Arizona Cardinals training camp report from Glendale Thursday

The Arizona Cardinals return to training camp in Glendale Thursday as the team prepares for Saturday’s Red-White practice. We’ll have live updates and reports throughout the day here.

Gates open at 1:30 p.m. and Thursday’s practice is scheduled to run from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Another signing

The Cardinals just announced they have signed veteran free-agent linebacker Philip Wheeler to a one-year contract. Terms were not disclosed.

Wheeler, who is 6 feet, 2 inches and 245 pounds, has played nine years in the NFL and has appeared in 133 games (66 starts) with the Colts, Raiders, Dolphins and Falcons.  He has 513 career tackles (25 for loss) with 6½ sacks, five forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and 15 passes defensed.

He spent the past two seasons with the Falcons and played in Super Bowl LI against the Patriots.

Wheeler, 32, entered the league with the Colts as a third-round pick out of Georgia Tech in 2008.

Depth at receiver on display

If you ask Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians or quarterback Carson Palmer, the team has almost too much talent at wide receiver. And at Thursday’s practice at University of Phoenix stadium, the depth at the position was on full display.

In the spotlight was rookie Chad Williams, the Cardinals’ third-round pick out of Grambling State.

After Larry Fitzgerald, there are questions about who will line up on the outside in 2017. The next five probable names after the 33-year-old are J.J. Nelson, Jaron Brown, Brittan Golden and Williams.

And while the Cardinals have not released any official depth chart, training camp has given reason to believe Williams could rank as high as the top three.

“He’s getting a ton of reps,” Arians said before Thursday’s practice. “If you’re only getting 10 reps, you might be 12th. But if you’re getting 45 reps, it doesn’t really matter where that depth chart says you are.”

Palmer has been just as impressed with the depth at the position.

“We have too much (at receiver),” Palmer said. “Maybe five, maybe six spots will go to receivers depending on special teams. There’s seven or eight guys that you like and you want to continue to watch grow, but you just can’t keep eight receivers.”

Arians also highlighted the running back and safety positions as areas with immense competition as training camp continues. One bad day, Arians said, could have a huge impact for any contender at one of those positions.

“If you’re a 3, 4 or 5 at any position,” he said. “You better not have too many bad days.”

Cards bring in another veteran corner

Arians confirmed that Tramon Williams, the longtime Packers cornerback who spent the last two seasons with the Browns, was to meet with the Cardinals at the team’s practice on Thursday.

Williams, 34, is tied for seventh among active players with 30 interceptions with Richard Sherman, Brent Grimes and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.

The Cardinals seem to be holding open auditions for a corner to play alongside Patrick Peterson.

Former Chiefs and Chargers corner Brandon Flowers worked out for the team on Tuesday. He passed his physical and “looked good,” according to Arians.

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Arians: Reddick ‘not turning it loose … yet’

Although Arians said Cardinals first-round pick Haason Reddick hasn’t quite emptied the tank on the practice field, what the rookie linebacker has shown this far has been impressive.

“Too studious,” Arians said of Reddick’s early impressions. “He does not want to make mistakes, which is very nice but he’s not cutting it loose because he’s not comfortable yet with the big load he has.”

With linebacker Deone Bucannon likely missing the start of the season due to injury, Reddick could start inside for the Cardinals to open the season. Less than a year ago, Reddick was a defensive end at Temple.

“He can run, he can hit, he can really cover,” Arians said. “We’re not even doing the thing he does best with him right now, and that’s rushing the passer.

“The coverage ability, for a guy that’s switched positions is very, very rare.”

Still, Arians expects to give Reddick some reps on the outside to keep him fresh in his old role.

“We’re going to do some of that, but he’s got so much on his plate right now inside,” Arians said. “We’ll get him some one-on-one pass rush against tackles just to keep his hand in it.”

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Palmer embracing recovery

Palmer rested on Thursday in an effort to adhere to the team’s recovery protocol. It was his second day off in five practices, not including a scheduled off day Wednesday.

“I like practice. I love what I do and the practice aspect,” Palmer said. “But I’m listening to the professionals, the people who have studied this. Just going with the recovery process and listening to the people who tell me what to do.”

Palmer is 37 years old, and this is the 15th training camp of his career. In an effort to preserve his arm and avoid fatigue, the second-oldest quarterback in the NFC has had to adopt a new routine this preseason.

“I believe in all the different stuff that (team president) Michael (Bidwill) has brought to help with recovery,” Palmer said. “They’ve invested heavily in recovery mechanisms. There’s a lot of technology and a lot of research behind it. I’m all in on that stuff. I’ll take all the recovery I can get and all the different technology we have.”

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Roster moves

The Cardinals announced Thursday they have signed tight end Gerald Christian to a one-year contract, released tight end Steve Wroblewski and reached injury settlements with linebacker Tevin Floyd (hamstring) and cornerback Jumal Rolle (hamstring).

Christian, who is 6 feet 3 inches and 250 pounds, was drafted out of Louisville by the Cardinals with the 256th and final overall selection in the 2015 draft. He was released at the end of training camp after battling injury problems.

He played in three games last season for the Buffalo Bills, registering one reception for 14 yards after splitting the season between the active roster and Buffalo’s practice squad. He was released on March 6.

The Cardinals have yet to make any announcement regarding the possible signing of either Brandon Flowers or Tramon Williams. The two veteran free-agent cornerbacks visited with the team this week.

Quick kicks

• On if there are more or fewer mental errorshe’s had to share with his players on his legendary Accountability Board: “Oh, it’s much, much better. It’s better than it’s ever been, especially with our veteran players,” Arians said. “If our veteran players started showing up, then we’re probably coaching too much, trying to do too much.”
• On safety Tyrann Mathieu looking more and more like the Honey Badger: “He’s getting there. Yeah, it’s coming,” Arians said. “I’d like to see a couple more interceptions in practice. Him slamming the ball on the ground and talking crap, I’d like to see a little more of that. … He just needs to make a few more interceptions. You can’t talk crap unless you make plays.”
• On what more Arians expects out of outside linebackers Markus Golden and Chandler Jones, who last season finished with 12 1/2 and 11 sacks, respectively: “About five more sacks apiece.”
• On rookie running back T.J. Logan shining at pass protection of all things: “That was the one thing you really didn’t know. He didn’t do a lot of it in college, but he’s as tough as nails,” Arians said. “Stuck his face up in there, did a great job on backs-on-backers, picked up a defensive end the other day on a stunt. So that part you never know until you get them, but for a smaller guy he’s got really good pop.”