Interesting Aspects and Question Marks about Cardinals 1st Depth Chart
By Walter Mitchell
Photo from Arizona Cardinals.com
The Arizona Cardinals, ahead of Saturday's pre-season game at home versus the Kansas City Chiefs, released their first depth chart of the preseason.
Some notable choices:
1. Zay Jones as WR3 ahead of Greg Dortch. Dortch counts $3.3M and Jones counts $2.3M toward the team 's 2025 salary cap. But one can also factor in Greg Dortch's role as the team's punt returner.
2. Nick Leverett is the backup LG ahead of Cardinals 6th round pick, Hayden Conner.
3. L.J. Collier is listed as the 2nd team NT over CFA Elijah Simmons who has been one of the rages of training camp. Curious that Bilal Nichols is listed as a DT, not as a NT.
4. Akeem Davis-Gaither is listed as the starter at WILB over Owen Pappoe.
5. Zaven Collins is listed as the starting OLB over Baron Browning.
6. Max Williams and Will Johnson are listed as the starting boundary CBs, as Garrett Williams is listed as the team's slot CB.
7. Jalen Thompson is listed ahead of Dadrion Taylor-Demerson as the starting SS.
8. Joey Blount is listed as the 2nd team FS over 7th round pick Kitan Crawford.
Commentary/Opinions:
1. Clayton Tune is a more talented QB and better fit for Drew Petzing's offense than Jacoby Brissett. If the QB2 competition is a genuine competition, I believe Clayton Tune will outplay Jacoby Brissett for the job.
2. The coaches should give Michael Carter a chance to return kickoffs because he's a better fit in the offense at RB than DeeJay Dallas. That was proven last season when the coaches started Michael Carter over DeeJay Dallas late in the season and Carter responded by gaining 188 yards on 46 touches for an average of 4.1 yards per touch. Neither DeeJay Dallas not Michael Carter have guarantees in their 2025 contracts and Dallas counts $2.4M to Carter's $1.2M on the cap.
3. Curious to see Simi Fehoko as a backup to Marvin Harrison Jr. Fehoko seems best suited to play slot WR.
4. If improving the Cardinals' pass coverage from the ILB position is indeed one of Nick Rallis' top priorities, then the ILB tandem that would make the most sense is Owen Pappoe at WILB and Cody Simon at MILB. Speed and range at ILB in pass coverage, are of paramount importance. Have to be able, for once, to cover Kyren Williams (4.54), Christian McCaffrey (4.48) and Kenneth Walker III (4.38) out of the backfield, especially on the wheel routes that have burned the Cardinals' defense time and time again over the past several years because of slower inside linebackers.
5. From what the defense has been looking like in practices thus far, it appears that Baron Browning has been getting the bulk of snaps at OLB in a kind of "Reddick" role, that Zaven Collins is the run game edge setter and 2025 3rd round pick, Jordan Burch, is in the rotation of nickel and dime edge rushers with Baron Browning and ahead of Zaven Collins.
6. The CB depth chart appears to be catered to the Cardinals' zone coverage schemes, which could explain why 6th round 2025 rookie Denzel Burke and 2023 6th round pick Kei'Trel Clark are listed as the backups to 2024 2nd round pick Max Melton and 2025 2nd round pick Will Johnson. Clark's zone coverage grade last season was 76.7. As we know, Will Johnson and Denzel Burke were two of the best college zone cover CBs in the country.
7. Even though Garrett Williams is listed as the starting slot CB, Garrett will most likely start at boundary CB opposite Will Johnson, with man and zone versatile, Max Melton getting the bulk of the snaps in subpackages.
8. One has to wonder where CB Elijah Jones currently stands, as being listed as a third team CB. I believe very strongly, having watched all of Elijah's games at Boston College that he, with Max Melton and Dadrion-Taylor-Demerson, could be the most talented and productive man-to-man cover defensive backs on the roster, as outlined in my "Two-Dimensional CB Plan" blog posted on July 28.
9. There are 3 players at the 2nd and 3rd levels of the Cardinals' defense who should be on the field on every snap: 1-Budda; 2-Rabbit; 3-OP.
- Yes76.6%
- No23.4%
How fascinating that from this time last year, there are now six new starters on the 11 man defensive unit (The entire defensive line, Davis-Gaither, and now Will Johnson)
ReplyDeleteHey L'il Rock! To quote Ziggy Stardust (aka Bowie): "Ch-ch-changes
Delete(Turn and face the strain) Ch-ch-changes (Oh, look out you rock 'n rollers)!"
I have many of same concerns with the depth chart
ReplyDelete1) Jones -v- Dortch -v- Fehoko - Slot Receivers galore, will Petzing utilize Slot receivers more this year; I actually would have thought Fehoko & Dortch would have been fighting out for 1st team
2) DL - No issue with starting 3; backup depth is questionable as to their placement (like someone literally just threw them in slots; Nichols is a NT, Simmons placement down depth chart likely due to being rookie
3) Edge/OLB - Collins & Browning likely rotating (Run/Pass downs); I still like Collins better at ILB
4) ILB - Collins > Wilson ; Pappoe > AKG 'Gannon ignoring ILB position as whole'
5) CB's - Melton, WilJo, Wilson seem right mix, I agree would like Williams on boundary with Melton rotating into boundary. I too am wondering about why E. Jones is disappearing on depth-chart, thought he would rise charts after redshirt year. Surprised Burke is higher on depth. I truly hope we aren't going with straight zone packages again.
6) S - JT over DTD is concerning; DTD is better at coverage than JT
I concur with every thought and word of this. Redrun is on a run!
DeleteIn addition, based on news this morning that Cardinals have brought in Will Hernandez; I would like them to re-sign Hernandez (even if he is not a starter he would prove to be "invaluable" depth and leadership to the locker room).
DeleteI'd love to hear (more of) your thoughts on Dortch over the past couple years. Obviously he's not MHJ... he's an underdog the fans like to root for, but he seems consistently underutilized until (1) injuries necessitate him getting more targets, or (2) the team and/or opponent is out of playoff contention. Look at his powerhouse 2-TD game (on 4 targets) to end the season against SF. On the other hand, do you take targets from Trey, MHJ, Wilson, or Conner? Probably not. Just seems that he could do more for the team, given the chance?
ReplyDeleteNot only am I a huge fan of Greg Dortch, TMAtty, Brett Kollmann calls him the "Dortchure Chamber" for NFL defenses. The problem is --- name one smaller WR who Kyler has consistently hit over the middle. Zero. Christian Kirk was the one smaller WR whom Kyler had chemistry with, but Kirk preferred to stay out of the middle in favor of running deep corners, go-routes, seam bombs and cross corners. No Cardinals' WR since Kyler arrived in 2019 has been used as a traditional slot. Now it appears that the coaches are turning to Zay Jones who cannot threaten defenses the way Dortch does. It's very disappointing. At least we get to see him on punt returns. Should be taking some kickoff returns as well.
DeleteDisappointed with Pappoes growth and got no clue how 3rd round E Jones can’t get past 3rd string.WTH is this staff’s issue with K Clark?
DeleteFinally first time during Card Rebuild #67, there is talented depth across the board if we don’t ignore ILB.
So I need to say its nice to see this team actually have enough depth where we can actually question the depth chart. This team hasn't had this much talent in a season or two after MO took the salary cap pain pill. I am wondering who doesn't make it on the Dline cause there is some dudes there that aren't going to make the roster. I also was hoping Chris Jones would take a leap forward and push for the RT spot. I haven't seen any practices so I dont know if he isn't performing or if its a salary issue. Not being high on Harrison I am getting worried about this knee injury. So many great players in that draft so really hoping we got one of them. LB room looks out of whack amd I agree with walts assessment as well as other commenter. I also would like Will Hernandez back as he would bring depth and continuity to most important part of the team. After watching that pass earlier this evening from the scrimmage I am wondering why I still stick up for the little guy, that was straight up garbage. Guy seems like his job is a joke. That pass straight missed me off.
ReplyDelete