Cardinals sign German DL Djeri

The Arizona Cardinals apparently are looking for talent all over the world, because they just signed a player from Germany who has never played in the United States.

The Cardinals announced Wednesday they signed defensive lineman Moubarak Djeri, who played this past season in the German Football League. That season runs from April to October.

The 6-foot-3, 275-pound Djeri had 12 sacks, 40 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and a pair of forced fumbles for the Cologne Crocodiles in 2017.

"It was a big dream, and right now it's life," Djeri said of signing an NFL contract, according to the Cardinals' website. "I'm so excited to be here."

Djeri, 22, was born in Togo and moved to Germany when he was 11 as part of a student exchange program.

Djeri said he became interested in American football after watching it on television when he was 6 years old.

He started playing football in Cologne, Germany, at the age of 18.

Djeri knows moving to the NFL represents a major jump in the level of competition.

"I know the NFL is much faster than the league I played in before," Djeri said. "But I'm going to keep working."