There\u2019s also rookie Shemar Stewart and his holdout ahead of signing his first NFL contract.<\/p>\n
On the Cardinals\u2019 front, seeing key players sit out for reasons other than injury or rest, just doesn\u2019t seem likely given the makeup of the locker room outside of a few long-time vets maybe getting added rest.<\/p>\n
That was very much the case on Wednesday, with elder statesmen Kelvin Beachum, Calais Campbell and Dalvin Tomlinson, plus vets Hjalte Froholdt and Josh Sweat not in attendance.<\/p>\n
The word \u201cvoluntary\u201d is there for a reason.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously voluntary. So, some guys are in and out, but I like where it\u2019s at right now,\u201d head coach Jonathan Gannon said Wednesday. \u201cI will say this, I always ask them \u2014 because it is voluntary \u2014 I ask them just to communicate with me. Our guys have done an excellent job communicating with me, so that\u2019s good to see.\u201d<\/p>\n
There was, however, one notable nonparticipant<\/a> in first-round pick Walter Nolen III. Despite donning a practice uniform, the rookie worked off to the side with veteran offensive lineman Jonah Williams, who is coming off an injury-riddled season, during the open portion of work.<\/p>\n It\u2019s unclear if he\u2019s working through an injury issue or something else and definitely something to watch during this OTAs period.<\/p>\n Life without SMB<\/p>\n Veteran cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting, who made 15 starts in 2024, did not take the field alongside his teammates after being placed on the reserve\/non-football injured list<\/a> with a knee injury.<\/p>\n His season ended before it began.<\/p>\n \u201cHappened in the offseason and had to have surgery to get it fixed,\u201d Gannon said<\/a> Wednesday. \u201cHe won\u2019t be able to play this year. It\u2019s a tough break for him, a tough break for us, but we\u2019ll move forward and so will he.\u201d<\/p>\n Now with Murphy-Bunting on the shelf for the year, the attention turns even more on the young talent making up Arizona\u2019s cornerbacks room, specifically along the outside.<\/p>\n Garrett Williams is a lock to resume his trajectory as the Cardinals\u2019 starting nickel. Outside of him, roles are up for grabs.<\/p>\n Second-year pro Max Melton and rookie Will Johnson, whose selection in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft looks even more impactful, are the top names to watch from now through training camp. There\u2019s a very real world where Johnson finds himself in the starting lineup post-training camp if he can get up to speed and check the appropriate boxes.<\/p>\n Undrafted find Starling Thomas V and 2025 fifth-rounder Denzel Burke are also in the mix.<\/p>\n \u201cFor the young guys, there\u2019ll be some learning on the job,\u201d Gannon said. \u201cYou need reps to learn. I truly believe that and really bad reps to really learn.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s an ongoing process for all our guys, no matter if you play 18 years like (Calais Campbell) to a rookie that\u2019s never played in the NFL before. Everyone\u2019s at different stages in their career, but I feel really good about that room. Feel good about the guys that are coming back and feel really good about the guys that we added.\u201d<\/p>\n Year of the beef<\/p>\n Move over Arby\u2019s, the Cardinals clearly have the beef\/meat in 2025, especially when looking at the second-year transformations from wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.<\/a> and defensive lineman Darius Robinson<\/a>.<\/p>\n Both are looking noticeably bulkier after absolutely getting after it this offseason.<\/p>\n I feel bad for the pad. pic.twitter.com\/sBr1Ytg3wf<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) May 28, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cJust buying into it, realizing like every day I got 24 hours and what am I going to do to make the most out of it,\u201d Robinson said Wednesday. \u201cI feel like I got a lot to prove this year. Like me, Marvin, a bunch of the rookies, a bunch of guys in the building, so we\u2019re just grinding into it.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been a fun offseason, but we got to keep going and just keep building our bodies, getting stronger, getting faster, getting better. So, I\u2019m super excited.\u201d<\/p>\n As for Harrison, \u201cyou should see his hamstrings,\u201d Gannon said.<\/p>\n Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon on the noticeably bulked up Marvin Harrison Jr.:<\/p>\n \u201cYou should see his hamstrings.\u201d \ud83d\ude02 pic.twitter.com\/lwVXAGzc9Q<\/a><\/p>\n
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