The Arizona Cardinals will begin voluntary OTAs next week. It will be the first time this offseason they will be able to do any offense vs, defense work.
While the battle for roster spots and starting jobs has already begun, here is a first look at how the final roster might look when final cuts happen at the conclusion of the preseason.
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Quarterback
Kyler Murray, Colt McCoy, Clayton Tune
Murray likely won’t be ready to start the season. McCoy has been expected to be the starter but a recent snippet in an ESPN article suggests that he might not be ready for the start of the season because of a neck injury, so that might complicate things.
Tune should beat out David Blouh and Jeff Driskel but the three guys they keep on the roster might be affected by McCoy’s apparent more-serious-than-minor injury.
Running back
James Conner, Corey Clement, Keaontay Ingram, Ty’Son Williams
It feels like the Cardinals will add a free agent at the position. Until then, this is the way it probably looks.
Wide receiver
DeAndre Hopkins, Hollywood Brown, Rondale Moore, Zach Pascal, Michael Wilson
The notable absence here is Greg Dortch. If they keep six receivers, he is likely the guy. Pascal is going to be a lock for the roster and there is a lot to like about Wilson, drafted in the third round.
Tight end
Zach Ertz, Trey Mcbride, Noah Togiai
Ertz is hopefully ready to play to start the season or they might have to keep four tight ends, which they might do anyway. Togiai, a former Eagle, was one of the first offseason pickups the Cardinals made.
Offensive line
D.J. Humphries, Dennis Daley, Hjalte Froholdt, Will Hernandez, Paris Johnson, Kelvin Beachum, Jon Gaines, Elijah Wilkinson, Lecitus Smith
We could see a veteran addition at center.
Josh Jones is the odd man out. He could be trade bait. Wilkinson’s salary is almost all fully guaranteed and Daley has a good amount of his salary guaranteed. The final spot could go to Smith or Marquis Hayes, who was on injured reserve last year as a rookie.
Defensive line
Rashard Lawrence, L.J. Collier, Carlos Watkins, Kevin Strong, Dante Stills, Jacob Slade
This is perhaps the most difficult position group to project. Collier, Watkins and Strong were free agent additions. Stills was drafted in the sixth round and Slade is an undrafted rookie for whom the Cardinals guaranteed $200,000 for this year.
Leki Fotu and Jonathan Ledbetter are the odd men out.
Outside linebacker
Cameron Thomas, Myjai Sanders, B.J. Ojulari, Dennis Gardeck, Jesse Luketa
This is an inexperienced group, as only Gardeck has played more than one season.
It appears the Cardinals will still, on paper, be a 3-4 defense.
Inside linebacker
Kyzir White, Zaven Collins, Isaiah Simmons, Zeke Turner, Josh Woods, Owen Pappoe
White, Collins and Simmons are locks to play on defense. Turner and Woods are special teams locks. Pappoe is someone to develop.
Cornrback
Rashad Fenton, Marco Wilson, Antonio Hamilton, Kris Boyd, Garrett Williams, Kei’Trel Clark
Fenton is not a lock for the roster but is the experienced starter. Boyd is a lock for special teams. Hamilton has a fully guaranteed salary. Williams and Clark are new draft picks and both are well regarded.
Safety
Budda Baker, Jalen Thompson, Andre Chachere
Only three seems too few but Simmons can play safety as well.
Chachere is a new addition but played for the Eagles.
Specialists
P Matt Haack, K Matt Prater, LS Matt Hembrough
Prater returns. Haack appears to be the new veteran punter and the long snapper job now is between Hembrough, an undrafted rookie, and Joe Fortunado, who has one NFL game under his belt.
