Cardinals depth chart

[BritCard]

https://www.azcardinals.com/team/depth-chart

Some interesting nuggets

Joshua Miles listed over Josh Jones on tackle depth chart

Justin Murray is backup RG and RT

Beachum starts at RT

Zach Allen gets the nod at starter

Campbell and Hicks are starting LB. Simmons is depth. But I expect Simmons will get plenty of snaps at WLB in Nickel. Especially vs Kittle.

Isabella is KR and PR


It doesn't look like they intend to bring in another CB. I really wonder how much time Murphy is going to get at slot. Normally in nickel Murphy would come on the field but I think they intend to use Simmons instead.

So rather than our base being 3-4 and Nickel on 2nd and 3rd down, we would look more like a traditional 4-3 base on 2nd and 3rd down with Simmons at will or sam OLB where he can perform multiple roles.

In which case Murphy might only see the field on say 20% of nickel sub packages and in dime, which is why only 4 corners on the roster.

 

[juza76]

1. So Josh Jones will spend his rookie season being inactive

 

[BritCard]

1. So Josh Jones will spend his rookie season being inactive

For now anyway. The depth chart can change but without a proper offseason it's tough for tackles especially. But given another 6 weeks or so to practice he may well rise up.

 

[SoonerLou]

So I assume its going to be Isabella in the slot if they go 4 wide?

 

[Proximo]

1. So Josh Jones will spend his rookie season being inactive

I don't think so.

Pretty sure he will get some playing time in the second half of the season.

 

[BritCard]

So I assume its going to be Isabella in the slot if they go 4 wide?

I dunno man. I still think Isabella might only be a situational deep ball target.

I kinda fancy Keesean to get more snaps at WR4.

 

[SoonerLou]

I dunno man. I still think Isabella might only be a situational deep ball target.

I kinda fancy Keesean to get more snaps at WR4.

In the practice vids it does look like its KJ out there. However, idk..Isabella's speed should technically bring something different.

 

[Chopper0080]

Depth chart is made by PR team...important to remember that.

I will add a couple observations.

1 - It is mostly unproven, but I really like the looks of our defensive line. Of all the things this offseason, outside of trading for Hopkins, this may be Keim's best improvement.

2 - Our offensive line has a significant amount of proven depth. The top end in terms of talent is still wanting IMO, but we have backups who can hold their own. Might be the deepest line we have had since coming to AZ.

3 - Our secondary is super thin. Not much margin for error or injury in that group. Initially I thought we would be very dependent on the health of Chandler Jones, but now I think it is the secondary. You can manufacture a pass rush to a certain degree, but you can't manufacture coverage too much.

 

[Zeem_Freeze]

2 - Our offensive line has a significant amount of proven depth. The top end in terms of talent is still wanting IMO, but we have backups who can hold their own. Might be the deepest line we have had since coming to AZ.

came here to comment on our Oline and you nailed it. No A+ studs but everyone seems to be a C+ to A - range...

Most worried about Humprhies getting injured because he's our only A- guy, IMO.
Also worried about Cole getting hurt because of snaps and call continuity, not raw talent.
Anyone else gets hurt and I dont think we see too much of a drop off.

And as always with Oline, THANK YOU KUGLER THE TECHNICIAN.

 

[Chopper0080]

One interesting note from Cardswire is that Devondre Campbell doesn't come off the field to give Simmons snaps. Essentially that he has seen them on the field together more then not.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

I am sure Campbell comes out on passing downs nickle and Simmons comes in.

 

[Mainstreet]

Sort of adds to what already has been said.

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[jbeecham]

I am sure Campbell comes out on passing downs nickle and Simmons comes in.

I read an article a while ago that said Devondre Campbell has already been practicing calling the plays like Hicks normally does... if he can handle that role then Hicks can come out on 3rd & long so we have 2 better cover guys at ILB.

 

[BritCard]

I am sure Campbell comes out on passing downs nickle and Simmons comes in.

Like I said in the OP.

I think Simmons comes in instead of Murphy in nickel. He gives you more options. I think thats why they only have 4 CB's.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Depth chart is made by PR team...important to remember that.

I will add a couple observations.

1 - It is mostly unproven, but I really like the looks of our defensive line. Of all the things this offseason, outside of trading for Hopkins, this may be Keim's best improvement.

2 - Our offensive line has a significant amount of proven depth. The top end in terms of talent is still wanting IMO, but we have backups who can hold their own. Might be the deepest line we have had since coming to AZ.

3 - Our secondary is super thin. Not much margin for error or injury in that group. Initially I thought we would be very dependent on the health of Chandler Jones, but now I think it is the secondary. You can manufacture a pass rush to a certain degree, but you can't manufacture coverage too much.

5/5

I agree. I like the mix of young talent and veterans on the defensive line. I'm always a fan of the scatter shot approach to upgrading position groups. What I mean by that is that you try and draft 3-4 players at a position group you are weak at. Past two years Keim has done this with WRs and DL. Now the middle part of the depth chart has a few young, promising players to rotate. Obviously there will be attrition, but I think the competition improves the group. This approach often fails with oline because each lineman usually requires so much development that I prefer the one a year approach.

If you look at the offensive line, there are a few good young prospects at each position, and the veterans should be solid. Having Justin Murray is a revelation. While he wasnt great last year, he did improve down the stretch and he is quality depth. Cole looks better; he looks bigger and stronger and it looks like good weight. Jones is being brought along slowly and I love that approach. Most rookie OL are awful and the Cardinals aren't relying on him from game one. Signing Beachum was a fantastic, underrated move.

One thing to point about about DB is that the Cardinals do have a few on the PS. I think they know that Kevin P is a real good special teamer, and that's why they kept him over Chris Jones, who I think is a better cover man. In years past, it seemed like Arians ignored keeping plus special teams players in favor of better postion players. This year I think they understand that with adding Simmons, Campbell, and the likely improvement from players like the Thompsons and Baker, that coverage overall should be better.

I also like the LB depth. Having a starting group of Jones, Campbell, Hicks, and Kennard is solid, but the depth of Reddick, Fitts, Simmons, Gardeck, and Turner is very good. Massive improvement since the bare days of Wilks.

 

[Chopper0080]

I am sure Campbell comes out on passing downs nickle and Simmons comes in.

That is not what Cardswire is implying. He is implying that when Simmons comes into the 1st team defense...Campbell hasn't been coming out. Which means Hicks or Chandler Jones drops down as part of a 3 man front or Simmons is the nickel.

 

[BritCard]

That is not what Cardswire is implying. He is implying that when Simmons comes into the 1st team defense...Campbell hasn't been coming out. Which means Hicks or Chandler Jones drops down as part of a 3 man front or Simmons is the nickel.

Hicks aint coming out. They are paying him $10m a year. He's a team captain. As I've been saying for a while. Simmons will be the nickel.

 

[JeffGollin]

Should we pay a lot of attention to changes in position-terminology?

i.e. our D-line is now described as a 3-man front consisting of a NT flanked by DT's on either side.

WLB and SLB have given way to generic OLB's. We now have 2 ILB's instead of an ILB and a MLB).

2 generic safeties have replaced the SS and FS, and LCB and RCB have given way to generic CB's.

Mean anything?

 

[Proximo]

That is not what Cardswire is implying. He is implying that when Simmons comes into the 1st team defense...Campbell hasn't been coming out. Which means Hicks or Chandler Jones drops down as pa
rt of a 3 man front or Simmons is the nickel.

That actually makes some sense - but do we lose more with Simmons out of the game or Chandler at DE instead of OLB on 3rd and longs. I guess it all depends on how well Simmons is playing.

 

[Chopper0080]

That actually makes some sense - but do we lose more with Simmons out of the game or Chandler at DE instead of OLB on 3rd and longs. I guess it all depends on how well Simmons is playing.

Jones has actually has a history of success rushing from the DT position while he was in New England so it would not be a totally new role.

 

[BritCard]

That actually makes some sense - but do we lose more with Simmons out of the game or Chandler at DE instead of OLB on 3rd and longs. I guess it all depends on how well Simmons is playing.

Chandler is always a stand up OLB. They don't go to tradition 4 man front in 3 point stance in Nickel.

The OLBs are always stand up OLBs. They just lose a man on the interior.

 

[Proximo]

Chandler is always a stand up OLB. They don't go to tradition 4 man front in 3 point stance in Nickel.

The OLBs are always stand up OLBs. They just lose a man on the interior.

I guess that's true. As long as he is still rushing the edge, Zach Allen being off the field instead of Simmons does seem like the better bet most of the time.

 

[FB94]

I just don’t want to see Chandler Jones dropping in coverage this year. See QB, hit QB. That’s it that’s all.

 

[slanidrac16]

We will see 2-5-4 sets on passing downs with blitzes coming from all over the place.

 

[BritCard]

We will see 2-5-4 sets on passing downs with blitzes coming from all over the place.

I hope so. Vances blitzes were pretty vanilla last year. I miss Todd Bowles. What he is done with the Bucs D is amazing. If we had got Bowles back here instead of Vance I think we could be challengers.