Arizona Cardinals coach on starting the season competitively
Arizona Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon on starting the 2025 season, “There’s a lot of spots open and there’s a lot of competition for those spots.”
After a light first day of training camp, July 24 brought the first practice resembling game speed for the Arizona Cardinals. This was 11-on-11 action, at speed, in front of fans. The pads don’t go on until next week — July 28 is the first day teams are allowed to do so — but training camp takeaways can begin now.
The first intense practice also brought a scary moment. Late in the session, rookie safety Kitan Crawford violently collided with linebacker J.J. Russell on a pass attempt over the middle. Crawford quickly got up, but Russell remained down on the field until a backboard and cart came out to get him. The Cardinals ended practice after Russell was carted off.
According to a team announcement, Russell had movement in all extremities and was alert on the field. He was taken to a local hospital with a head and neck injury.
Russell played 22.3% of defensive snaps for the Buccaneers last season, finishing with 33 combined tackles. He signed a one-year deal with the Cardinals in May.
Here are some other observations:
Marvin Harrison Jr. in action
Harrison looked explosive in his first live reps of camp. He caught one of two targets during 11-on-11 drills and had a nice moment in 7-on-7 action by beating safety Jalen Thompson with a double move on a go route. It was just one reception on the second day of training camp, but Harrison’s burst was encouraging.
Will Johnson gets major opportunities
Johnson, the Cardinals’ second-round pick, worked in with the starting cornerbacks. For the most part, he and Starling Thomas V rotated opposite Max Melton — a potential early indication that Melton could be the leader in a three-man competition for two starting spots.
Thomas made one of the day’s defensive highlights by tracking back for a diving pass breakup on an attempted deep ball to running back James Conner.
Trey Benson working up the depth chart
The first carry of 11-on-11 action did not go to James Conner. It went, instead, to second-year back Trey Benson.
One handoff on the second day of training camp should not spur overreactions. Conner remained on the field for most of the first-team action. And unlike Conner, Benson got some reps with the second team. But it was nonetheless a noticeable difference from training camp last season, when Benson remained mired on the depth chart.
Also of note at running back: Veteran Michael Carter, who spent most of last season on the practice squad, ran with the second team offense.
Early offensive line hierarchy
As expected, the Cardinals’ starting offensive line was, from left to right: Paris Johnson Jr., Evan Brown, Hjalte Froholdt, Isaiah Adams, Jonah Williams.
That group is likely set in stone. The second unit might be more interesting.
On July 24, that group was, from left to right: Kelvin Beachum, Nick Leverett, Jon Gaines II, Royce Newman and Christian Jones.
Hayden Conner, the sixth-round rookie, worked with the third team. Interestingly, his snaps came at center. In college, just 1.7% of his career snaps were at center, with the vast majority being at guard.