Cardinals will have joint preseason practices for 2nd straight year

After years of no joint practices, they will hold joint preseason practices for the second year in a row.

The Arizona Cardinals went years without holding joint practices in the preseason with another team. They held two days of joint practices last preseason in 2023 with the Minnesota Vikings under head coach Jonathan Gannon.

Gannon said on Tuesday in Orlando at the NFL’s annual league meeting that the Cardinals would hold joint practice again this year, per Darren Urban.

The details and opponent are not known yet, as preseason opponents and schedules have not been announced and won’t likely be until May.

Last year, it was the final week of the preseason and they used those practices to get starters competitive reps before the rookies and backups played in the preseason finale.

The Cardinals will play two road preseason games this year because they get nine home games.

The Cardinals would not hold joint practice in Arizona. State Farm Stadium is not big enough to hold joint practices inside with two teams with full preseason 90-man rosters, so they would have to practice outside and teams generally do not want to practice in Phoenix’s August summer heat.

So we know the Cardinals will practice against another team. We just don’t know when or against whom.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

 

Cardinals’ Nolan Cooney topped NFL in preseason punting

Cooney averaged 49.2 yards per punt and 47.1 yards net per punt, having seven of 10 punts downed inside the 20.

The Arizona Cardinals went 2-1 in the preseason and one of the surprises with their roster moves was that punter Nolan Cooney won the job over veteran Matt Haack.

He simply won the job with his performance.

The league released preseason statistical leaders and Cooney was No. 1 in net punting average at 47.1.

He punted 10 times in the preseason with a 49.2-yard average and had seven downed inside the 20.

The top net average in the AFC was Indianapolis Colts punter Rigoberto Sanchez, whose net average was 46.2 yards.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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PODCAST: Final 53-man roster projections for Cardinals

Jess Root gives his predictions for the Arizona Cardinals’ final 53-man roster in the latest edition of the podcast.

Final roster cuts are coming Tuesday for the Arizona Cardinals and the rest of the NFL. This edition of the podcast is about predicting the final roster. Who makes the team after training camp and the preseason?

I give my projections and explain why. And while my cohost Seth Cox is not on the show, I share his projections as well.

Listen to the show, tell us where you think we have it wrong. Mock us after the fact, if needed.

Enjoy the show!


Enjoy the show with the embedded player above or by subscribing to the show on Apple PodcastsSpotify or your favorite podcast platform, so you never miss a show. Make sure as well to give it a five-star rating!


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Rookie QB Clayton Tune made more progress in preseason finale

Tune said it was “awesome” getting as much preseason playing time as he did.

Rookie quarterback Clayton Tune got the start for the Arizona Cardinals in their preseason finale on Saturday. He had one really bad play when he did not recognize a blitz coming and he was sacked and lost the ball on a fumble.

The Minnesota Vikings scored a touchdown on the very next play to give them a 14-0 first-quarter lead.

But he bounced back from that. On his next play, he completed a 26-yard pass play to Greg Dortch. They went on to score a field goal on that drive.

“The one strip sack fumble was a big play in the game, and next play out he throws an explosive to Dortch, so I like how he had a quick memory,” he ad coach Jonathan Gannon said postgame. “He responded the right way. I think we scored a field goal on that drive. Thought he took a step forward.”

Tune said after the game it was “awesome” getting the amount of playing time he did in the preseason. He feels like he is a better quarterback than before the preseason.

“I feel like I have learned a lot, grown a lot,” he said. “I just continue to learn each day that goes by.”

Some believe he is in the running for the starting job while Kyler Murray is out. Gannon, though, is not naming starters yet and Tune doesn’t know anything.

“It’s as vague to me (as it is to you),” he said. “My job is to just show up every day and get better and execute and operate the offense.”

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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Defensive snap counts, observations for Cardinals in preseason finale vs. Vikings

Check out how the Cardinals’ 60 defensive snaps were split up against the Vikings.

The Arizona Cardinals beat the Minnesota Vikings 18-17 on Saturday in their preseason finale on the road. They played 60 defensive snaps.

How was the playing time divided up?

The individual snap counts, divided by position group, is below with some takeaways.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

 

Offensive snap counts, observations for Cardinals’ final preseason game

The Cardinals played 76 offensive snaps against the Vikings. Here is how it was divided up.

The Arizona Cardinals wrapped up their preseason schedule on Saturday with an 18-17 win over the Minnesota Vikings.

They played 76 offensive snaps.

How was the playing time divided up?

Below are the individual snap counts for each player who got into the game offensively and some observations.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

Cardinals 18, Vikings 17: Highlights from Arizona’s come-from-behind win

Check out every big play of the come-from-behind win to close out the preseason.

The Arizona Cardinals closed out the preseason with an 18-17 road win over the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday. They fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter but quarterback David Blough led a second-half rally, throwing a touchdown pass and rushing for another.

Corey Clement rushed for 79 yards and Zach McCloud had three sacks in the game.

You can catch every big play in the video below.

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Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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Cardinals studs in preseason finale win over Vikings

These player finished the preseason making a great impression.

The Arizona Cardinals wrapped up the preseason with an 18-17 road win over the Minnesota Vikings. They did not play any of their expected starters, fell behind early and rallied back.

In the last opportunity to impress the Cardinals’ coaches and either earn a spot on the 53-man roster, practice squad or on another team, a few players stood out.

Who were the studs in the win?

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

Cardinals had 3 notable injuries in preseason win over Vikings

O-linemen Jon Gaines and Dennis Daley, both expected to be on the 53-man roster, suffered injuries in the preseason finale.

The Arizona Cardinals finished the preseason with an 18-17 come-from-behind win over the Minnesota Vikings. In the game, they suffered three injuries of note.

Head coach Jonathan Gannon mentioned them after the game in his press conference.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

 

LB Jesse Luketa does it all against Vikings

Luketa was a captain, played defense, played special teams and even lined up at fullback a few times on offense.

The Arizona Cardinals sat their starters in the preseason finale against the Minnesota Vikings, an 18-17 win. That presented a unique opportunity for second-year linebacker Jesse Luketa.

Luketa did it all on Saturday. He was the Cardinals’ captain for the coin toss. He played on defense. He played on special teams.

What was new was playing fullback on offense.

He lined up on several plays at fullback as a lead blocker. He even caught a pass but it was negated by a penalty.

That sort of usage suggests he will make the final roster.

In a postgame interview with team sideline reporter Dani Sureck, he said the opportunity came up this week and he was more than willing to do it. He played some offense in high school.

Will he do it in the regular season if he makes the team? Perhaps in some specialty situations. What is more likely is one of their tight ends would line up as a fullback.

Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.

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