The Arizona Cardinals kept their Week 2 depth chart intact as they turn the page to their home opener against the Seattle Seahawks.
On paper, it looks like a quiet update. No roster moves, no shuffled rotations, no surprises in the official pecking order. But after watching Week 1, a few of the Cardinals’ usage patterns line up neatly with what was posted for this week.
At quarterback, the order stays the same with Jacoby Brissett at the top, followed by Gardner Minshew and Carson Beck.
Running back also remains unchanged, with Tyler Allgeier listed first, then Jeremiyah Love and Bam Knight. That matches what Sunday’s playing time suggested.
At receiver, Marvin Harrison Jr. remains the top option at X, with Jalen Brooks behind him. On the other side, Michael Wilson is still the Z, while Kendrick Bourne holds the slot spot ahead of Devin Duvernay. The group was deployed largely as expected.
Trey McBride is still the lead tight end, with Elijah Higgins and Hunter Long behind him. One note from Week 1: Long actually played six more snaps than Higgins against the Chargers.
Up front, there’s no movement on the offensive line. Paris Johnson is still at left tackle, Isaac Seumalo at left guard, Hjalte Froholdt at center, Isaiah Adams at right guard and Elijah Wilkinson at right tackle.
The defense is just as steady. Dante Stills remains the left defensive tackle, Roy Lopez the nose tackle and Walter Nolen the right defensive tackle.
Darius Robinson backs up Stills, Andrew Billings backs up Lopez and L.J. Collier backs up Nolen.
Billings was inactive as a healthy scratch.
At outside linebacker, the strong-side spot is listed as Zaven Collins or Baron Browning, with Josh Sweat on the weak side and Jordan Burch and Eku Leota behind him. Browning started over Collins, and the two played the same number of snaps.
Inside linebacker stays with Mack Wilson at Mike and Jack Gibbens at Mo, with Cody Simon and Karson Sharar behind them. Simon and Sharar only played on special teams. Earlier, it had been suggested that Gibbens and Simon might both play and rotate.
The cornerback group also held steady: Will Johnson on one side, Max Melton on the other, with Kei'Trel Clark backing up Johnson and Denzel Burke listed at nickel ahead of Garrett Williams.
At safety, Budda Baker remains at strong safety, with Dadrion Taylor-Demerson behind him. Andrew Wingard is still the free safety, followed by Kitan Crawford and Wydett Williams. Taylor-Demerson didn’t play, which meant Crawford got some defensive snaps.
Special teams brought a small wrinkle. Chad Ryland is still the kicker, Blake Gillikin handles punting and holding, and Casey Kreiter is the long snapper.
Devin Duvernay is listed as the primary kick returner, with Max Melton and Jeremiyah Love behind him. But on kickoffs, neither Melton nor Love was back with Duvernay - it was Jalen Brooks instead.
On punt returns, Michael Wilson is listed first, with Duvernay behind him.
In Other News...
Cardinals Dealing With Another Kei'Trel Clark Issue Before Hes Needed Again
KeiTrel Clarks first few weeks of the season have already come with an off-field headache, even before the Cardinals have had to lean on him again on the field. The second-year cornerback was fined by the NFL after displaying a personal message, Glory Be 2 God, on his eyeblack during Arizonas Week 1 game against the Chargers, a move the league said violated its Uniform and Equipment Rules because the message was not approved for game day.
It also is not Clarks first brush with the leagues equipment policies. He had already been fined previously for wearing an unapproved black towel in another game, a reminder that the NFL watches closely for even small uniform violations. For the Cardinals, it is a minor distraction now, but the bigger concern is whether Clark can keep the focus where they need it most when his role comes up again. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Seahawks Projection Shows How Tight This NFC West Battle Is
ESPN Analytics Week 2 Matchup Predictor is already offering an early read on just how little separates the Cardinals from the Seahawks in the NFC West race. The sites projections are part of a full slate of 16 games and show how closely a lot of matchups are being viewed, from the Bills as clear favorites over the Lions to the Ravens projected strongly against the Saints.
For Arizona, the interesting part is not just the opponent, but the margin. A game like this can swing the tone of an entire division chase in September, and the predictors view underscores that neither side is getting much breathing room. The numbers may not match every set of odds or picks, but they do reinforce what the standings often say this time of year: the NFC West may come down to the kind of head-to-head result that feels small in the moment and huge later on. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals May Have Found The Identity Fans Have Been Waiting For
The Cardinals opened their season with a 26-14 win over the Chargers, and the early takeaway went beyond the scoreboard. Tight end Trey McBride and wide receiver Kendrick Bourne were among the players stressing how much it matters to celebrate good plays, a small habit that can help keep a sideline loose, loud and connected when the game starts to tighten up.
Mike LaFleur and Nathaniel Hackett have both encouraged that kind of energy, treating it as part of the teams identity rather than a side note. For a franchise trying to establish a clearer identity, the hope is that the excitement from one strong opener becomes a season-long habit, not just a Week 1 burst. [Read more 🡒]