After a day off Monday, the Arizona Cardinals were back at State Farm Stadium on Tuesday, and the pads were on. Jacoby Brissett handled first-team reps at quarterback as practice got rolling again.
There wasn’t any movement on the PUP front. Paris Johnson has been activated, but Josh Sweat, Garrett Williams and Tip Reiman still have not been cleared to practice.
Marvin Harrison’s status also came into focus after he dealt with injury concerns on Sunday. Head coach Mike LaFleur said Harrison was cramping, not dealing with the back and ankle issues it had looked like he might have had.
On the field, Harrison’s day had both the good and the frustrating. According to ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss, he had a couple of drops.
Per Cardinals.com’s Darren Urban, "he found himself wide open about five times in the heart of the defense, Brissett delivering the ball each time. When the Cardinals were running 13 personnel, Harrison was the wideout with the three tight ends."
SI.com’s Donnie Druin added, "he was again consistently open, though he dropped a wide open pass in the middle of the field."
Trey Benson also returned to the mix, taking part in 11-on-11 work for the first time in camp and getting some second-team reps. Urban said Benson looked good.
There was also a little movement in the linebacker battle. Cody Simon had been working mostly with the first-team defense next to Mack Wilson, but Tuesday brought Jack Gibbens into the mix with some starter reps, according to Druin.
In Other News...
Mike LaFleur Sent A Clear Message As Cardinals Camp Got Physical
The Cardinals moved into the second phase of training camp at State Farm Stadium with pads on for the first time, and the temperature around practice changed with it. Head coach Mike LaFleur made it clear the team is ready for a more physical stretch, but he also stressed that the contact has to stay smart and controlled as players start working through the kind of reps that can shape camp.
For a roster still trying to sort out roles and build rhythm, the next few practices will matter as much for discipline as for toughness. Arizona is set to be back on the field Wednesday at 4:00 PM, and the way the team handles this more physical phase should say plenty about how quickly it can settle into LaFleurs standard. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Camp Suddenly Has A Few Early Clues Fans Needed
The Cardinals have added a new wrinkle to training camp by turning their stadium JumboTrons into instant-replay tools, letting coaches and players see the last snap almost as soon as it happens. Mike LaFleur borrowed the idea from the Rams, and the goal is simple enough: make teaching faster and sharper in real time, with the broadcast-computer setup and DVSport feeding the review process from the sideline.
The early camp pecking order is starting to come into focus around that setup, too. Jacoby Brissett has moved into the lead quarterback spot, James Conner is handling most of the first-team work, and there are encouraging signs elsewhere with Paris Johnson and Walter Nolen both back in the mix. Even with those clues, the bigger question for Arizona is how quickly the new teaching tool and the roster decisions around it will translate into something cleaner once the pads stay on for good. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Rebuilt Line Already Has Fans Worried About One Lingering Issue
The Cardinals spent the offseason reshaping the front of their offense, adding Isaac Seumalo, Elijah Wilkinson, Matt Pryor and Oli Udoh in free agency before using the draft on Chase Bisontis and Jayden Williams. It was a clear sign that the team knows how much the offensive line matters to Mike LaFleurs new offense, and on paper the group looks far different from the one Arizona rolled out a year ago.
Early camp, though, has already put a spotlight on the right tackle spot, where the competition is still sorting itself out. Wilkinson is the projected starter, but the first weeks have not done much to quiet the concern around that position, and the Cardinals will need a steadier answer there if they want the rest of the rebuilt line to hold up the way they envision. [Read more 🡒]