’ That’s still me. … You tried to get me, huh? Look, I’m still the ‘money backer.’ ”

He might keep the nickname, but Bucannon will be transitioning to a more traditional defensive role as that of the Cardinals’ starting “Will,” or weak-side, linebacker. He is projected to be teamed with two other athletic tackling machines: Josh Bynes, who will man the Mike (middle) linebacker role, and second-year pro Haason Reddick, who will secure the Sam (strong-side) linebacker spot.

There’s a chance the Cardinals will also draft a linebacker in this week’s NFL draft, which begins Thursday night.

During voluntary workouts last week at the team’s Tempe training facility, however, Bucannon was one of the stars of the show. He was the player barking out instructions to the rest of the defense. He was the one who called the huddle and got all the players into proper alignment.

“Right now, Buc is running it, yes,” Wilks said. “He’s running the huddle, calling things out. Really, within our system, all three of those guys can do it but right now Buc is the one that’s leading the charge. … I think he’s doing a great job. He’s vocal. He’s leading the huddle. He’s trying to do everything that Kuechly did for us back there and setting the tone.”

Wilks, of course, was referring to Carolina Panthers inside linebacker Luke Kuechly, who has led the NFL in tackles twice, and was named the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2012 and the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2013. Wilks joined the Panthers’ coaching staff during Kuechly’s rookie season and spent last year as Carolina’s assistant head coach and defensive coordinator.

It is Wilks’ hope that he can bring the Panthers’ style of defense to Arizona, but for that to happen, he’s going to have to rely on his linebackers most of all. To prepare for his expanded role, Bucannon has been studying loads of video on Kuechly and the Panthers’ other star linebacker, Thomas Davis.

“That’s the mirror,” Bucannon said. “In base it was Thomas Davis and in nickel it was Luke, so I’ve been watching both. Both of them are Pro Bowl-career guys so you know it’s really great when you’ve got a blueprint because you can go back and forth and know exactly what you’ve got to do.

“With two guys like them, I love it. It just makes it easier for me. All I’ve got to do is look at them and pretty much just copy it.”

All signs seem to point to Bucannon having his best season to date. With more opportunities to make tackles, he should easily top his four-year NFL average of 91.5 per season. After earning a whopping pay increase from $1.4 million to $8.7 million this season, Bucannon’s also entering the final year of his contract, which can serve only as further motivation.

At 25, he is just starting to enter the prime of his career and yet he now finds himself as the Cardinals’ second-longest tenured player on defense behind cornerback Patrick Peterson. In that regard, Bucannon’s role is changing more than he could have thought.

“It’s crazy how fast it goes by and how it kind of flips on you,” Bucannon said. “The next thing you know, you’re just like the guy that was helping you when you first came in. I’m trying to emulate and copy the people that helped me out.”

Being asked to be the vocal communicator of the defense has helped Bucannon grow even faster into a new leadership position.

“Oh, no doubt,” he said. “I’m definitely being more vocal because you can’t be quiet when you’re giving the calls. But at the same time, as far as my leadership style, I feel like it’s always been by example. I feel like a leader that’s just talking and not doing nothing carries no weight.

“So before I’m out there jawing off and doing all these things, I have to first show that on film I’m capable of doing those things or making those plays or being in those situations or coming through for my teammates.”

The Cardinals defense won’t just look different because of a change to its base scheme. It’s going to be different because it will be missing several familiar faces such as linebacker Karlos Dansby and safety Tyrann Mathieu.

“There’s always going to be different faces, but those were big-time leaders, 'Los and Ty,” Bucannon said. “Those were huge character guys, huge guys that brought something to the team. But that also poses an opportunity for others to step up. We have (safety) Budda (Baker), who’s coming into his own and is a little more vocal than people think. We’ve got A.B. (safety Antoine Bethea) still and he’s been doing it for almost 15 years.

“Your work’s always cut out for you because it’s the league, it’s the NFL. Our work was cut out for us last year when we had everybody. … The team changes every year, but these are the times when you see who’s going to step up and who’s going to be the key guys in the key situations that you’re going to be able to lean on.

“That could be me.”

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Reach McManaman at bob.mcmanaman@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @azbobbymac and listen to him live every Wednesday night between 7-9 on Fox Sports 910-AM on The Freaks with Kenny and Crash.