Williams possibly will be able to play for the first time since Week 1.
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The Arizona Cardinals announced some roster moves on Monday, none of which was a surprise, but it did reveal a question we all had. After the report two players had tested positive for the coronavirus, one player was known but the other was not.
It is cornerback Byron Murphy.
The Cardinals announced Murphy and linebacker Devon Kennard, who shared via social media he was one who tested positive, were both placed on the COVID-19 reserve while they recover. The move gives them two roster vacancies.
The Cardinals also designated tight end Maxx Williams for return from injured reserve, which allows him to practice. He has been out since after the season opener with an ankle injury. Head coach Kliff Kingsbury is hopeful Williams will be able to play this weekend but he is considered day-to-day for now.
Arizona also announced tight end Evan Baylis, released from the 53-man roster last week, has re-signed to the practice squad.
Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar picks the second-year cornerback because of his important role on the defense in 2020.
The Arizona Cardinals are in the middle of training camp and one position of particular interest is at cornerback due to the injury of starter Robert Alford, who tore his pectoral muscle and is out for the season.
It is for that reason that Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar has named second-year corner as the Cardinals’ player to watch in camp this year, even though fans won’t be able to watch camp this year.
There’s a lot of positivity about the Cardinals in 2020, mostly surrounding second-year quarterback Kyler Murray and new receiver DeAndre Hopkins. But if the Cards are to get themselves out of the NFC West cellar, they’ll have to improve a defense that finished 23rd in Football Outsiders’ opponent-adjusted metrics, and 27th against the pass. It didn’t help that cornerback Robert Alford missed the entire 2019 season with a broken leg, and cornerback Patrick Peterson missed six games with a suspension. That put Byron Murphy, the team’s first-round pick, in the firing line as an outside defender when he was drafted to play inside. With Alford now losing the 2020 season to a torn pectoral muscle, Murphy may have to play outside again.
“Byron was definitely thrown in there last year,” head coach Kliff Kingsbury recently said. “He was expecting to play more of a nickel role for us last year. It’s what he really starred at in college. He was kind of put out on an island, playing corner for most of the season. There’s definitely a comfort level after going through that, having those ups and downs, to playing inside the majority of the time.”
Last season, per Pro Football Focus, Murphy allowed 10 touchdowns in coverage — the most for any cornerback in the NFL. As Arizona’s cornerback depth chart is affected again, it will be on Murphy to figure things out in a big hurry.
Murphy was slated to play exclusively from the slot in 2020, something he was excited about. It is where the Cardinals believe his best play will come. However, depending on the roles of newly signed corners B.W. Webb and Ken Crawley, and whether or not they sign someone like Dre Kirkpatrick, who recently visited the team, Murphy could very well be playing outside.
Murphy, the 33rd overall pick in the draft last year, was No. 5 on the Cardinals’ draft board. They clearly believe he can be very good. However, his rookie season was rough.
He has come into camp with a different level of confidence. It reminds me of the change in Tyrann Mathieu between his rookie year and second season.
Murphy has quickly become one of the team’s most important defensive players of 2020.
Byron Murphy, Jalen Thompson and Deionte Thompson all should be better after playing a lot as rookies.
The Arizona Cardinals played 2019 relying on a three rookie defensive backs for much of the season — cornerback Byron Murphy and safeties Jalen Thompson and Deionte Thompson. The defense will have starting cornerbacks Patrick Peterson and Robert Alford returning to play a full season, but with no new additions made to the defensive secondary in free agency or the draft, these now second-year players will be counted on to be major contributors.
“I’m looking forward to those guys taking huge steps,” defensive coordinator Vane Joseph said in a video conference last week.
He spoke about each of the three players.
Byron Murphy
Michael Chow/The Rep
Joseph noted Murphy played more than any rookie defensive back last season. “That’s going to pay dividends,” he said.
“Last year I thought he got run down a little bit,” he explained. “He played his best ball early and kind of sluffed off late. But I think what he did last year as far as playing that many reps is going to benefit him this year.”
Murphy had 78 tackles, one interception and 10 pass breakups.
A look back at 2019 and what could happen in 2020 at the position.
Things did not go as expected for the Arizona Cardinals at cornerback. They hope things improve without a lot of change in 2020. In our offseason series looking at each position group, this is our focus today.
We will look back at 2019, see who remains on the roster and answer the offseason questions there might be.
2019 review
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Cornerback was supposed to be a position of strength in 2019. They signed Robert Alford to pair him with Patrick Peterson. They signed a capable veteran in Tramaine Brock and drafted Byron Murphy.
Then things went wrong. Peterson was suspended for the first six games. He came back and struggled for two months. Alford broke his leg in training camp and never played. Brock and Murphy were forced into the No. 1 and No. 2 roles and did about as well as they could.
But ultimately, the Cardinals had one of the league’s worst pass defenses — they were terrifically bad.
Peterson played the worst of his career until December and then returned to be what he has normally been. Murphy struggled as a rookie. Brock was eventually released.
Check out the second injury report of the week for the Cardinals.
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The Arizona Cardinals released their second injury report of the week on Thursday and things got a little better. Four players were upgraded in the practice designation, but two new injuries popped up.
Did not practice
OL Justin Pugh (back)
LB Terrell Suggs (back, illness)
Pugh’s back is something to watch. The season before signing with the Cardinals, he had back issues. Suggs has practiced little this season, so he will still likely play.
Limited
S Budda Baker (hamstring)
OL Maon Cole (knee)
OL J.R.Sweezy (illness)
WR Andy Isabella (shoulder)
WR Christian Kirk (ankle)
CB Kevin Peterson (shoulder)
LB Joe Walker (ribs)
TE Maxx Williams (knee)
Baker, Cole and Sweezy were all able to practice some after sitting out Wednesday, which suggests they are progressing toward hopefully playing on Sunday. Williams’ injury is new.
Cornerback Byron Murphy (calf) was a full participant on Thursday after being limited Wednesday. Tight end Darrell Daniels (chest) appeared for the first time on the injury report but he practiced fully.
Tanner Vallejo and others stood out. Terrell Suggs did not.
The Arizona Cardinals lost for the sixth game in a row on Sunday, a 23-17 defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers. They had some solid play from some of their players while others did not produce much.
Who were the studs and duds in the loss on Sunday?
Stud: LB Tanner Vallejo
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Vallejo only played 16 snaps but was very productive. Playing in a new defensive package the team rolled out with three inside linebackers, he had five tackles (one for loss), a sack, a forced fumble and a QB hit.
Newly promoted CB Jalen Davis will not dress for the game, suggesting Murphy and Peterson are good to go against the Steelers.
The Arizona Cardinals are set to take on the Pittsburgh Steelers at home Sunday afternoon. They entered the weekend with questions about the depth at cornerback as both Byron Murphy and Kevin Peterson were listed as questionable.
The team released its list of inactive for Week 14 and both Murphy and Peterson are active.
Here is the list of inactives:
WR KeeSean Johnson
CB Jalen Davis
LB Kylie Fitts
S Deionte Thompson
OL Lamont Gaillard
OL Joshua Miles
TE Dan Arnold
With Davis inactive after getting promoted to the active roster Saturday, it suggests that both Murphy and Peterson will play.
Johnson is inactive for the second straight game, giving Damiere Byrd the second straight game to play. Byrd went without a catch last week against the Rams.
Arnold is a new addition to the team and, being the fourth tight end on the roster, is no surprise to be inactive.
Thompson is a little surprising. It means Jalen Thompson is good to go and that the team would rather have Charles Washington or Chris Banjo fill in if there is an injury.
The Cardinals and Steelers will kick off at 2:25 p.m. Arizona time.
They could be shorthanded in the secondary against the Steelers this weekend.
The Arizona Cardinals released their final injury report of the week on Friday and had two new additions to it that could affect their defense on Sunday. Both Byron Murphy and Kevin Peterson were limited and could leave the Cardinals shorthanded in the secondary.
Nobody was ruled out for the Cardinals but five are listed as questionable.
Questionable
OL Max Garcia (toe)
CB Byron Murphy (calf)
CB Kevin Peterson (shoulder)
OL A.Q. Shipley (illness)
S Jalen Thompson (concussion)
Garcia and Thompson were full participants on Friday so they should be available on Sunday. However, if Thompson didn’t get enough practice reps, fellow rookie Deionte Thompson could get the start at safety.
Shipley should be good to go. Kliff Kingsbury noted a stomach illness has been going around. J.R. Sweezy missed one day of practice but was upgraded each day, finishing the week as a full participant. Shipley missed Thursday and was limited on Friday. If the same trend follows, he should be in the lineup.
Peterson and Murphy’s injuries are new and both were limited Friday. At least one of them will have to be able to play. They only have four cornerbacks on the roster. If one can’t go, Chris Jones will see significant playing time. If the Cardinals end up signing a cornerback Saturday, it will signal that one will not be able to go.
Veteran linebacker Terrell Suggs got the day off of practice Friday. It was the first week in quite some time he did not sit out of multiple days of practice.
The Cardinals will play the Steelers on Sunday at home at 2:25 p.m. local time.
