Arizona Cardinals offensive linemen Julién Davenport, left, and Paris Johnson Jr. observe drills during Wednesday’s OTAs. Selected sixth overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, Johnson is projected to start this season. (Photo by Bobby Murphy/Cronkite News)
Arizona Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon has established his expectations for the team early into his first tenure as head coach with a focus on being “process oriented.” (Photo by Bobby Murphy/Cronkite News)
Arizona Cardinals offensive lineman D.J. Humphries noted Paris Johnson Jr.’s attention to detail as a rookie in his first OTAs. (Photo by Bobby Murphy/Cronkite News)
TEMPE – Same heat, new playbooks.
On the final day of organized team activities Wednesday, the Arizona Cardinals went outside in the 95-degree weather to continue building chemistry with new offensive coordinator Drew Petzing and new defensive coordinator Nick Rallis, and learn their playbooks.
The first step of the process in the march toward September’s regular-season opener is complete.
“It’s cool just picking (Petzing’s) brain and getting a chance to hear from him … and hearing his point of view on different things,” Cardinals wide receiver Rondale Moore said. “He’s the same guy in and out, super excited and high energy.”
After posting a disappointing 4-13 record during the 2022 season, the organization cleaned house with the firing of Kliff Kingsbury as coach and Steve Keim’s departure as general manager. Shortly after, the Cardinals hired coach Jonathan Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort. The two quickly put together a coaching staff to guide the organization into a new era.
During OTAs, the message from Gannon to his team was maximizing practice reps and getting everyone on the same page.
Marquise “Hollywood” Brown will be the top target at wide receiver after the Arizona Cardinals released DeAndre Hopkins on May 26. (Photo by Bobby Murphy/Cronkite News)
“I think every year you have to reset yourself and lay out the expectations of the team. This is how we are going to work and this is how we are going to do things,” Gannon said. “Go about our business the right way and be process oriented. I think (the team) has done a great job with that.”
With the release of Pro Bowl wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, the Cardinals offense is expected to see some major changes heading into the upcoming season. The team will look to fifth-year wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown to lead the room. Despite dealing with a foot injury last season, Brown finished with 709 yards and 67 receptions in 12 games played.
“Being that leader in the room and being that guy to lead by example is something I take pride in,” Brown said. “I’m always working to be the best on the field no matter what … my thinking process and my role on how I see myself hasn’t changed.”
What has changed is the team’s current QB1. Brown will be without star quarterback Kyler Murray for a significant time period as he recovers from an ACL injury.
“(Murray) has been attacking it. He’s been going hard every day, smiling and getting other guys going when he’s not out there,” Brown said. “He is a competitor. He wants to get back out there. So I know he’s going to attack it as best as he can to try to make it back out there whenever he can.”
There’s no clear indication of when the Pro Bowl quarterback will return to the field. The starting quarterback position is expected to be a competition between 12-year veteran quarterback Colt McCoy, rookie Clayton Tune and veteran quarterbacks David Blough and Jeff Driskel.
“Whether you’re the best player or the guy trying to make the 53(-man roster) or a guy trying to make a practice squad, you cannot put a price tag on a rep. They value (their) reps,” Gannon said. “So that’s why we give equal reps to guys and they get their time. (We) got to evaluate them and improve them.”
McCoy is projected to take control of the first-team snaps entering training camps. In four games last season, McCoy had a completion percentage of 68.2%, one touchdown, three interceptions and was sacked 13 times.
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Colt McCoy will enter training camp looking to earn the starting job to open the 2023 season while Kyler Murray recovers from an ACL injury. (Photo by Bobby Murphy/Cronkite News)
With the addition of left tackle Paris Johnson Jr., who the Cardinals selected sixth overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, and nine-year veteran left tackle D.J. Humphries coming off a back injury, the offensive line is expected to improve after allowing 46 sacks last season.
The coaching staff has yet to name the starting left tackle or reveal how they plan to use Johnson. Since Johnson has college experience playing right guard and left tackle, coaches are looking to take advantage of his versatility and put together the best five offensive linemen.
“It’s good to finally be out there with the guys running around and talking a little jump,” Humphries said. “When I was outside doing my thing on the side and (Johnson) came up to me trying to figure out how I do my thing, what I’m thinking about, and what I’m looking at. So, that was like from the jump, he’s always been super like, ‘Hey, help me, how can I get better?’”
There are new faces and changes throughout the organization, and mandatory minicamps will offer another opportunity to get on the same page starting Tuesday.
With less than 100 days until the season kicks off, coaches and players are still working to not only adjust to Arizona’s summer heat but to each other.
