‘He’s awesome, man’: Arizona Cardinals’ Roy Lopez credits Gannon for reviving career
When Roy Lopez was waived by the Houston Texans last August, he didn’t know what the future held. Two years into his NFL career, the defensive tackle was an unemployed former sixth-round pick with minimal production for his 1,059 snaps.
And with a hamstring injury placing him on the sidelines, he couldn’t even showcase his skills to new teams.
So, as the NFL season began without him, Lopez returned home to Arizona. If he had to rehab on his own, the Gilbert Mesquite grad figured that he might as well do so in a comfortable place.
Then, the call arrived from the perfect team: The Cardinals were signing him to their practice squad. Three days later, he was on the active roster.
Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Roy Lopez (98) against the New Orleans Saints during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., on Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024.
And now, 12 months removed from the summer that nearly ended his dream, Lopez is a crucial piece of what the Cardinals plan to do on defense.
Last season, he put together the most productive year of his career. His 8.2% pressure rate was a career-best. Per Pro Football Focus, he also recorded a career-high 24 stops — tackles that constitute a failure for the offense — despite playing fewer snaps than he ever had.
This year, the Cardinals believe Lopez can parlay that growth into something greater.
He seemingly began July buried beneath a pile of veteran additions along the defensive line, but after a strong training camp, he shined in the preseason opener.
Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon saw enough after just 14 snaps, resting him for the remainder of the preseason. Afterward, Gannon praised Lopez for his growth as a pass rusher, which gives him a more balanced skill set as the season looms.
“He’s a big-time part of when we play good defense, he’s right in the middle,” Gannon said. “So you need that guy to play well.”
If that comes to fruition when the games matter, Lopez will significantly boost a beleaguered defense. The Cardinals added to their interior defensive line in free agency and the draft, but it’s still a unit lacking for impact players.
