The Cardinals like what they’ve found in Andrew Wingard, and Mike LaFleur made it clear the safety has already blended in exactly the way Arizona hoped.
LaFleur said Wingard has been a major addition to the defense and pointed to how naturally he has paired with Budda Baker on the back end. “You want the right people first,” LaFleur said, via the team’s website.
“You can see their football character on their tape like whether they’re made of the right stuff or they’re not. … He’s a stud of a human.
He’s always been a good football player. I think he and Budda back there - the communication is just flawless.”
Wingard, meanwhile, is leaning into the outside skepticism about the Cardinals and using it as fuel. He said the national perception of the team has only sharpened his edge.
“ As far as everyone is concerned, we are this FCS, D2, NAIA team I guess,” Wingard says with sarcasm. “ I love the idea of all the guys around the league checking their ESPN app after their game and saying, ‘Damn, Cardinals beat the Chargers.’
I love that. There was a guy on ESPN giving his take and he said ‘I see the Chargers scoring 40 on this team.’
People love to watch NFL players on Sunday, wake up Monday and say, ‘This guy sucks.’ ‘This guy is terrible.’
I love to flip it around, ‘Terrible take, you suck, he should be fired.’ I love talking crap.
The best part for me, all that talk, all of that, makes me who I am. It makes me better.
That gets me further into my training, deeper into the process. ”
In Los Angeles, Sean McVay said Myles Garrett is moving around better after arthroscopic knee surgery, even if the Rams still aren’t ready to put a return date on the calendar.
McVay said Garrett was on crutches one day and walking without them the next, calling the pass rusher “like Wolverine, healing fast.” Still, the coach stressed that the team will not force the issue.
“I’m reluctant to put a timeline on it. We know that he’s going to miss those four weeks at a minimum.
We’re not going to rush him back. We want to make sure he’s feeling good, he’s able to get on the practice field, do all the things that are necessary for him to perform at a level that he’s been accustomed to.
I’ll keep you guys posted as we have updates, as we go.”
Seattle is taking the same measured approach with Jadarian Price, but the early returns from Week 1 were encouraging enough to justify more work ahead.
The first-round running back played just 24 snaps in his debut, yet still finished with 10 carries for 52 yards and two catches. Brian Fleury said the limited usage was tied to the fact that Price didn’t play in the preseason and was stepping into “the very first NFL game, huge stage.”
But Seattle expects that to change quickly. “We were very deliberate about the reps that he was going to get, and how he was going to be used,” Fleury said, via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
“He didn’t play in the preseason. It was the very first NFL game, huge stage.
We wanted to be cautious in terms of his workload. He earned more reps moving forward, and we’ll continue to bring him along and develop him the right way.”
In Other News...
Cardinals Suddenly Have A Big Week 2 Problem Up Front
Roy Lopezs Week 1 showing gave the Cardinals a needed jolt up front, but the defensive line now has a more immediate concern as Arizona prepares for Seattle. Head coach Mike LaFleur said Lopez is dealing with a groin injury and is questionable for the Week 2 matchup, a potential setback for a unit that will need to handle a tougher ground challenge.
The Seahawks are expected to lean more heavily on their rushing attack, with rookie running back Jadarian Price leading the way, so Lopezs status carries real weight for Arizonas game plan. If he cannot go, the Cardinals may have to turn to second-year defensive lineman Walter Nolen for more snaps, leaving one of the weeks bigger questions centered on how well the front can hold up without one of its top performers. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Suddenly Have A Real Shot To End This Seahawks Drought
The Cardinals head into Week 2 with a chance to reset a frustrating trend against Seattle, a matchup that has tilted the Seahawks way since 2021. Arizonas opener offered a few reasons for optimism, especially on defense, where the group showed enough early promise to suggest it can keep the team in games while the offense settles in.
Seattles quarterback situation adds another layer to the rematch, with starter Sam Darnold sidelined and Drew Lock expected to take over. The Cardinals could use the break, but they also have to account for a potential hit to their own front if Roy Lopezs injury limits what Arizona can do up the middle, leaving Sundays road test with plenty still to sort out. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Are Sending A Clear Message Before Seahawks Showdown
The Cardinals did not make any practice squad elevations heading into their Week 2 matchup with the Seahawks, a small roster move that says plenty about how they view their available group. Even with several players carrying questionable tags or already ruled out because of injuries, Arizona is acting like it has enough healthy pieces in place to handle a divisional test without adding outside help.
Seattle comes in at 1-0, matching the Cardinals record and raising the stakes for an early NFC West meeting that could matter quickly in the standings. Trey McBride and head coach Mike LaFleur both touched on the challenge ahead and the Seahawks defense, and Arizonas decision to stand pat adds another layer to a game that already has the feel of a measuring stick for where this team stands in September. [Read more 🡒]