Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Nick Rallis had a feeling that good things were on the horizon for rookie edge rusher Xavier Thomas.
Prior to the first preseason game against the Saints, Rallis said, “He’s really started to rip lately, which he’s got a skillset to do so. That’s one thing I really loved about him coming out. It’s like you could see the speed with this guy off the edge and he’s shown that he’s got to continue to improve with everything. Really hone in on those pass-rush skills, his cover drops in the run game, so I want to see the complete game. I wanna see a continual progression of improving in every aspect of his game.”
He did just that.
In 34 snaps (49 percent), the fifth-round pick had the Cardinals’ only sack of the game while having two quarterback hits. Thomas also had three tackles (two) that included a tackle for loss.
Could Thomas be one of the antidotes after the loss of edge rusher BJ Ojulari for the season and possibly quiet the panic that exists among fans that advocate for paying Haason Reddick as much as $25 million a year?
Only time will tell, but it’s clear the organization’s philosophy for building the roster is mostly through the draft.
Admitting that “my legs were shaking on that first play” against New Orleans, Thomas said, “Regardless of BJ going down or not, I knew I was going to come in here and make it a competitive level in regards to our room. I know the (talent) I have. I’m just comin’ in, growing each day and learning by the minute.”
While head coach Jonathan Gannon acknowledged that Thomas “jumped off the tape,” he emphasized how important it is for coaches to be patient when players arrive in the offseason after a long 10 months that includes the final college season, playing in an All-Star game, preparing for the combine and pro day, waiting for the draft to learn there they will live and play and then figure out how to be a pro while learning a new scheme and what coaches expect.
Gannon amplified that this week when we said, “My thing in OTAs, you gotta talk to people because you never know what’s going through somebody’s head unless you ask them. Sometimes you don’t get the truth all the time either. I just felt like he was, early in OTAs and maybe even earlier in camp, trying to just figure it out a little bit. When you’re trying to figure it out on the fly when the ball snaps, sometimes your physical traits don’t show up.”
Noting the things that “jumped off the tape,” Gannon said, “What I was impressed about with him is … Let it rip, cut it loose, whatever that means. I thought he did that. So that tells me that he’s comfortable. He’s not thinking. And now it shows what he can do physically and I think that jumped off the tape to me. Also what jumped off the tape about him is he’s doing what he’s coached to do, which for a rookie sometimes is hard. There are guys that are making some good plays, hanging in with technique and then, all of a sudden, you throw on the tape and say, ‘What are you doing? I mean, we don’t coach that.’
“And that’s just part about being a young guy. ‘I’m gonna try something new.’ No, you don’t do that. Just keep doing what you’re doing. And he did what he was being coached to do by (outside linebackers coach) Rob (Rodriguez). Rob’s done a good job with him to own it and here’s what you gotta do. Here’s what you need to execute. Mentally, I think, he’s taking steps and the physical toolset, rush ability, edge setting, I thought showed up in the game.”
Now, they hope he will carry it forward Saturday against the Colts.
Gannon concluded, “The challenge to him will be, the couple mistakes that he made, clean those up because we can control that and then, production, and do the same thing that you just did and see what happens then. But I was enthused about him.”
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