Break out

The following year, Bucannon solidified himself as a rotational safety and filled that role well. Then, Arians asked him to contribute in another role, linebacker. Initially deemed to be “too small to fit the position”, Bucannon proved otherwise. The uptick in snaps and time on the field yielded his best season of his career thus far. He hit 109 total tackles, 90 solo, and displayed his prowess from sideline to sideline. He recorded his first interception and bolstered it with three sacks. His run support saw an increase as well, as he reached a career high of 11 tackles for loss. His ceiling may be a little higher than some had expected.

Injured

2016 and 2017 would not be the same. He suffered an ankle injury in 2016. Subsequently, he required ankle surgery and was placed on injured reserve. This issue resulted in  Bucannon only playing 13 games in 2017. Even with missing games in both seasons, Bucannon was still able to surpass 80 tackles each year, as he transitioned fully to linebacker. As a result, Arizona picked up his fifth year option.

Career low

The entire Arizona team seemed to struggle last season. Bucannon was no exception. He only played in 13 games with six starts. Bucannon put up his lowest numbers yet, with only 30 solo tackles.