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The Arizona Cardinals’ practice on Monday morning in Tempe had the entire 53-man roster at full strength for Week 1. It was the first practice after the NFL’s first-ever mandatory four-day break for its players coming out of preseason.
Having all players available is an early positive sign for coach Kliff Kingsbury as the Cardinals prepare for their first game of the season at AFC South division champion Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
“With the COVID stuff, you never know day to day. It’s good to have all 53 guys out there and practicing,” Kingsbury said.
The team will have Tuesday off, but Kingsbury expects the team to be “cranked up” when they return to the training facility on Wednesday as they move closer to their first road game and season opener.
Kingsbury described the Titans’ style of play and pedigree, led by their running back Derrick Henry, quarterback Ryan Tannehill and All-Pro wide receiver Julio Jones.
“Physical team. They have been really, really good the last few years,” Kingsbury said. “Coach (Mike) Vrabel’s done a tremendous job building that culture and they fire on the football in all three phases, have one of the best running backs in the game (Henry, the two-time defending NFL rushing champion with more than 3,500 yards over the past two seasons), they just acquired one of the best receivers (Jones) and their quarterback’s been playing at a Pro Bowl level the last few years. It’s gonna be a huge challenge.”
3rd year expectations
It’s Kingsbury’s third year on the Cardinals sideline, and there are high expectations for the team to end its five-year playoff drought this season. The Cardinals were 5-11 in his first season, then finished 8-8 and missed the playoffs following their 6-3 start last season.
“It goes fast, there’s no doubt,” Kingsbury said. “Last year was a unique year with everything we’re dealing with. We’re excited to get back to having fans in the stadium. Year 3, the offense, the places I’ve been has really been a good year. Guys are comfortable with it, understand what we’re trying to accomplish. I’m excited to see where we can take that and latch on.”
Kingsbury is also looking forward to seeing defensive coordinator Vance Joseph roll out his plans.
“It’s fun to watch. I know he’s been really excited to run some of these packages that we have now,” Kingsbury said. “He does a great job, continuing to evolve. Every time I walk into his office he’s watching stuff, whether it’s college or NFL, trying to get better.”
Plus, the presence of All-Pro defensive end and 2014 NFL MVP runner-up J.J. Watt, who signed with the Cardinals in April, adds a level of expectation from within the team as well.
“Just in the building overall, when (Watt) walks in, everybody kind of perks up,” Kingsbury said. “He has a level of focus, intensity way of doing things that just makes you want to be better, whether you’re a coach or a player. That’s had a really good impact on the building.”
Moore adjustments
Rookie wide receiver Rondale Moore’s speed can be vital for the Cardinals offense when they figure out where to place him. But memory and retention of the Cardinals playbook is a major adjustment for Moore, regardless of how fast he was in college.
“Definitely a learning curve. I was under Coach (Jeff) Brohm at Purdue and you know we had a lot of the same concepts, if you will,” Moore said. “I think the biggest thing is the lingo, understanding splits and what you’re trying to accomplish on each play is the difference from college to now.”
One of the biggest questions entering the season for Kingsbury is if they will use Moore as a special teams kick returner in addition to being either a slot receiver or on the outside.
Kingsbury said he and the coaching staff are still “working through” where they plan to place Moore among the other WRs on their depth chart, play-calling and positions.
“I like the progress we’ve seen,” Kingsbury said. “A.J. (Green) brings a lot of experience. He’s the consummate professional, he’s been great for that room. Rondale, he has some real explosive traits that we gotta be able to utilize, and then you have (DeAndre Hopkins) and Christian Kirk who were here last year and know the system inside and out.”
Simmons on the move
Isaiah Simmons was drafted in 2020 to be an inside linebacker, but the coaches moved him around to various positions on the defense, including the line and secondary, during the preseason.
They were were assessing where he should be to complement their 2021 first-round draft pick, Zaven Collins, and veteran ILB Jordan Hicks.
“We really just want to put our best lineup on the field as much as we can,” Kingsbury said. “We felt like the group with those three out there at times can give us some really good defenders on the field. So, we’ll continue to move guys around, game plan and maximize what they do best.”
Simmons played nine different positions in college at Clemson, so Kingsbury knows Simmons can handle being put in the box or as a defensive back.
“Effectively, I believe that I can play multiple positions here. I don’t really have an exact number but definitely believe I can play multiple positions just with the skill sets that I bring to the game,” Simmons said. “Right now, I’m just trying to master the inside linebacker position before I even want to branch out to other things.”
Have tips for us? Reach the reporter at [email protected] or at 480-486-4721. Follow his Twitter @iam_DanaScott.
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