The Arizona Cardinals are headed back home for Week 7, and their latest depth chart looks largely unchanged as they prepare to face the Denver Broncos on Sunday at State Farm Stadium.
There has been some roster movement around the edges since the last chart came out. Tackle Albert Reese was claimed off waivers, tight end Shawn Bowman was cut, and safety Kitan Crawford is back on the roster after spending time on injured reserve. Reese’s exact spot will be worth watching, especially with Arizona carrying five tackles.
At quarterback, the Cardinals kept Jacoby Brissett at the top with Gardner Minshew behind him and Carson Beck listed third. The running back group remains Tyler Allgeier, Jeremiyah Love and Bam Knight.
The receiver alignment is also steady. Jalen Brooks and Reggie Virgil are listed at X, while Michael Wilson and Simi Fehoko are at Z. In the slot, Kendrick Bourne sits ahead of Devin Duvernay.
Trey McBride continues to lead the tight end room, with Elijah Higgins and Teagan Quitoriano behind him. Bowman had been listed fourth, but he was waived on Wednesday.
Up front, Jayden Williams is still at left tackle, with Jedrick Wills behind him. Isaac Seumalo holds the left guard spot, while Hatden Conner is next up there.
Hjalte Froholdt remains at center over Jon Gaines, who is also listed at right guard ahead of Hayden Conner. Elijah Wilkinson starts at right tackle, with Josh Fryar backing him up.
Reese’s arrival could shuffle that group next week, and it remains to be seen whether he lands at tackle or whether Fryar shifts around on the chart.
On defense, Dante Stills and Darius Robinson are listed at left defensive tackle, Roy Lopez and Andrew Billings at nose tackle, and Walter Nolen with L.J. Collier at right defensive tackle. At outside linebacker, the strong-side spot shows Zaven Collins or Baron Browning, while Josh Sweat starts on the weak side with Jordan Burch and Eku Leota behind him.
Inside linebacker lists Mack Wilson at Mike with Cody Simon behind him, and Jack Gibbens at Will with Karson Sharar backing him up. In the secondary, Denzel Burke and Star Thomas are at left boundary corner, Max Melton and Kei'Trel Clark at right boundary corner, and Garrett Williams with Kalen King at nickel.
Budda Baker remains the strong safety, with Dadrion Taylor-Demerson behind him. Andrew Wingard is listed at free safety, followed by Wydett Williams and Kitan Crawford.
Special teams are unchanged, with Chad Ryland at kicker, Blake Gillikin handling punting and holding, and Casey Kreiter at long snapper. Devin Duvernay is the primary kick and punt returner, with Jalen Brooks and Jeremiyah Love also listed on kickoff return and Michael Wilson backing Duvernay on punt returns.
In Other News...
Cardinals Injury Report Raises A Real Week 7 Concern
The first injury reports for the Cardinals and Broncos have already added some uncertainty to Sundays Week 7 matchup at State Farm Stadium. Arizona is tracking a concern with Love, who is dealing with an ankle injury, while Denvers early list also points to possible absences on the other side of the ball. It is the kind of midweek update that can quickly reshape how both staffs approach the game plan.
LaFleur said Love will not be back until he is fully recovered, which puts his status in real doubt for a second straight game. The Broncos, meanwhile, opened the week with key names in Surtain and Hufanga on the report, and LaFleur also had praise for Denver defensive coordinator Vance Joseph and what his defense has done so far. With both teams waiting on more clarity later in the week, the injury picture may end up being as important as anything on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Momentum Suddenly Comes With One Big Jeremiyah Love Concern
The Cardinals momentum after a Week 6 win over the Rams comes with a familiar sort of wobble in the backfield. Jeremiyah Love was unavailable for that victory because of an ankle injury, and the team had to lean on Zonovan Knight and Tyler Allegier to carry the load at running back. For a club trying to build on a good result, the absence of one of its key playmakers is hard to ignore.
Love also missed Wednesdays practice to open the week, which only adds to the uncertainty heading into Sundays matchup with the Broncos. The injury came the week before, and Arizona now has to monitor his work over the next couple of days as it tries to get a better read on whether he can give it a go in Week 7. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Have One Early Trend That Could Shape The NFC Race
Week 7 arrives with the NFC still sorting itself out, and Arizona has already put one early pattern on the board that matters well beyond its own locker room. The Cardinals have mixed strong road form with a rugged defense in the bigger picture around the conference, while the rest of the playoff field keeps bumping into one another in a slate that also includes the Bears hosting the Patriots and the Saints meeting the Steelers in Paris.
For Arizona, the issue is whether the good version can show up often enough to stay in the race. The numbers behind the Cardinals start suggest a team that can look dangerous when it gets things right, but recent results have also exposed a margin for error that is hard to ignore. With the NFC packed tightly and rivals like Seattle and Los Angeles still shaping the conversation, the Cardinals next stretch could tell us whether this is a real trend or just a short-lived September and October burst. [Read more 🡒]