Andrew Billings
Getty
The Cardinals have signed Andrew Billings in free agency releasing Dalvin Tomlinson
The Arizona Cardinals are starting from scratch this offseason. Mike LaFleur was brought to town to be the team’s new head coach, and with the front office releasing former No. 1 overall pick Kyler Murray, the Cardinals have indicated that they are looking to change things up after a disappointing year in 2025.
That mindset has been implemented when it comes to the team’s moves across the board, not just at the quarterback position. As a result, shortly after releasing veteran defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson, the front office quickly moved to find his replacement, as former Chicago Bears starter Andrew Billings has been brought to town in the Cards’ latest move.
Cardinals Sign Andrew Billings to 1-Year Contract
Tomlinson spent the 2025 campaign with Arizona, and he ended up being a key piece of its defense, as he started all 17 games for the team along its defensive line. While his numbers aren’t wildly impressive (26 tackles, one sack, one pass breakup), Tomlinson did a good job at clogging running lanes and opening things up for his teammates.
He ended up getting cut, though, as LaFleur wanted to move in a different direction at this position. That led him to turn his attention to Billings, who has spent the past three seasons of his career with the Bears. Similar to Tomlinson, though, he found himself getting moved on from this offseason, as Chicago opted to move in a different direction and let him test the open market.
Billings played in all 17 games last season for the Bears, racking up 31 tackles and one sack during his time on the field. Unsurprisingly, he has a very similar playstyle to Tomlinson, and after signing a one-year contract with the Cardinals, he looks likely to fill the vacant role at the center of the team’s defensive line.
“Signing one-year contracts were safety Andrew Wingard and defensive lineman Andrew Billings,” Darren Urban wrote for the team’s official website. “Billings, going into his ninth season, is a 6-foot-1, 340-pound nose tackle who started 14 of his 17 games for a stout Bears defense last season. He figures to slide into the role vacated when Dalvin Tomlinson was released.”
Cardinals’ Defense is Beginning to Come Together After Andrew Billings Signing
Andrew Billings
GettyThe Cardinals have signed Andrew Billings in free agency releasing Dalvin Tomlinson
Just like Tomlinson, Billings isn’t going to put up game-changing numbers for the Cardinals, but he fills a very important role on the defensive line, as he does all the dirty work that helps open things up for his teammates. While his role began to shrink with the Bears last season, he should play a key role with his new team.
Beyond the addition of Billings, Arizona has also signed linebacker Jack Gibbens and safety Andrew Wingard in recent days, giving the team some much-needed depth on defense. The Cardinals are pretty clearly undergoing a rebuild, so it is going to take them some time to get back on track. If these new additions can make a big impact right away, though, this team could surprise some folks sooner than expected.