{"id":244496,"date":"2025-07-29T04:53:14","date_gmt":"2025-07-29T04:53:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/244496\/"},"modified":"2025-07-29T04:53:14","modified_gmt":"2025-07-29T04:53:14","slug":"defense-sets-tone-as-pads-come-on","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/244496\/","title":{"rendered":"Defense sets tone as pads come on"},"content":{"rendered":"

GLENDALE \u2014 Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.<\/a> appeared to have set the tone early on during the first day of padded training camp practices on Monday.<\/p>\n

Lining up against rookie cornerback Denzel Burke for the first 1-on-1 rep of the afternoon, Harrison fought through coverage before making a one-handed snag look easy for the win.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s one hell of a way to start 1-on-1 work. \ud83d\udc40<\/p>\n

Cardinals WR Marvin Harrison Jr. with the one-handed snag against CB Denzel Burke. pic.twitter.com\/TPSFPSGFZC<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) July 28, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

If you were in attendance and didn\u2019t have a reaction to the catch in real time, there might be something wrong with you.<\/p>\n

But for as impressive as the rep was, that marked the biggest highlight of the afternoon for the offense.<\/p>\n

Because outside of that and a few other chunk catches, it was all about Arizona\u2019s defense.<\/p>\n

Just like Harrison bringing the juice right out the gates, MIKE backer Mack Wilson Sr. said \u201chold my drink\u201d with Arizona\u2019s first interception of camp during early 11-on-11 work.<\/p>\n

His punt of the football out of the field of play said all you needed to know about the intensity he and the rest of the unit were bringing during Day 5 of training camp.<\/p>\n

Kyler Murray throws the first pick of #AZCardinals<\/a> camp from any QB. Mack Wilson on the end of it. pic.twitter.com\/2C87eSzTpW<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Donnie Druin (@DonnieDruin) July 28, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cWe haven\u2019t had a bad day until today. \u2026 Obviously, a lot of additions to our defense, which is very nice,\u201d quarterback Kyler Murray said Monday. \u201cTrenches got an upgrade. We\u2019ve been feeling that for sure. Pads came on today and we definitely felt the D-line. I think that\u2019ll be good for us during the season.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday felt like one of those days where just nothing could go right and even when it went right, it just felt bad. But that\u2019s part of the game. That\u2019s part of practice. We\u2019re making them better, they\u2019re making us better. At the end of the day, when September comes, we both got to be rolling, we both got to be clicking.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wilson may have set the tone defensively, but it was the defensive line\u2019s work in the trenches on Monday that disrupted the offense.<\/p>\n

Among the biggest standouts were Dalvin Tomlinson and Calais Campbell, two veterans poised to start in 2025.<\/p>\n

Darius Robinson continues to make the most of first-team reps, too, a great sign for a unit that is down first-round pick Walter Nolen III.<\/p>\n

What stood out about the Cardinals defense\u2019s productive Monday in pads?<\/p>\n

\u201cThe competition,\u201d says CB Garrett Williams. pic.twitter.com\/74ZILB0Z7k<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) July 29, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cCompetition. I think really just the competition,\u201d cornerback Garrett Williams said when asked what stood out the most about the defense\u2019s productive afternoon.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust seeing that guys are ready to play ball. Preseason, it\u2019s coming up, you know what I\u2019m saying? So, it\u2019s good to get in the pads and just keep getting to it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Speaking of Williams, the cornerback continues to get run on the outside with the first-team base defense. Max Melton was the first one in on the other side, rotating in with rookie Will Johnson.<\/p>\n

Williams already has a defined role as Arizona\u2019s nickel cornerback, but with season-ending injuries to both Sean Murphy-Bunting and Starling Thomas V, his versatility will be counted on even more on the outside<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I was going to be playing (outside) corner a little bit regardless of (the injuries). But obviously when somebody goes down you never know how it gets shuffled around,\u201d Williams said. \u201cI\u2019m just looking forward to just getting more reps there and at nickel and just playing ball.<\/p>\n

\u201cI (played on the outside) all of college. Really, it was nickel and safety that was hard to learn coming here because I never played it,\u201d he added. \u201cIt\u2019s kinda like riding a bike. You just got to keep getting more reps, keep getting comfortable, but I feel good about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The first of many Cardinals battles for Marvin Harrison Jr., Will Johnson<\/p>\n

Harrison and Johnson, two names high up Cardinals fans\u2019 expectations list for 2025, haven\u2019t had much work against each other through the first few days of camp.<\/p>\n

That changed on Monday, though, with the duo lining up against each other a handful of times.<\/p>\n

(Inserts iron-sharpens-iron phrase here.)<\/p>\n

Marvin Harrison Jr. vs. Will Johnson during Day 5 of Cardinals training camp.<\/p>\n

This is gonna be a fun battle to watch moving forward. pic.twitter.com\/7ze2pM50I1<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) July 28, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

For the most part, it was very much a back-and-forth battle between the two. Harrison did, however, freeze Johnson on the line of scrimmage during red zone work before finding the end zone.<\/p>\n

Quick hits<\/p>\n

\u2013 It was an especially tough afternoon for rookie offensive lineman Hayden Conner.<\/p>\n

Getting more work with the second-team offense, Conner had a trio of bad snaps.<\/p>\n

While Jon Gaines II and Evan Brown figure to be the most likely backup center options, head coach Jonathan Gannon wanted to work Conner in across the entirety of the interior offensive line.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe wanted to get him comfortable playing there, but then you\u2019ll see him kicking out to guard, too,\u201d Gannon said Sunday.<\/p>\n

\u2013 It was announced Monday that former offensive lineman A.Q. Shipley is replacing Ron Wolfley as the Cardinals\u2019 radio color analyst alongside Dave Pasch.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s going to do a great job,\u201d owner Michael Bidwill told Arizona Sports\u2019 Wolf & Luke on Monday. \u201cHe knows the game so well. A.Q. is so smart and I think he\u2019s going to do a great job translating the game and filling the big cleats of Ron Wolfley.\u201d<\/p>\n

Follow @Tdrake4sports<\/a><\/p>\n

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