TEMPE, Ariz. -- Good luck trying to project the Arizona Cardinals' defensive depth chart for Sunday's game against the Washington Redskins.
With defensive end Calais Campbell out for at least a week with a strained MCL and linebacker Matt Shaughnessy to be placed on injured reserve this week with a knee injury, the Cardinals' backups will have more of a role this week than they did the first four games of the season.
But who'll back up the backups?
When it comes to replacing Shaughnessy, Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said second-year linebacker Alex Okafor will be inserted into the starting lineup.
"Alex has got a big opportunity for himself," Arians said. "He's more than talented enough. He just has to stay healthy and play."
That move leaves Arizona with just two options on the roster at backup outside linebacker: Thomas Keiser -- who was inactive Sunday in Denver -- and Lorenzo Alexander, who hasn't played a defensive snap this season. On Monday, Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic saw Marcus Benard pull into the Cardinals' facility. If he's re-signed, Benard will, at the least, give Arizona more depth and he's a capable pass-rusher.
Keiser will return to the rotation this week.
"He'll get his opportunity back in there now," Arians said.
Alexander isn't even listed as an outside linebacker on the depth chart, although, last season, he started the first three games at OLB. Arizona was already thin at outside backer and struggling with its pass rush, but losing Shaughnessy was a major setback.
Campbell's injury may have been worse for the Cardinals, though. Campbell had 16 tackles and a sack through four games.
Without Campbell, Arizona only has one starter in its front seven from Week 17 of last season -- nose tackle Dan Williams. Arians said Monday the Cardinals won't replace Campbell with just one player, instead using various combinations that'll include Williams, Kareem Martin, Frostee Rucker and Tommy Kelly. The Cardinals have had 82 different defensive lineups this season.
Martin, who was drafted to be Campbell's protégé, is just four games into his NFL career and hasn't shown the maturity on the field to handle filling Campbell's void. He had six mental errors against the Broncos, Arians said. Some came against Denver's running game, which finished with 92 yards Sunday -- 21 above Arizona's average heading into the game.
"He flashed," Arians said. "He stopped those running games when they got in the right gap. Just better preparation when you're called on."
Martin will play both inside and outside until Campbell returns.
Through four games, Arizona has used 31 different lineup combinations on its defensive line ranging from five linemen (two groupings) to two (eight combinations).
Defensive coordinator Todd Bowles' favorite combination has been Campbell and Kelly, who have played 66 snaps together. In the three-linemen combination, Bowles has used Campbell, Kelly and Kareem Martin most, who have played 38 snaps together.
"We have such good position flexibility within the group," Arians said. "Dan can play end. Tommy Kelly doesn't need to be out there 60 plays and that's what happened in this one (against Denver). We had some guys that got overloaded because of injuries.
"We'll have to get some rotational substitutions going."
