Cliff Notes: Cardinals' Week 1 Depth Chart
By Walter Mitchell
The Cardinals released their Week 1 depth chart. There were a couple of surprises, but it is mostly as expected.
My thoughts:
QB --- With Jacoby Brissett being named one of two offensive captains alongside C Hjalte Froholdt, it is a clear indication that his teammates were in full support of him over team management during the absurdly prolonged contract negotiations. Jacoby now gets his chance to prove what Hjalte Froholdt has maintained that "he ain't no backup."
RB --- With Jeremiyah Love's uncertain status heading into game one, it makes sense that Tyler Allgeier is listed as the starter. Interesting to learn recently that no NFL RB last season averaged more than 20 carries per game. This year, it would appear that Mike LaFleur has every intention of using a RB by committee approach. In Jeremiyah Love's case, he will be used in a dual RB/slot WR role.
WR --- Pretty much as expected with the top 5 being Michael Wilson (Nacua role), Marvin Harrison Jr. (Adams role), Kendrick Bourne (slot), Jalen Brooks (Adams, slot) and Simi Fehoko (Puka. slot).
TE --- As expected with Trey McBride in the feature role, Elijah Higgins in the receiver role and Hunter Long in the 12/13 personnel mauler role.
OL --- With Isaiah Adams listed as the starter at RG, it would appear that his knee injury is perhaps not serious enough to count him out of the Week 1game, although Mike LaFleur has stated that Adams' status will likely be a gametime decision. If Adams cannot go, then Jon Gaines II gets the start. Note, while Josh Fryar and Jayden Williams were flip-flopping between LT and RT during the pre-season, Williams being listed as the backup to Elijah Wilkinson could confirm that the coaches are grooming him as a potential RTOF. Not sure why but the Cardinals met with a host of street free agent tackles this week. That may be more to do with a practice squad move than anything else.
DI --- The shocker of the first depth chart is discovering that 2023 6th round pick Dante Stills has moved into the starting RDT role ahead of 2024 1st round pick Darius Robinson. What this suggests, imo, is that new DL coach Pete Kwiatkowski aims to create as much disruption as he can up front. Disruption is the strength of Dante Stills' game. Yet, could there also be this kind of a scenario:
Great point, Birdman. This was the biggest shocker on the depth chart. If they are not going to start Darius, then I think in the base defense the best move would be to start Andrew Billings at NT and kick Roy Lopez over to RDT oppo "Big Walter" Nolen III at LDT. Those are the three best DIs.
Regardless, one can expect Darius Robinson to be an integral part of the DT rotation. And as I predicted on this week's Red Rain Podcast, newly added PS DT Jared Harrison-Hunte, who posted a 72.8 tackling grade (7 tackles, 0 missed) and a 70.4 pass rush grade (6 QB pressures, 1 sack) for Carolina this pre-season, might be a roster addition. sooner than later. The coaches are also very high on Damonic Williams who posted an impressive 84.9 pass rush grade by virtue of his 4 QB pressures in pre-season. Eventually, they also hope to activate Zach Carter of the reserve/IR list.
OLB --- It looks like the coaches are going to start Josh Sweat and Zaven Collins Week 1. But perhaps the biggest breakthrough this season may come from Jordan Burch who showed up big-time in the practice scrimmage against the Packers and perhaps from Baron Browning who has the innate ability to win off the edge with pure speed and quickness.
ILB ---- With Mack Wilson Sr. being named captain for the second straight season, will that mean that, as in last season, Nick Rallis will never take Wilson off the field? If that's the case, then we can expect another year of Rallis playing his soft zones over 80% of the time. Ugh. The reality is, while Mack Wilson Sr. and Jack Gibbens bring a whole lot of "want to" and high energy to the ILB position, they have to be the slowest ILB tandem by far in the NFL, with Wilson clocking a 4.65 and Gibbens a 4.82.
Again, this is why we won't be seeing much man-to-man coverage, the likes of which DCs like Robert Saleh emphasize in their defenses, While Cody Simon is likely to be shuffled onto the field in sub packages, he is made to order to play the green dot MILB --- which is further evidence of how and why Nick Rallis stifles player development, often at the expense of playing veteran starters away their most natural positions. Mack Wilson Sr. has been begging Nick Rallis to play OLB for good reasons.
CB --- This CB group is not only slow-footed, they have to be the worst tackling CB unit in the NFL. One of the main reasons why a team plays zone coverage is to keep everything in front of them so that they can come up and ring the bell on WRs, TEs and RBs in punishing fashion, These CBs do not do this with any modicum of consistency mor obvious signs of "want to.". Here are last year's tackling grades, missed tackle percentages and run defense grades:
Will Johnson --- 51.2 --- 17.0% --- 51.2
Denzel Burke --- 34.5 --- 20.3% --- 35.4
Garrett Williams --- 29.1--- 22.2% --- 56.1
Max Melton --- 32.8 --- 23.1% --- 25.8
Kei'Trel Clark --- 29.1 --- 20% --- 62.9
Then there are the pass coverage issues. Here are their QB passer RTGs, TD, ints, penalties:
Will Johnson --- 112.2 RTG --- 4 TDs --- 0 int.--- 6 penalties
Denzel Burke ---
-81.6 RTG --- 3 TDs --- 3 int ---6 penaltiesGarrett Williams --- 132.9 RTG
--- 6 TDs --- 1 int ---2 penaltiesMax Melton ---
-93.0 RTG --- 0 TDs --- 0 int ---4 penaltiesKei'Trel Clark ---131.5 RTG --- 1 TD --- 0 int ---1 penalties
One of the surprises on the Week 1 depth chart was seeing that Denzel Burke is now the slot CB and that Garrett Williams is the backup to Max Melton at RCB. Given that Garrett Williams struggled in man coverage from the slot yet given his penchant for making good plays on the ball in zone coverage, this move of Williams to the deep third or deep quarters where sometimes, depending on the formation, the CBs are assigned to roll up to the flat, corroborated my own suggestion this off-season to move both Garrett Williams and Will Johnson to deep quarters. The only problem is --- will Williams or Johnson improve their tackling? Good, strong, fundamental tackling has to be a prerequisite for the job. If the "want to" isn't there or the technique, then neither should their playing time.
Denzel Burke at Ohio St., if I recall correctly, because in the pre-draft process I always check to see how many times a CB has been used in the slot, was only used in the slot 6 times in 2024. Asking Denzel Burke to play the slot is a bizarre choice. In Week 18 last year, Jonathan Gannon told the FOX crew that they were going to play Denzel more often on Puka Nacua and that Gannon was super excited to see how Denzel would do. Here was Denzel's coverage line in the game: 5 catches in 5 targets, 100% for 50 yards, 2 TDs, 1 penalty and a 147.9 RTG.
See, this is where Nick Rallis has no clue about his own personnel. Just as Rallis is thwarting the development of Rose Bowl and 2024 National Champion Defensive MVP Cody Simon, playing the slot at Texas Tech was one of Dadrion Taylor-Demerson's specialties. Look at these reps (thanks to Google):
Dadrion Taylor-Demerson lined up to play from the slot a total of 669 times during his final three seasons at Texas Tech. [1]
Yearly Slot Alignment Breakdown
While primarily utilized as a deep safety due to his impressive range, his versatility allowed defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter to frequently deploy him over the slot:
- 2021 Season: 254 slot snaps
- 2022 Season: 213 slot snaps
- 2023 Season: 202 slot snaps
Then, take a look at these three "strengths" of his scouting report (thanks to Yardbarker):
- Easy transitions and change of direction on the back end. Smooth pedal with loose, fluid hips to turn and run.
- Matched up man-to-man vs. slot WRs, showing off-man coverage traits: Smooth pedal with easy transition.
- Showed he could play mirror match and physical press man vs. slot WRs. Outstanding versatility.
In the pre-draft process, as most of you know, for nearly a decade now, I have been imploring the Cardinals to draft a legitimate slot cornerback. I watched Rabbit's tapes and circled his name as a priority pick, just as I did this past draft with my two favorites: Treydan Stukes (Arizona) and Deionte Scott (Miami FL). But just as Monti passed on Cooper DeJean in 2024, he passed on both Stukes and Scott. The only solace I took from that was the thought well maybe now it will force Nick Rallis to play Rabbit in the slot.
I feel extremely frustrated as to how Will Johnson has been given the red carpet, was bubble wrapped for the Packers scrimmage (last second mystery injury?) and treated with kid gloves by Nick Rallis. I don't think it has helped Will or the team.
Like everyone else, I am hoping to see a year two leap from Will, but thus far the Cardinals have not been getting the All-American version of Will Johnson when he was Defensive MVP of Michigan's 34-13 dismantling of Washington during the 2023 National Championship game. Instead, the Cardinals have been getting the disappointing, lackluster, slower than expected, oft-injured version of Will Johnson that he displayed in 2024. What the Cardinals are seeing is why Will Johnson, once hailed as a top 10 pick, slid all the way to pick 47 in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Will Johnson's QB-RTG in his 10 coverage snaps this pre-season versus Kirk Cousins, by virtue of his giving up 2 catches on 2 targets for 23 yards and a TD was 154.0.
I am worried.
Will Johnson's QB-RTGs versus Mathew Stafford:
Week 14: 158.3
Week 18: 118.8
Combined: 6 catches in 7 targets, 107 yards and 2 TDs
That's the two only games he played in the NFC West, having missed both 49ers' and Seahawks' games.
S --- I think the Cardinals are going to use their top 4 safeties (Budda Baler, Andrew Wingard, Dadrion Taylor-Demerson and Kitan Crawford very frequently, thus the depth chart at the Cardinals' deepest, most talented position on the defense is flexible.
ST --- Solid all across with punter Blake Gilliken, kicker Chad Ryland and newly appointed captain, long snapper Corey Kreiter.
The question mark is whether the Cardinals will get the production they expect from kick returner Devin Duvernay, who showed very little during the pre-season.
Red Rain Question:
What do you make of the Cardinals' Week 1 Depth Chart?
I intend to give you a starter-by-starter comparison of the Cardinals and Chargers sometime this week.
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