Pads were worn for the first time on Day 5 of training camp for the Arizona Cardinals Monday, a rite of summer around the NFL after the initial acclimation period.
As general manager Monti Ossenfort said Sunday, “You can’t get better at football without playing football.”
Of course, it’s not really “playing” football when there isn’t tackling, but it’s as close as you can get in practice.
Here are my observations:
Pads make it feel “real”
Kyler Murray said there isn’t much different for him being in pads given quarterbacks are off limits from being hit at all, but he did say, “The satisfaction of making a play feels a little better, because it’s real. When the pads are off, it’s kind of like people have the excuse to say, ‘Oh that wouldn’t have happened.’ That, I do like.”
Sunday, second-year linebacker BJ Ojulari said, “I’ve been waiting for so long. Going through OTAs, it’s been jerseys and shirts. It’s going to feel good to finally get the pads on. No pads is really meant for the offense, so when we get the pads on, we’re going to really see how it goes and actually be able to go 100 percent.”
Wide receiver Michael Wilson said, “I think there’s a heightened sense of urgency, a little bit of competitive anxiety just because you’re evaluated now, really evaluated because in shorts and shirts, you really can’t evaluate a football player. That’s not really football. So, you can get a sense of how guys are going to be in a game with pads on.
“How physical they play, how fast they play. Do they play with violence, do they know or do they know-know? Yes, there’s anxiety, but it’s good in camp to have stress on you and feel what it’s like to know, ‘OK, I have to perform.’ I don’t have a choice. I need to perform because K1’s counting on me, coaches are counting on me and my teammates are counting on me.”
Harrison targeted often
That’s been the case for rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. throughout the first few days of camp, and it continued Monday. He has been used on the outside and in the slot.
Last week, rookie cornerback Max Melton said he loves going against Harrison and on two passes from Murray early in 11-on-11, they were incomplete because of good Melton coverage. One was a low throw by Murray.
Offensive coordinator Drew Petzing said he loves the way Harrison approaches the game and not surprisingly, Murray is impressed with the confidence he shows on the field. Petzing said he believes Harrison and Murray have a “very strong comfort level with what the other one is thinking, how the other one’s gonna move in terms of Marv running the route, where he’s supposed to be when he’s supposed to be there. Kyler putting the ball where he can go get it based on who he is.”
Plays of the day
Murray connected with Wilson on a deep pass down the right sideline and the quarterback had two completions to tight end Trey McBride and wide receiver Greg Dortch while rolling to the left.
Cornerback Starling Thomas V had a good read on a Desmond Ridder throw to McBride, stepping in front for an interception. On another pass, Ridder misfired and linebacker Tyreek Maddox-Williams got his hands on the ball, but didn’t make the catch.
The music played loudly when the different groups were in the red zone (planning for the Buffalo fans already?) and Murray hit Wilson for a lightning-quick pass for a touchdown. That came in an empty backfield with tight end Elijah Higgins and running back Emari Demercado split out wide to the right. Cornerback Garrett Williams had a nice breakup of a pass intended for Dortch.
Rookie free agent receiver Xavier Weaver has seen a lot of time on kickoff and punt returns. Monday, he alternated with Dortch and running back DeeJay Dallas on punts. Expect to see Weaver get time in the preseason games.
Petzing makes short jokes
The Cardinals offensive coordinator is no more than 5-foot-7, so it was refreshing to hear him have some fun with it when he spoke to the media Monday.
As he adjusted the microphone at the podium and lifted it, he was advised by a team employee to move it down.
Petzing smiled and said, “A little too low. That’s a first for me.”
Then, later, he was asked about Paris Johnson Jr. making the switch from right tackle to the left side.
Petzing said that’s a better question for Johnson and added, “I haven’t made the transition from right tackle to left tackle in the NFL” and concluded after a pause, “I know it’s a shock.”
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