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Cardinals insider Kent Somers talks with Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians about mini-camp, his excitement about undrafted rookies, LB Daryl Washington and QB Blaine Gabbert at Steak 44 on Wednesday. Michael Chow/azcentral sports
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Cardinals insider Kent Somers talks with Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians about Arians’ annual fundraiser at Steak 44 on Wednesday. Michael Chow/azcentral sports
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azcentral sports’ Jay Dieffenbach and Dan Bickley discuss Daryl Washington possibly returning to the Cardinals and how James Harden can’t beat the Spurs by himself.
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The Arizona Cardinals announced Thursday that former St. Louis Cardinals QB Jim Hart would be inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor this season.
Wochit
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azcentral sports’ Jay Dieffenbach and Kent Somers discuss what to expect from the Cardinals’ 2017 NFL draft class.
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Jay Dieffenbach and Dan Bickley assess the Arizona Cardinals’ selection of Haason Reddick in Round 1 of the NFL draft and discuss the needs the team still has to address.
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Check out how Cardinals fans were feeling during the team’s 2017 NFL draft party.
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Cardinals insider Kent Somers reacts to the introductory press conference for Haason Reddick and what the Cardinals might do next.
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With plenty of defense options on the table and all the quarterbacks gone, the Cardinals elected to go linebacker and Kent and Bob break down the reasons why.
Patrick Breen/azcentral.com
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The Cardinals have made 18 picks in the first round of the NFL draft since 2000. Take a look at the standouts.
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With the 13th overall pick in this year’s draft, can the Cardinals afford to repeat their strategy with their last two first-round picks?
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Shot Clock: azcentral sports’ Jay Dieffenbach and Kent Somers have the latest on the Cardinals draft and the reinstatement of Daryl Washington.
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The Cardinals are hosting draft parties Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at the Great Lawn outside of University of Phoenix Stadium.
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The Cardinals have the No. 13 pick in Thursday’s NFL draft. Several players are linked to the team in many mock drafts.
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azcentral sports’ Kent Somers and Jay Dieffenbach discuss possible Cardinals strategy in the NFL draft, views on picking a quarterback and more.
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Bob McManaman selects his top five defensive backs for the 2017 NFL draft.
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Bob McManaman ranks the top special teams players in the upcoming draft.
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azcentral sports’ Bob McManaman chooses the top five linebacker prospects in the 2017 NFL draft. (Photos by USA Today)
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Arizona Cardinals’ general manager Steve Keim and head coach Bruce Arians have found some of their best players in the third round.
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Arizona Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald and Chandler Jones discuss the importance of giving back and some bets amongst Cardinals players before the Larry Fitzgerald Celebrity Softball Game on Saturday at Salt River Fields. Patrick Breen/azcentral sports
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Cardinals GM Steve Keim has a tough task when it comes to finding quality talent and character to add to the team through the draft.
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azcentral sports Cardinals insider Kent Somers talks with Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Fostee Rucker. || Video by Rob Schumacher/azcentral sports
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Cardinals defensive tackle Frostee Rucker discusses learning from last year’s expectations and adding Karlos Dansby and other veterans. Rob Schumacher/azcentral sports
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Breaking down the top three games of the Cardinals’ 2017 season.
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Shot Clock: azcentral sports’ Kent Somers and Bob McManaman discuss the Cardinals’ potential use (or overuse?) of running back David Johnson.
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Arizona Cardinals president Michael Bidwill talks about golf and the NFL draft at Cardinals annula golf outing. Video: Rob Schumacher/azcentral sports
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Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians is ready for the 2017 NFL schedule to be announced.
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Cardinals General Manager Steve Keim talk about the upcoming NFL draft. || David Kadlubowski/azcentral.com
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azcentral sports’ Jay Dieffenbach and Dan Bickley discuss Carmelo, a dancer, and the Cards’ quiet, classy young superstar.
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azcentral sports’ Kent Somers and the Cardinals’ Larry Fitzgerald discuss Fitzgerald’s charity softball tournament on Saturday.
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The Cardinals’ Larry Fitzgerald joined azcentral sports’ Kent Somers to discuss the team and the upcoming season.
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Scott Bordow sizes up the first day of strength and conditioning for the Arizona Cardinals at their training facility in Tempe. Tom Tingle/azcentral sports
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USA TODAY Sports’ Tom Pelissero recaps the NFL owners meeting and the proposed league rule changes.
USA TODAY Sports
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Bob McManaman and Kent Somers at the NFL owners meetings on Wednesday, March 29, 2017. Bruce Arianas likes full-time officials, centralized replay and says there’s 1 QB in upcoming draft who’s plug-and-play. Video: Tom Tingle/azcentral sports
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Coaches of the National Football Conference take questions from the media in Phoenix on March 29, 2017. Tom Tingle/azcentral sports
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Cardinals insider Kent Somers and other reporters talk with Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians at the NFC coaches breakfast on Wednesday at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix. Video by Tom Tingle/azcentral sports
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Bob McManaman of azcentral sports talks to AFC coaches at the annual NFL owners meeting at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix, Tuesday, March 28, 2017. Tom Tingle/azcentral sports
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Bob McManaman and Kent Somers at the NFL owner’s meetings: Coaches of AFC teams meet the media at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix on Tuesday, March 28, 2017. Video: Tom Tingle/azcentral sports
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Cardinals coach Bruce Arians discusses free agency, quarterbacks and cornerbacks in the draft on Wednesday night. Kent Somers/azcentral sports
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Somers sits down with Arians on Cardinals’ offseason
Bruce Arians talks about his annual fundraisers
Daryl Washington-Cardinals meeting: What happened?
Jim Hart to be inducted into Cardinals Ring of Honor
Shot Clock: Cards picks make instant impact?
Shot Clock: Tap brakes on Haason Reddick pick?
Sights and sounds from Cardinals draft party
Somers talks Reddick and possible 2nd and 3rd round picks
Kent Somers and Bob McManaman talk Cardinals draft of Haason Reddick
Cardinals’ top first round NFL draft picks since 2000
Can Cardinals afford to be patient with another first-round pick?
Cards face choices with draft, Daryl Washington
What to know about the Cardinals’ draft party
NFL mock drafts: Popular picks for Arizona Cardinals
Shot Clock: Cardinals trade up for QB?
Top 5 defensive backs of 2017 NFL draft
Top 5 special teams players of 2017 NFL draft
NFL draft’s top 5 linebacker prospects
Keim, Arians striking gold in draft’s third round
Larry Fitzgerald, Chandler Jones talk about Celebrity Softball Game
Cardinals looking for ‘football character’ in NFL draft
Kent Somers talks with Cardinals DT Frostee Rucker
Cardinals DT Frostee Rucker on expectations, adding Karlos Dansby
Top 3 games in Cardinals schedule
Cards playing dangerous game with RB Johnson?
Cardinals president Michael Bidwill talks about golf, NFL draft
Bruce Arians wants to know date of London game
Keim on Cardinals’ NFL draft prep
Shot Clock: New face of Cardinals franchise?
Larry Fitzgerald holding 7th annual charity softball tournament
Larry Fitzgerald 1-on-1 with Kent Somers
Cardinals begin strength and conditioning program
Goodell says he’ll be in New England for opener
NFL meetings in Phoenix: On Bruce Arians, new rules, the draft
NFC coaches take questions at NFL owners meeting
Kent Somers talks with Bruce Arians at NFC coaches breakfast
Bob McManaman talks to AFC coaches
At the NFL owner’s meetings: AFC head coaches meet the media
Cardinals’ Arians talks free agency and draft
The addition of veteran Jumal Rolle on Tuesday gives the Cardinals 11 cornerbacks on the roster, but only one of them, Patrick Peterson, has proved to be a capable starter.
The starting spot opposite Peterson remains one of the team’s biggest question marks, and it’s likely a position the club will continue to address through training camp. The 11 players can be broken down into three tiers:
NFL POWER RANKINGS: Cardinals losing ground?
The favorites
Justin Bethel and Brandon Williams were the favorites at this time last year, but couldn’t overcome major obstacles to prove themselves in 2016.
Bethel re-injured a foot in the summer and didn’t regain full health until later in the season. He played in 16 games, starting three of them, and struggled until late in the season. Bethel also had an opportunity to start at the end of the 2015 season and didn’t distinguish himself.
Williams, a third-round pick last year, moved from running back to cornerback in his last year at Texas A&M.
That inexperience showed up early in 2016, and he was replaced as a starter by Marcus Cooper after two games. A free agent, Cooper signed with the Bears.
This offseason, coach Bruce Arians has expressed confidence in Bethel and Williams, but he said similar things a year ago.
MORE: Daryl Washington return to Cardinals?
Ready to make a push?
Rolle, Harlan Miller and Rudy Ford could be ready to contend for playing time.
After Peterson, Bethel and Williams, Rolle is the only cornerback with any experience to speak of. And that’s not much: 19 games since entering the NFL in 2013. He missed all of last season with a ruptured Achilles’ tendon.
Miller, a sixth-round pick in 2016, spent the first 15 weeks of the season on the practice squad. When he did play, it was at safety, not cornerback.
He played surprisingly well, but is he a safety or a corner? The Cardinals are listing him at cornerback. We will see if he stays there.
The Cardinals traded into the sixth round last month to take Ford. They like his size, 5-feet-10-inches and 205 pounds, and speed, sub 4.4 in the 40-yard dash.
There has been speculation he can seriously contend for the starting job. That’s a stretch. Athletes with the skill to start at cornerback generally aren’t available in the sixth round.
Ford played more safety than cornerback at Auburn, so it’s hard to imagine he will be ready to compete for a starting anytime soon.
MORE: Cardinals rookie OT Will Holden has size, speed, smarts
The outsiders
Elie Bouka, Gump Hayes, Ryan Lewis, Soujourn Shelton and Ronald Zamort will challenge for consideration if the players ahead of them are hurt or ineffective.
Coaches remained intrigued with Bouka, who signed last year as an undrafted rookie out of the University of Calgary.
He’s 6-feet-1-inch, 205 pounds, and he’s fast. He also hasn’t played the past two years. He missed his senior season with a torn Achilles’ and was placed on injured reserve last August because of a hamstring injury.
Zamort was cut at the end of training camp last year and spent the latter part of the season on the practice squad.
Hayes, Louis and Shelton are rookie free agents who would be happy to make the practice squad.
MORE: Michael Floyd agrees to deal with Minnesota Vikings
YOUR TAKE: Readers sound off on Daryl Washington
CARDINALS DRAFT HISTORY: A look at the defensive backs
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