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There is probably no positional unit on the Cardinals that has had as much conversation throughout the offseason and training camp as the cornerbacks.
After Patrick Peterson left for the Vikings, that position was one everyone believed the team should be aiming for with their first-round draft pick. At the time, Malcolm Butler was the only somewhat significant addition to the free agent market, and it did so at the relatively low price of $ 3.25 million for a year.
In the draft, the Cardinals selected linebacker Zaven Collins in the first round, wide receiver Rondale Moore in the second, and used their third-round pick to acquire center Rodney Hudson from the Raiders.
It wasn’t until the fourth round that the team completed the position with Marco Wilson of Florida. Fourth-round picks don’t move the needle for the fanbase, but although there was only one game, the cornerback squad looks solid with Byron Murphy Jr., Robert Alford and Wilson the top three after Butler’s sudden retirement in the week of downsizing to 53 players.
According to defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, “Murph is obviously in his third season, he’s grown a lot. I knew Alford could play once he was healthy again. I mean, he’s a veteran player who has played in big games. He took part in the biggest game (Super Bowl) and made big plays in those games. And Marco Wilson; I watched him in the spring and at camp, I knew he could play, but sometimes it’s too big for the kids and it wasn’t. It wasn’t perfect, guys. But he was relaxed and he was playing against good people. And he challenged and again it wasn’t perfect, but he tackled and he challenged. And he’s a pretty smart kid, so that’s a good combination for a young man.
General Manager Steve Keim agreed with Joseph about Wilson: “We traded for him because the grades were so high and we had a lot of confidence in him throughout the review process. And then it kind of continued during the offseason. We got it here. And we were able to work with him in person. And every day, he continued to accumulate good practice days and build confidence in our building.
“And that was one of those offers where, ‘OK, now let’s see what he can do when the lights come on.’ And, and obviously he didn’t disappoint. He was physical, he was fast. He did a great job of covering. He has very good anticipation skills, understands the concepts of zone and man. So , the things he does as a rookie have been extremely exciting and feels again he will just continue to grow through the experience.
Murphy said he felt more comfortable with each passing day.
“I felt more comfortable overall with the defense, my influence on all the key little things, reading those little things this rookie year, I was kind of trying to think everywhere,” he said. he declares.
“I still think I haven’t even looked my best yet. So I just think like every week I come and I continue to be better every day. And knowing how to stay true to myself.
Murphy said that at just two years of being a rookie like Wilson, he was able to help her.
“I told Marco; every game because I was a rookie at some point, I just told him to come and play his game, ”Murphy said. “Don’t think about it too much. Obviously, look at the defense, know the defense, just go in and play your leverage. So I think overall for Marco having a game like this is a big deal. He came in and held on.
Murphy was also more than pleased that Alford was able to be on the pitch after missing two full seasons with injuries.
He said, “Just for my brother to be back with us in our room, missing those games and that kind of energy, we were still praying for him. And just to see him come back, to be mentally right, to come over there to play the game he had played so well. So it’s just good to see him again with the band.
Of course, last week was last week, and the game at the back was helped by the passing rush led by linebacker Chandler Jones.
Against Minnesota on Sunday, there will be another challenge, facing Vikings receivers Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen.
Confidence builds among the cornerbacks and they all expect to come out with every play and excel.
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