The Arizona Cardinals open training camp at the end of this month, so we will do a roster review, highlighting each player currently on the roster, going over last season, their salary and cap number, questions they face and what their expected roster status will be.
Next up is receiver Greg Dortch.
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2022 season
Dortch was a pleasant surprise last season. He made a big impression in training camp and the preseason and then, basically every time he was given an opportunity for more playing time, he stepped up and produced.
He entered the league in 2019 with the Carolina Panthers but joined the Cardinals in 2021, playing in five games.
Last season, in 16 games, he had 52 catches for 467 yards and two touchdowns.
In four starts, he had 25 catches, 231 yards and a touchdown.
He also returned 26 punts for 6.6 yards per return.
2023 salary, cap hit
Dortch was an exclusive rights free agent in the offseason as he had not yet earned enough credited years to be a restricted free agent.
He will make the league minimum, $1.01 million, and that is his cap hit. He has no guaranteed money in his contract.
Questions and challenges
Dortch’s biggest challenge is being basically a less athletic version of Rondale Moore. They are built similarly but Moore is athletically superior.
Dortch has played when Moore missed games.
So a healthy Moore makes it tough for the Cardinals to have another small receiver on the field, especially if Hollywood Brown is also on the field.
Previous head coach Kliff Kingsbury always praised Dortch but also noted that he had a lot to learn about the entire job of receivers, running routes, being in the right spot.
He was not scouted by the Cardinals’ current general manager or drafted by the new coaching staff (he was never drafted), so he will have to prove himself to a new staff and fight for a roster spot.
Roster outlook
While the Cardinals had DeAndre Hopkins on the roster, it looked like Dortch would not be a lock to make the team. Now it looks more certain.
With Brown, Moore, Zach Pascal and third-round receiver Michael Wilson likely locks for the roster, Dortch will compete and seem like a favorite to earn a spot as the fifth or sixth receiver on the team.
