Preseason finale preview, 53-man roster projections for Cardinals

With the Cardinals playing their preseason finale against the Las Vegas Raiders, Seth and Jess talk about the plan for not playing their starters. They also speculate about their injured players and who might land on injured reserve or the PUP reserve. They go over potential trades and give their 53-man roster projections. 

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Zo.

Speaker 2 (00:02):
Yes, this is the Rise Up Sea Red podcast, all
about the Arizona Cardinals and the NFL, featuring insider and
outsider perspectives. Enjoy the best hour of Cardinals Talk on

(00:23):
the Web. Now Here are your hosts, Jess Root.

Speaker 3 (00:25):
And Seth Cox, Hellowers and a Cardinals fans and welcome
to the latest edition of the Rise Up Seared podcast.
The Best are Cardinals Talk on the Web. I'm your
host Jessroot from cardswire dot com, the USA Today NFL
wiresite covering Arizona Cardinals, and it is our second show
of the week. It is episode six hundred and eighty nine.

(00:48):
It is our final show before roster cutdowns. I'm with
my co host Seth Cox from Revenge of the Birds
dot com SPI Nations Arizona Cardinals site, and we're just
a couple of gay days and recording Thursday night. We're
two days away from the Cardinals final preseason game and
a little less than five days away from quote unquote

(01:10):
final cuts, because the final cuts means that there's more
cuts after that and all that stuff waivers and trades
and blah blah blah blah blah. But it's finally here. Seth,
we're finally we're finally at all the projections that we've
got their decisions to be made, and those are coming
in the next few days.

Speaker 1 (01:28):
Yeah, And I mean there's not gonna I don't I
just don't see a lot of surprises, right Like, this
is a pretty top heavy roster. Uh, you know, they're
still in the process of creating competitive depth as we
saw last last game. And right now it's we know

(01:51):
who they are, we know what they have and and
we're just getting ready for you know, the regular season
and see kind of potentially back end of the thing.

Speaker 3 (02:05):
And there's gonna be lots of decisions to be made.
But what we're gonna start with that we've basically had
four parts to this show today that would be talking
about what are we watching this preseason Finelle, there are
some injury decisions with IR and the pup list. We'll
get into that, possible trades, who might be guys the

(02:27):
Cardinals send away, and then who not necessarily individual players,
but positions that they might use in the trade market. Lastly,
we'll give us each give our fifty three man roster
projections based on what we know entering the final preseason
gave us to start with this preseason game this weekend

(02:49):
against the Las Vegas Raider Saturday nights, and Jonathan Gannon revealed,
as we expected that it'll be kind of this similar
is what he said in game plan for this Saturday
as was last weekend, which means we won't see starters.

(03:11):
And I would say, since he didn't say the same
plan he said similar, I'm guessing that we won't even
see Jacoby Prissett. We won't see John Gaines, we won't
see Will Johnson, we won't see a King Davis gather
that it will be one hundred percent back of the

(03:31):
roster slash, just get us through the guy's battling for
the final roster spots, special teams guys and the guys that.

Speaker 4 (03:40):
Won't be playing football ultimately, right right, So, you know,
it's one of those things where people get uppity and
they get upset and oh, I can't believe this or
that are they It was like, guys, it's it's was
never gonna be a you know, a big game, right
like this is yes.

Speaker 1 (04:01):
This is how the preseason works, and you know you
can go back and forth and the reality is going
to be they'll have to answer for it if they have,
you know, if they start slowly. I did see some
interesting things to like people are like, well, you know,
they went they had a bad record against winning teams

(04:25):
and didn't score many points. I'm like, so playing against
the Las Vegas Raiders second team is going to make
the difference in that. Like, I'm not trying to be rude,
but like.

Speaker 3 (04:36):
Exactly, And we know what the Cardinals were last year.
They were a perfectly mediocre team because who did they
lose to. Eight of their nine wins, eight of their
nine losses came to teams who won ten or more games.
The only bad loss, really, the only bad loss was Carolina.
They beat the teams they should have and they lost

(04:59):
to teams they weren't supposed to beat, beat LOWERD by
and large last season. And so yeah, I don't I
don't buy especially then here's a here's the thing. Here's
the other thing. The final preseason game is fifteen days
before the regular season opener. Even if you play the starters,

(05:21):
you're gonna be like, if rust is a thing, rust
is gonna be a thing anyway, right.

Speaker 1 (05:27):
Right, That's kind of yeah, That's kind of where I
was at with this, So I just you know, it's interesting.
I I've never cared, especially because like I feel like
there's it's just too much picking and choosing how how
you go about it, right, like, oh, oh you've got

(05:50):
to have you know, this guy play, but don't play
this guy or like it's like no, I'm of the
opinion like it's either everybody goes or nobody goes, right
like and and so for me, if nobody goes, then
nobody goes, like there's I don't have an issue with that.

Speaker 3 (06:08):
Yeah, and that makes perfect sense. But heading into this
game betting in this game, who are the players that
you are are watching in particular both offense and defense.
I think we're going to this is gonna be one
of those games where it is heavy on the Michael
Carter and Bam Knight. And my guess is gonna be

(06:32):
Michael Carter's going to look good, uh, provided that the
offensive line is on par with the back end of
the roster defensive line of the Raiders.

Speaker 1 (06:45):
Yeah, and you know it would be one of those
games where people after spoiler alert, Michael Carter gets cut
and brought back to the practice squad. I'm like, I
can't believe he got cut, Like what is going on?

Speaker 3 (06:58):
It's like playing in the third preseason game.

Speaker 1 (07:01):
That's why, right, Well, and guys like like we talked
about last year, like if he had legitimate NFL Like
I don't say value because he has value obviously, but like,
if he had like legitimate NFL talent, don't you think
a team would have claimed him at some point last year?

Speaker 3 (07:22):
He's he's a he's a talented player. But when it
comes to like he's kind of a guy that that
you see all over the NFL. Now you give him
a chance, he's gonna he's gonna produce. But like on
this Cardinals roster, he he the Cardinals running back room
is well put together. He's definitely not the starter. So
he's not as good as James Connor. He's not a

(07:44):
good he doesn't have the upside as a backup running
back that Trey Benson gives you. He's not as good
a third down back as Amri de Mercado and doesn't
play special teams or return kicks the way de Mercado
or DJ Dallas. And when you aren't better in any
of the roles, how can you have a role on

(08:04):
the team? Because those are the roles you can have
as a running back. That said, I'm excited to watch him.
I'm excited to see how he does because he is
an extremely exciting runner to see when it gets in
the open field.

Speaker 1 (08:18):
Yeah, and he's a like you said, he's a good player.
So it's not like he's a bad player by any means.
It's just, you know the way it comes about. He
just doesn't fit into things sands and injury.

Speaker 3 (08:32):
Yeah, Isaiah Weaver, Xavier Weather. I always makes think to
say the name. So Xavier Weaver is a guy I'm watching.
I'm wondering if Semi Fajoko even plays after getting that
work in or if he will be one of those
guys that is considered one of the key backups and
won't play. Yeah, that's what I Xavier Weavers got stuff

(08:55):
to prove.

Speaker 1 (08:55):
Yeah, I don't think we see him. I think I
think Weaver is gonna get some ron obviously, Tewan Palmer, h.

Speaker 3 (09:04):
Bryce ANDRELLI he'll be out there.

Speaker 1 (09:07):
Andre Bachelli like, uh, you know, the Nate McCollum. Those
guys will be out there. Yep.

Speaker 3 (09:15):
I'm interested in the play of Josh Fryer.

Speaker 1 (09:21):
Yeah, because of the injuries, right, like with with Christian
Jones down, do they keep a second tackle now like
a second tackle only? Or are they more interested in
and you know, some versatility until until Jones can either
come back or they go get a veteran. I'm really

(09:41):
interested in the inside linebacker rotation like Owen Popo.

Speaker 3 (09:46):
Mike Walker, Cody Simon.

Speaker 1 (09:48):
Right, how does it look? I mean no offense to
V Jones or J J Russell. Don't care, but like
you know those three and and like what's going on?

Speaker 3 (09:57):
So I've got a question. As far as I know,
did JJ Russell get cleared from concussion protocol? I don't.

Speaker 1 (10:09):
I don't know he's I don't see the red on
his name, so like I don't see him in the red.

Speaker 3 (10:15):
I think he did, as I remember because I remember
winning camp, he had the no contact jersey, so he
was a step from being cleared. Maybe maybe Russell, because
Russell didn't even play last week, so maybe he's got
a spot on the roster already. And so so maybe

(10:36):
it's coming down to one spot because we know Mac,
we know uh Davis Gaither, we know if if that's
in fact JJ Russell, then you've got one guy. Oh,
in fact, maybe none of those guys, because you've got
Cody Simon and they kept full that Everyone says they
kept three inside linebackers or anything, they really kept four.

(10:58):
Say they had fifty three inside linebackers on the initial
fifty three, but that was because they carried Elijah Jones
for an extra day so he could go on injured
reserve and be eligible to return, and the very next
day they re signed Chris Barnes, and so they had
they had four inside linebackers on the roster the entire
time in the previous year. I think they had five

(11:22):
in twenty twenty three when they had Zeke Turner on
the roster as well, But I could be maybe that
was twenty twenty two because they've kept five before. Four
seems to be the right amount. But if if J. J.
Russell's already there, then then there's gonna be no Mike
Walker and there's gonna be no Owen Papo because King

(11:43):
Davis Gaither is the reason why he was out there,
I think is to quote unquote compete for the starting
job next to Mack Wilson. I think, or maybe Russell
has never been officially cleared. I don't know, or he
just hasn't been playing. I'm not sure that's the interesting
one because he's been completely off my radar.

Speaker 1 (12:03):
Yeah exactly, And it's hard. It's always hard to tell
with with when situations like that are are rising too, right.

Speaker 3 (12:10):
Yeah, the the other guys to watch, of course, Like
there's there's guys to watch. On the defensive line. PJ
Mustifer has been has been a guy that's been getting
some buzz. And when when a guy gets buzz, that's
because there's four reason. There's four reason. So PJ. Mustifer
and Elijah Simmons on the defensive line I think are

(12:31):
guys to watch. And then on the back end, the
potential battle between Joey Blunt and Keaton Crawford for whoever,
like do if they keep five safeties? Can they keep
five safeties? Or which one of those guys is going
to make the roster?

Speaker 1 (12:51):
Yeah exactly, And like how do you go about it?
Because that's what people don't understand right about you know,
when you're figuring these things out or you know, breaking
them down, it's like there there does become a numbers
crunch with guys like Elijah Simmons, PJ Muster for Kitan Crawford,
Joey Blunt, like, uh you even mentioned it with JJ
Russell and and potentially Papo and Mike Walker, right, like

(13:14):
there becomes this and I don't want to say like
Cody Simon's a lock to make the fifty three, but
like Cody Simon feels like a lock to make the
fifty three, right, So, like you have a Ken, you
have Mac, you have Cody Simon. So if they keep four,
to your point, like it's like, okay, who's number four?
If they are kidning keep five, that's still a question, right,

(13:37):
Like who's five? Then like who are four and five?
We don't know? And so so that's that's the interesting
thing about how they do this. But then also you
have to look at certain things too, right b Jojo
Lauri uh Blal Nichols, Walter Nolan, all three players that
would you know be on the on the roster starting
on pop. So then you go to, okay, who makes

(14:03):
the initial roster until those guys can go, right, something
we'll talk about obviously, But you know you mentioned the linebackers,
but like what about the edd rushers, Like are we
going to see Jordan Burchin, Xavier Thomas because I feel
like they're as lockey locks for the initial fifty three. Well,
Birch is a lock, but like I feel like Thomas

(14:25):
at this point is a lock in the sense of
Ojelari's on the pup, so he won't be ready, and
you still want to have five guys that can come
off the edge. So like, do we see those guys
or is it just straight Elliott Brown and Benton Whitley
getting getting you know, seventy snaps in the game.

Speaker 3 (14:48):
So that's that's my guess, is that to have depth
that they will have Birch, Thomas, Whitley and Brown all playing.

Speaker 1 (14:58):
I'm guessing, and so you know, and then you look
at it too, right, like today Jag came out talking
about ke Trell Clark, how well he's done, blah blah blah.
Does it mean anything? I mean, that's always a question, right,
I'm gonna.

Speaker 3 (15:14):
Say, is we got to go back to that When
he was drafted in twenty twenty three, te Trell is
like Gannon's kid. They you know, he's a Louisville kid.
He really impressed him early on. And so like coaches
have their guys, right, they always have their guys like
Key Trell just might be that which gives him a
slight edge over say, like as cornerback five four slash

(15:42):
five there on the roster with with Denzel Burke, who
we have to figure is probably favored to make the
roster that that Clark's gonna get the nod over a
Darren Hall or over a an Elijah Jones like that.

Speaker 1 (15:58):
Right, And Elijah's gonna be one of those watch because
he just like he was in the late last week, right,
Like he's in late you know, and people are going
to be like, well you played, well, well yeah again
he did, You're right, so we'll see.

Speaker 3 (16:13):
Yeah yeah. So with that, any other player in particular
that you're watching for, like this is we understand Cardinals fans,
if you're listening, we understand for those of you who
are watching preseason game three, you.

Speaker 5 (16:26):
Are the the die hardest of the die hard because
or you just you don't You either are dialed into
the very back end of the fifty three man roster
or you just don't care and like watching the Cardinals play.

Speaker 3 (16:43):
So you're fall into one of two categories. So if
you are dialed in, well good luck. This will be
a game to watch. Just remember keep the keep perspective.
None of honestly, none of these roster decisions that come
to the back of the roster honestly will impact wins

(17:05):
and losses for the season. It's by and large they
won't impact the wins and losses. It might be more
about the future of the team because these are guys
that largely won't see the field.

Speaker 1 (17:22):
Right And and more than that is these are guys
that are.

Speaker 3 (17:27):
These are guys stars of the UFL next spring.

Speaker 1 (17:30):
That and they're playing selfishly. They're gonna be playing for themselves, right,
like like they got something to prove, they need a
game film, They're gonna they're gonna freelance a little more
than they probably should. They're gonna do things outside of
because they know I mean, and I'm not trying to
be mean, right, but like you know, a guy like

(17:50):
Steven Gilmour, he knows right, like he's like, I'm not
making I'm not making this roster. So like you know,
if I'm if I'm tracking something, if I'm seeing something
and I'll and I want to take a shot on it,
I'm going to do that tonight. Like that's that's how
that works. And so you can get some really big
plays are really positive plays and really negative plays, and

(18:14):
that's that's where it becomes an interesting conundrum.

Speaker 3 (18:20):
I'm gonna next on the Risis Hered podcast Bestar Cardinals
Talk on the Web we took we go on to
discuss the intricacies of roster building with injuries I AR
and more. That's coming on next on receups Red, We're
back on the Rise of Here podcast the The Star Cardinals
Talk of the Web. The other part of the factors
and that we alluded to building that final fifty three
man roster are the reserve lists, one being injured reserve

(18:44):
and one being POP the physically unable to perform. I
wrote an article on cards Wire on Monday detailing kind
of the the ins and outs of that, and this, honestly,
it affects the Cardinals quite a bit because they right
now have four players on PUP, which is a which
is a unique reserve. These are for guys who had

(19:06):
injuries that pre dated training camp, and the only guys
who can be on on PUP are guys who never
passed their their pining their training camp physical. Without that,
they start on that list, and if they do not
come off that list, they were placed, and they bypassed
the final fifty three and go on the reserve, the

(19:29):
PUP reserve where they can be They'll be out for
at least four games and then can be brought back
at any time during the rest of the season. The
what I wrote said that there was a five week
window after Week four that the Cardinal that the teams
had to make a decision. Howard ballser double check that
for me. Now, while I saw that on many publications,

(19:50):
as I did, try to fact check that there is
no limitation. So if you start the season on PUP,
and again, the only players who can be on the
regular season PUP are the ones wh who were never
physically cleared for training camp. And so it is a
unique reserve and there is no limit to the guys
that you can have on there because it is narrow

(20:11):
in scope to begin with. So the Cardinals right now
four guys. They started with rookie first round pick Walter Nolan,
veteran Balall Nichols, and outside linebacker b jo Jelai Nolan,
who suffered a calf injury training a few days before camp.
Balall Nichols, who got hurt in week six, injured his

(20:31):
neck has not recovered yet. Mbjo Jelai, who Jonathan Gannon
says his rehab is going on track, is going fine,
but is more than a calendar year past his ACL
tear and surgery and still has not been cleared to practice.
And then they added when they signed Will Hernandez who

(20:52):
who was medically cleared for football activities but hasn't. He's
not up to snuff yet, he begins, he is currently
on pup. And while some people say, well, that's well,
it was after training camp started, forget this, he wasn't signed,
so that doesn't apply. So he never was. He never
passed a physical. He never passed a physical for training camp,

(21:13):
so he can start there. Of those four guys, if
you had to pick, how many of them do you
think are going to come off and be put on
the fifty three.

Speaker 1 (21:26):
Zero you mean you mean right like the initial fifty three.

Speaker 3 (21:33):
Yes, because they'd have to they'd have to act occup
so they're going to be activated so they can be
on the fifty three. I saw where the Buccaneers are
doing that with Chris Godwin, even though he's not going
to be ready to play, they want him to be
able to practice. I guess and so they don't want
they don't want him to miss four games and then
have to ramp up, and so they're going to take

(21:55):
him off pup and put him on the fifty three.
Do you think the So you you don't think the
car is I gonna do that with any of those
four guys.

Speaker 1 (22:01):
Nope, I don't think any of them.

Speaker 3 (22:03):
And that's my belief too. I think if there is,
I think of the four, I think the one that
has the most the highest likelihood of coming off and
being activated before roster cuts, I think it's a Jalai.

Speaker 1 (22:19):
I would and by the way, I would agree with.

Speaker 3 (22:21):
That, as will Hernandez. I think that they signed him
to become a future roster problem so that they so
they've got depth later on. So I think that was
always the plan. The lall Nichols, I've already said, I
think he's done with football. That that that is not

(22:42):
trying to think. I think with he had a neck injury.
I remember he had a neck injury in Week six,
and a neck injury that you're coming back from. He
should have been back long ago already, and the fact
that he's not cleared that tells me that that his
football career is in jeopardy. I think. I think that's

(23:04):
the case that his football career continuing is in jeopardy.
And well, why is he on the roster still, Well,
that's simple money. That's that's being smart with your money.
If you recall like when Earl Thomas broke his leg
or his ankle or whatever would happened against the Cardinals
and he wasn't going to play for the end, if
he never played again for the Seahawks, it would have

(23:25):
been foolish for him financially to quote unquote retire. And
if Balall Nichols can't play, sure, he could retire, but
the Cardinals owe him nearly six million dollars in guaranteed salary.
So why in the world would you do that even
if you can't play, Well, you just rehab and you

(23:47):
let your contract play out and then the Cardinals will
cut him next year when they have no guarantees left
on the deal. So I personally think, and because no
one's mentioned him at all, like the writing on the
wall says, but Laon Nichols is probably done with football,
Nolan because he's a rookie not getting to do any

(24:09):
training camp, I think, especially after the the Darius Robinson.
I think it's I think they're gonna need to give
him that the four weeks to do the stuff on
the side and then ramp up after that. I don't know.
I don't know. I just I just when he got
hurt and Ian Rappaport said it was gonna come up

(24:29):
against the season, like there's no way, he's no, he's
gonna glance to begin the season on pup. And so
I think is the one maybe possibility, and only because
only because I think if they can get him healthy enough,
there might be a little bit of trade value for him. Because,

(24:50):
like we've talked about before, I think the Cardinals have
their outside linebacker room has basically moved on from Ojali.

Speaker 1 (24:58):
Yeah, and that's kind of how I'm looking too, Like
they have to prepare for life after BJ and go
from that perspective, and and so like where do you
start and then if you and if BJ can't come back,
or does you know, show back up and can make
any kind of impact. It's just a bonus at that point,
right it is.

Speaker 3 (25:17):
It is one and you know, injuries down the stretch,
you never know. So if someone gets hurts in the
first three games, Let's be honest, Baron Browning has had
injury issues in his career right, he hasn't been the
super durable guy. Having BJ come back after a month
wouldn't be a bad thing. Now. The other thing is

(25:37):
the injured reserve because traditionally, up until last year, if
a player landed on injured reserve before being on the
fifty three man roster, season done. And so you had
to carry a player at least a day, and so
you had you had to cut a guy that you
wanted on the fifty three to carry this guy on IR,

(25:58):
then put him on IO. Then hopefully the guy that
you wanted on the roster clears waivers and you can
resign it. The league allowed beginning last year and that
continues this year that you may designate, so you can
take two players, put them on IR, designate them to
return and bypass the fifty three and they never have to.

(26:21):
And last last offseason they did that for Darius Robinson
and for Christian Jones, and because they had those two,
they knew they wanted to come back. And then the
third guy, Elijah Jones, who ended up on an IR,
they carried for a day. As I previous rely mentioned,
so three guys right now to watch for that Justin

(26:43):
Jones who's missed the preseason with a knee injury after
he missed fourteen games with the torn triceps. Also Christian
Jones again knee injury. Jonathan Gannon said when miss quote
unquote some time, which means multiple weeks. And then rookie
guard center Hayden Connor, who injured his knee on play
three last weekend, also going to miss quote unquote sometime

(27:09):
barring since those are the real only injuries given the
three of them, do you do you think any of
them will be Do you think any of those guys
are gonna be ir designated to return? And h do
you think any of them do you think any and
all three would be on the roster healthy?

Speaker 1 (27:31):
First of all, uh Man, you know, I did my
overall like fifty three, and I really did struggle with
the offensive line, so I could definitely, well, I think
Jones would be. I think they still like Jones. I

(27:52):
think they're still like I think they had a two
year plan obviously with Jonah and hoping that Jones develops,
you know, and we'll see how it goes from there.
Connor was a different story, right, like whose spot would
he have taken? And I know people are gonna when
we talk about one of the guys online and maybe

(28:14):
on yours, people are gonna be like, really that guy,
But you know there are First off, there's only eight
active on game day, so we have to remember that.
So positional flexibility matters, right, like being able to do
multiple things, you know. And so I think, I truly

(28:39):
do think that both Connor and Jones would have made
the roster, But I also think, well, I shouldn't say that.
I think, barring a significant injury in the next two weeks,

(29:00):
they both will be the i R designates to return.
But if one isn't, it would be Connor. I could
see them just giving him a red shirt. You're all up.

Speaker 3 (29:10):
Elijah Jones, right, Although with Jones they did designate him
to return later on they but he just never like
his They did the three week practice window and never
activated him for whatever reason, whether it was simply because
they didn't have a roster spot, or he wasn't fully healthy,
whatever that was. But yeah, I think if everyone were healthy,

(29:37):
I think all three, Justin Jones, Christian Jones, and Hayden
Connor would be on the roster that like, I think
they would Keepe carry both linemen as the just the
back end that they're gonna they're gonna keep in active
because they like them well enough for moving forward. The

(29:59):
top was they really liked how Connor looked that you know,
things could change, Things can change. I wondered with the
way that Connor got hurt both of them, that those
could be long term injuries, and so maybe maybe that's
the case. And justin Jones, I'd like to think is
doesn't need to go on ir even at all, that

(30:21):
he'll be able to contribute in week one. And the
thing is is if he is put on the roster
and he might miss a game, that will potentially mean
that they're going to keep a seventh defensive lineman, right,
don't you think? Yeah?

Speaker 1 (30:41):
And you know that's the hard part with Jones. I'm
kind of confused almost gone on with Jones, and it's
it's changing, I don't say changing, but it's it's making
getting that that number to the right number. And so
I as we'll talk about, I only ended up with
six defensive I'm right now because I do have Jones

(31:02):
on there, because I just like, I don't know what's
going on.

Speaker 3 (31:05):
And so you're assuming he'll be able to play in
week one. Yeah, Yeah, that's kind that's my sort of take.
And so this is going to be interesting year. In
the fact, if in fact, if in fact they have
four guys start the year and pup and two on
injurers are designated to return, that you will have a

(31:27):
lot of down the road roster decisions, like they're just pushing,
like you know how we kick the can with the
salary cap with these guys, they're kicking the can with
the roster decision because they don't have to yet and
you never know what the roster is going to look
like later on in the season, and so and so yeah,
that's that's how that ends up going. And it'll be
in that that'll be one of the more intriguing things

(31:47):
because the one thing we don't when it comes to
the injuries, we're just guessing. We're just guessing.

Speaker 1 (31:54):
Yeah, And that's the problem is, like when there's no
clarity on that type of stuff, it's hard to have
any idea, as you said, what's actually happening.

Speaker 3 (32:03):
Yeah, And and the other factor is, so if Connor
and Jones had suffered season ending injuries, they probably would
have already ird them so that they could get a
couple of bodies in the building to potentially finish the
preseason game. And that was I think what was one

(32:24):
hundred percent the reason for Donovan West signing was to
make sure that they had an emergency center because I'm
guessing I'm guessing Sincere Hainsworth is going to play the
entire game at center on Saturday, and that even Engyen
John Gains will play and with Sincere, and since they

(32:45):
don't have any other other real centers that they would
play that Donovan West, the Arizona State kid that they
just signed this week, would be the he won't get
in the game unless someone gets hurt.

Speaker 1 (32:59):
I would agree with that. I mean, I don't see
anyway barring, like you said, an injury, that some of
these guys are going to get any action. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (33:09):
Then so with that coming on next on the Rise
of Hered Podcasts, are Cardinals talk on the web? The
other thing before we talk about roster projections are potential trades.
Are there players on the roster that might have trade
value elsewhere that could allow the Cardinals to go a
different direction roster wise? And what positions might the Cardinals

(33:30):
target with potential trade back that's coming next and Rice
ups read we're back on the rise of hered podcasts.
Are Cardinals talk on the web is now? We look
at the possible trades every year as roster cuts approach,
we get deals, and starting yesterday, so starting Wednesday became
the beginning of the wheeling and dealings, as the forty

(33:53):
nine Ers traded for a receiver, the Vikings traded a
defensive lineman, a bunch of things, and so you're getting
these really small deals happening because we are reaching the
point where teams know who they're going to and who's
not going to make the roster, but have a little

(34:14):
value and so if another team wants them, they can
they can avoid getting nothing for them, and for the
receiving team, they can fill a need without having to
risk waivers. Because especially if you're a team that's not
the worst team, like you're not the you're not the
Titans or teams like that, you don't know if you're

(34:36):
gonna get your waiver claims. You don't know that, and
so you kind of have to play that by here.
So let's talk potential trades. But first let's look at positions.
I don't want to talk necessarily players because that's that's
diving too deep. But if the Cardinals are going to
trade for a position before roster cuts or right roster cuts, which,

(35:00):
by the way, a reminder, roster cut down trades not
new for Monte Austin Ford, who has done four of
them in the last two seasons. In the last two years,
one was the trade to acquire Josh Dobbs, one was
to send away Josh Jones, one was to send away
Isaiah Simmons in the last offseason when they traded Cam

(35:21):
Thomas to the Chiefs. And so this is nothing new
for the Cardinals. And so if you're looking at positions,
where do you think the Cardinals could address and add players?

Speaker 1 (35:37):
You know, you look at where the question marks lie,
and I think it's fair to like jump to three
positions wide receiver, inside linebacker, and corner right and to
those positions are questions, you know, Like you look at

(35:57):
the cornerback room and there's just no veteran presence, right,
Like I mean Max or Garrett Williams is your veteran
and like that's not shot at Garrett Williams, but like
thirty year, you know that that's your that's your veteran
the the linebacker position, just because as much as we've
said it, it doesn't matter if you're concerned about the

(36:21):
play in the preseason, it does matter, right like you
and I aren't concerned necessarily, but based on the play,
if if they did make a trade, then it would
also signified that we're a little concerned about what's happening. Right,
And then the wide receiver is kind of like corner.
I know Zay Jones is in that mix, but I
mean Greg Dortch is kind of you know, Jay Jones

(36:44):
and Greg dorts being your veteran presence. It makes it
really tough when you when you look at it through
that lens. But you know, that's all just nitpicking because
I I don't think that. I mean, if there's a
if there's an upgrade at wide receiver, if there's a
you know, if there's a legitimate like corner, veteran corner,

(37:10):
then yeah, obviously make a trade. But those guys don't
grow on trees and they don't get traded.

Speaker 3 (37:17):
So like a guy that came up that I don't
know if this is like a real report, but the
name Alec Pierce, receiver of the Colts. That would be
an interesting trade because I think he.

Speaker 1 (37:35):
He offer them something different.

Speaker 3 (37:37):
Yes, and and he he's productive, but he's also not
going to change the He's not going to command more
than he should right in terms of his target share.

Speaker 1 (37:55):
Yeah, and and so he would give them a deep threat,
you know, a guy that brings a different look, but
he also isn't going to be a guy that's going
to disrupt the passing game, right. If anything he adds
to it, he does, like you said, doesn't command more
of it.

Speaker 3 (38:12):
But I'd kind of say thing, if I have had
to pick one position, I think it'd be cornerback. I
think it would be cornerback where they add, yeah, somebody,
just somebody out a little bit, and it wouldn't be
like old veteran No, but maybe like a fourth or
a fifty year guy that's on a one year deal.

Speaker 1 (38:33):
Right exactly, Like, oh man, I can't believe they got
a guy that's signed a second contract.

Speaker 3 (38:40):
Now, let's not. Let's talk about the guys on the
roster who could have value and could be it for
a number of reasons. One numbers game. So maybe there's
no chance they make the roster, but they have traits
that you might have that might be valuable. So others

(39:02):
are because they have the most value, and others is
simply because you have a different player who can offer
sort of the same thing. I actually just put up.
I just published an article about fifteen minutes, about an
hour before we started recording, that picked out five potential

(39:25):
targets or five players who could value. And I think
the guy I didn't list the number one, but we've
talked about him before, and the current state of the
defensive line with injuries makes it less likely because you
know they might start the year without Walter Nolan, but
lol Nichols and Justin Jones and so Dante Stills is

(39:50):
probably the most tradable asset in terms of value because
he's one young, two inexpensive as on the third year
of his rookie contract, and been productive because he has
eight sacks in two seasons. There's there's some pass rushing
juice there that said he's gonna be a back of
the roster. He's like your your defensive lineman five or six.

(40:12):
And he also is like he doesn't offer you the
same thing as as a run stopper. He He's definitely
a better rushing interior guy. And with the if you
want a guy like Elijah Simmons on the roster, or
if it's PJ. Mustifer on the roster, Stills might give

(40:36):
you the best bout. I'm not saying it's gonna happen,
but I think he is, as we've said before, their
most tradable asset, but he might be more you know,
valuable on the team.

Speaker 1 (40:47):
Yeah, and it's it's one of those things too, where
you look at guys, you know, and this is something
we really talk about often, right, that value is in
the eye of the beholder. I think in terms of

(41:09):
like tradable valuable asset on the roster that isn't like
you know, Marvin Harrison or Parish Johnson, you know those guys,
but like a guy that's a that's a two on
the depth chart that may you know, kind of checks
some of the boxes. It's Dante Stills, right, Like he's

(41:33):
the he would be the one value piece that they
could potentially trade. But with the question marks to Justin Jones,
you know, the uncertainty surrounding Blaal Nichols obviously Walter Nolan's issue,

(41:54):
like they're not in a position to even entertain it
right now, right like you just I mean maybe if
they are really confident in Justin Jones and then they
look at Elijah Simmon's PJ Mustafer and they go, Okay,
one of those guys can fill the Stills role maybe right,
Like maybe, but but like if you trade Stills one,

(42:20):
you might get a fourth round pick, which let's be honest,
that's a two round jump from when he was drafted
in twenty three. So that's that's getting high return on
a pick. But like what I'm like, I'm just genuinely
looking at the roster, like where would value be? You know,

(42:43):
we talked about Elijah Higgins going into the season or
into the preseason, but like he doesn't exactly set the world.

Speaker 3 (42:51):
On fire, right like no, no.

Speaker 1 (42:54):
You know, so just I know people are always be like, oh,
by called Carter, but we talked about Carter earlier, right.

Speaker 3 (43:02):
Like just nobody signed the car so.

Speaker 1 (43:07):
Right, and so it's just one of those situations where
you look at all of like you look the roster
and and to me, you know, the guys you mentioned
absolutely like maybe maybe you could get a you know,
a seventh round pick, right like instead of, like you said,
a team like, let's just throw a team out there,
like like Philadelphia since they won the Super Bowl, they

(43:29):
have that thirty second waiter pick right and they're like, ah,
we don't want to miss out on John Gains. Let's
store the Cardinals a seventh rounder and you know, and
before they cut them. So, I mean, there's always that plausibility,

(43:50):
but I just don't see it with with here's the thing,
if the Cardinals had value, we wouldn't have the questions
we talked about earlier, right Like, if they had value depth,
I guess is the better way to put it.

Speaker 3 (44:03):
I do think that there are players that could have
somebody like even a seventh So here are the guys
that I put and I mentioned Dante Stills. I think
the next most valuable is bj Jolauri if you can
activate him off of POP before because you can't trade
him when they're on a reserve, that doesn't work. But

(44:23):
because he's a young edge rusher who does have upside,
he is a guy who would have potential value. Would
you get much from coming off the ACL No, No,
but it's better than like if you've decided to move
on already anyway, and you don't have to have a
guy with with the guaranteed salary sitting as your your

(44:45):
edge rusher five. You can get get him in a
better situation, maybe get some masst in the future. Cornerback
Elijah Jones that he hasn't performed well, but he does
have traits, right, he was a third round pick and
and a team that is looking for that sort of depth.

(45:05):
He is long, so he has length, so he's a
he's a bigger corner with elite athleticism, and he was
a plus special teamer in college as well. And so
you know, while there's not probably a spot on the
roster for him here, maybe just maybe there's a team

(45:25):
that would throw a seventh for him or a sixth
for Jones and a seventh, right.

Speaker 1 (45:32):
Yeah, it's something you could look at, you know. But
but the Jones thing is interesting because it really will
come down to what they they value in this case
another team, right, Like, what does another team value in
what would they be looking for? Would they see him

(45:54):
as as truly an asset or is he a guy
that they would rather take a flyer on on waivers
and see if they could get anything out of him.

Speaker 3 (46:06):
And then the other two guys I put down are
Greg Dortsch and Joey Blunt. Greg Dortch not because I
think he's gonna get cut, but if they like Xavier Weaver,
I think Xavier Weaver can do what Doorch does in
a better physical frame, right, because he's faster and bigger

(46:30):
than Dorsch and can do some of the same thing
because he can play in the slot, he can return
punts and kicks, and so he could be that gadget
player with a higher upside than dors Not saying that
they Cardinals want to move on from dorts but if
they like Weaver and they don't want to keep six
receivers Dorsch, George is gonna have value for somebody because

(46:53):
he's a good return guy. He makes plays when he
gets the ball and then blow.

Speaker 6 (47:00):
That's you know, if someone needs a solid special teams guy,
and it might come down to Blunt and Keating Crawford.

Speaker 4 (47:08):
And so.

Speaker 3 (47:10):
If they like Keaton a little bit more and they
can't keep all five, you know, one either get cut.
But maybe, just maybe Blunt could go somewhere for a
pick swap or something like that.

Speaker 1 (47:25):
Yeah, And you know, when you look at how like
pick swaps work. It's always something kind of lazy, right,
So it's like and you know Blount wouldn't fetch lists.
I don't think Jones would either, But like you know,
it's always something like like you said earlier, like we
get a fifth, you get Jones in a six, right,

(47:47):
Like That's how it always goes. So, like you said,
there's very like it's a very tricky situation when you're
looking at it. Another guy that potentially, like potentially in

(48:07):
that same vein would be Exavier Thomas. Right now, we've
talked about the negatives with Thomas and that he is.
I think he and Josh Sweat were teammates at one point.
Like you know, he's he's old, like he's legitimately old,
uh for a second year player, And so you know
you look at that and you go, okay, well they

(48:29):
got him in the fifth, we'll give you a seventh,
right Like, but that again, like I feel like he's
a lock for the roster with the b J. O.
Lauris situation, So you know, it's it's not as cut
and dry as that, right.

Speaker 3 (48:46):
And Tom And that's a that's another one that that
makes sense because he did show a little promise he's got.
You know, edge rushers already are a commodity around the league,
so that I could I can see that being the
cous so yeah, but of course Xavier Thomas is roughly
the same age as as a Victor the mcagee, who's
in his fifth NFL season.

Speaker 1 (49:09):
Yeah right, but yeah.

Speaker 3 (49:11):
Coming next on the right Up to Here podcast, mist
Our Cardinals Talk, it's time for our fifty three man rosters.
That's coming to next one. Rise ups you read We're
back on the Rise of Here podcast, Best Our Cardinals
Talk on the web. We will not have a show
after the preseason game before roster cuts because we usually
record on Tuesday, and by the time we would record
Tuesday nights, the roster cuts will have been made. So

(49:35):
let's get our roster projections on the record in the
audio airways on the internet. While I'm sure Seth you'll
probably write one for the site leading up to it,
but some of you listeners might not be regular readers
of the site, and some of those readers on the

(49:55):
site might not be regular listeners, so we will find out.
So for you, how many how do you think how
many surprises do you believe were on your final fifty three.

Speaker 1 (50:11):
You know, I'm looking at my list, and I think
the bigger surprises come from like who you had to
add based on the injuries that we talked about earlier,
right like, or the uncertainty around injuries, and so that
that all is like where I was at because I
don't think the names are surprising outside of they probably

(50:31):
wouldn't have made the roster if if you know Christian
Jones and if we knew the situation with Christian Jones
and Hayden Connor, right.

Speaker 3 (50:39):
Yeah, yeah, that's one hundred percent. And for me, mine's
mostly I would say chalk mostly based on what we know. Yeah, quarterbacks,
do you keep that? I guess the question is are
you keeping Clayton Tune on the roster?

Speaker 1 (50:56):
No?

Speaker 3 (50:57):
No, then neither am I. There's there's zero precedent for
it as well.

Speaker 1 (51:01):
Well.

Speaker 3 (51:01):
In addition to Clayton Tune not looking good and while
Jonathan Gannon, you can tell Gannon likes Tune because like,
because Klune didn't look good. He Gannon pulled the ten
Guys around him comment this week when he talked about
then and when he had him as the backup, like

(51:21):
he believed in and like Gannon literally like does legitimately
like Toune. That said, since Gannon's been head coach and
Monty Austin for it's been the GM, they've never kept
more than two on the active roster, So I'm not
going to begin to do that. When they signed Jacoby Prissett,
that was a ticket to the practice squad for tune.

(51:42):
So Kyler Murray, Jacoby Pressett. How many running backs do
you keep? I've got four, and I think you're probably
gonna see the four that make the most sense. Connor Benson,
Demarcato and DJ Dallas. Michael Carter doesn't. I mean, he's
not better than Benson. Is the backup. He's not a
better third down back, is de Mercado. He's not a

(52:03):
better returner or special teams players, either Demercatto or Dallas.
So Carter practice squad. Uh so yeah, yeah, chalk right here.
We are not we are not offering each other much debates.
What about receiver five or six receivers?

Speaker 1 (52:19):
I went six because I don't know what to make
of the last guy, So obviously the top four. I mean,
I guess we're in lockstep, uh Marv Michael Dorschanze. And
then I had Simmi Fajoku. I think, like we talked
about the other day, like the reality of his his
guarantees makes it basically like he's he's on the roster.

Speaker 3 (52:44):
He wasn't a lock lock, but like he had to
show just enough. And and we'll say this, as much
as I don't think they need six receivers on the
roster because they play with two tight ends so often,
the fact that they went with six receivers last year
and one of those guys was Zach Pascal, who offers
you nothing as a receiver, tells me they.

Speaker 6 (53:06):
Like having a special teams specialist in there. And I
think that's the intention with Fojoco this year that said
I've got six as well?

Speaker 3 (53:15):
Is your number six? That's the same five I've got,
Marv michael Z, George Fajoco, Who's your number six? I
went with weaver yep, boring, boring, We did it, uh
And my guess is, do you have them keeping three
or four tight ends?

Speaker 1 (53:33):
So I did four with obviously three active on game day,
but this I don't know. I mentioned what did you do?

Speaker 3 (53:40):
I went with McBride, Yman Higgins and Travis Bocle. Like
the four that they had on the roster last year.

Speaker 1 (53:45):
Okay, I have de Gura over vocal.

Speaker 3 (53:48):
Uct Okay, okay, And that's an interesting one for me. Yeah,
that that is that that's one thing different. You know,
I do like de Guara, especially because he's really turned
into a fine special teams player.

Speaker 1 (54:01):
That was my thought process. But that's also a different
that's also difficult as the fourth.

Speaker 3 (54:07):
Tight end, right tight end is never active.

Speaker 1 (54:10):
Right, You're not gonna be a on game day. So yeah,
and so like my.

Speaker 3 (54:17):
Reasoning, because they they clearly liked vocal Lick last year,
is that he essentially having four tight ends on the
roster and I could see where for roster purposes they
roster three because they only have three active on game days.
But I think they like vocal Ect a lot. What
this offers is that you have you have two of

(54:41):
each type of tight end. Right, You've got your receiver
tight end, and obviously that's an elite guy and Trey McBride,
but Elijah Higgins being a former receiver, he can play that.
And while tip Ryman monster why tight end and vocal
Lick is is of that same mold. He's like he's

(55:01):
your Every every team has a big, you know, not
super athletic blocking tight end who's not going to catch passes.
But it feels like there is a Travis vocalect on
literally every team.

Speaker 1 (55:16):
Every single team. Yeah, So that's and there's not a
huge difference in he and de Ger, right, yeah.

Speaker 3 (55:24):
Yeah, And then being the daguire is that he is
a far more accomplished special teams player. But like I like,
like that was for me, like when you signed him
in the off season, like, ooh, that's a nice guy
to have. But if you're if you're if your niche
is special teams and your tight end four and tight
end four is never active, that's a weird guy to
have on the roster. How many offensive linemen do you

(55:46):
go with? I why? If I knew the health situation,
I probably would have kept ten, But I only keep
nine because I think naive. I think both Hayden Connor
and Josh and Christian Jones will end up on IR
to start the year.

Speaker 1 (56:06):
Yeah, and and so I have nine as well. Obviously
the starting five Paris Evan Yelda, Isaiah Jonah, the two
lead backups I guess now locked in. I mean, Beacham
was never a question. But now for me, I put
John Gaines on there and then so then it becomes
the last two, right, Like I would have kept both

(56:29):
Connor and excuse me, I would have kept both Connor
and Jones, and I probably would have only kept three
tight ends and then kept Nick Leverett as the other
lineman type, because then I would assume that you could

(56:53):
have Jones and and Connor inactive on game days and
that gives you your eight gains and Leverett with as
your swing guys in the middle, and then and then
beat him as your you know, swing tackle. But without that,
I went nine, assuming that both Connor and and and

(57:15):
Jones end up on the IR designated.

Speaker 3 (57:17):
To return, and I kept then Brnanda's on pup too.

Speaker 1 (57:22):
Yeah, And and I kept Royce Newman for now.

Speaker 3 (57:24):
Ah interesting because Newman for me, after seeing him not
get into the game until late late, I'm like, dude
is gone. And I think quietly, Nick Leverett is a
guy that they really like, whether it's because of the
Patriots connection, but also because he does offer a lot

(57:45):
of versatility. They've played him at tackle, they played him
at guard, he's been a center, and so I have
I think the eight for me balks the starting five,
plus Beacham as your as your swing tackle, Leverett as
your main backup guard, and Games as the backup center.
And then I keep Josh Fryer. I keep Josh Fryer. Uh,

(58:08):
they're undrafted right tackle out of the High State and
he's my number nine.

Speaker 1 (58:12):
Yeah, and I can see that over Newman. I was
just trying to figure out how to get a how
to get you know, they you and I would agree,
right like they they have to have a backup to
the backup tackle, right.

Speaker 3 (58:29):
Yeah, likely likely, And that could come from the practice
squad because that's basically how they did last year until
like they basically they they they they went from Jackson
Barton to like the last two years that they would
just rotate their their their elevations from the practice squad

(58:51):
for that because Jackson Barton got to play and things
like that, and then the kid Charlie Heck as well. Yeah,
offensive line, there we go defense and so no real
surprise is there. My my roster surprise comes on the
back end, and so we go to the defensive line

(59:11):
and we're both going under the prediction or the prediction
that the four guys on pup will stay on PUP,
so we don't have to roster them that Hayden Connor
and John and Christian Jones will start on IR designated
a return And so that brings us to the defensive line.
And because Walter Nolan stays on PUP and because baalal

(59:35):
Nichols was on PUP, I don't have to keep I
don't have to make the hard decision and just keep
seven or cut a guy that I'd want to keep.
And so my defensive line is a very easy six
with Kalais, Alvin Thomas, Tomlinson, Darius Robinson, Justin Jones, Dante Stills,
and I keep L. J. Collier. I think I still

(59:56):
think that Collier is a high like PJ.

Speaker 1 (59:59):
Must Ever, Yeah, until we know more that they can't
keep anybody else. Like, here's my take on it. You
can keep a PG Muster for you can keep an
Elijah Simmons if you have Walter Nolan and Justin Jones healthy, right, like,

(01:00:23):
you can end up with with those six and you
can slide a seventh in there. And I know people
are gonna go, well, this doesn't make sense, but just
just trust the insanity. Without the knowledge of Justin Jones,
you can't. You can't have a guy that is a
project on there at all, Like, you just can't because

(01:00:47):
what ends up happening is you have to have a
solid five that you have to be able to play
it at any time. And then the question mark is
justin Jones, right, like, so he's the question and then
we know that they're getting back you know, Walter Nolan

(01:01:07):
at some point, So it is what it is.

Speaker 3 (01:01:10):
Yeah, I just think, especially with the year that they
are trying to have, I think Callier is.

Speaker 1 (01:01:18):
He's a more reliable, Yes, more reliable. It's like so
I truly think this, Like if they had their starting three,
which is you know, Campbell, Thomlinson, Robinson, and they had
their their main three Nolan, Jones and Stills, I really
do think that they would keep a musta for or Simmons,

(01:01:38):
I really do. But without Nolan, without knowing what Jones
is you just said it. You have to keep Caller,
you have to. And because you don't have the time
to take chances or develop because you don't have you
don't have a Jones and Nolan to fall back on

(01:02:01):
at this point. Now, if Jones was completely healthy, you
could talk me into putting a Simmons or must of
for over Collier. But until we have clarity and if
and if Justin and I are wrong, we're not going
to go, oh, well, we didn't know about Justin Jones

(01:02:22):
right like, but that is the legitimate reason. Like without
clarity on Jones's health, we can't we can't add a
unknown or or or you know, do something like you
have to go with the solid, steady, low impact, you
know veteran that you know what you're going to get

(01:02:43):
and you know what you're not going to.

Speaker 3 (01:02:46):
Get from him right right now outside linebacker. I did
forget that. I do predict. I am projecting b Jo
Jolauri comes off PUP. Although that's the most most puzzling
decision for me because that's just a guess. So I
go with five edge guys, And because I brought o

(01:03:12):
Jelaari back, that means there's no Exavier Thomas, Josh Sweat,
Zaven Collmins, Baron Browning, Jordan Birch, bjo Jelari. Xavier Thomas
doesn't make it, but the Xavier Thomas easily makes it
if Ojelry starts the season on PUP. So for me,
that's it's it's one or the other.

Speaker 1 (01:03:30):
Yeah, so go over heres again. Sorry you cut out
for a second.

Speaker 3 (01:03:34):
On my end, I got sweat Collins, Browning, Birch and
Ojlari with bumping Thomas off and then pon Thomas is
the first one on if Ojilari does not come off,
pup Yeah.

Speaker 1 (01:03:44):
Yeah, so five, yeah, I'm in the same spot. So
then that takes us to the inside. And so so
this is where and I think we missed this, so
we should just like throw this out there. So we
had twenty six on the offense. Both of us did
slight differences tight end and tight end four and O
line nine. But twenty six. Nonetheless, that only gives you

(01:04:09):
twenty four on the defensive side. So we're at eleven already.

Speaker 3 (01:04:16):
Mine, mine is only I got twenty five, Oh did
you Yeah, because I kept nine offensive linemen. Have got
two quarterbacks, four running backs. That's six. That's twelve.

Speaker 1 (01:04:26):
You know why, because I can't add I have Kyler
Murray and Jacoby Brissette and I wrote the number three
that's where I sat.

Speaker 3 (01:04:36):
Yeah, yeah, twenty five because yeah, because I keep an
extra defense. Honestly, I keep a dextra defensive player on
that game.

Speaker 1 (01:04:45):
The roster that gives me an extra guy to add.
I'm excited. Now go ahead where I got to decide
where this is going.

Speaker 3 (01:04:53):
So inside linebacker, I think we were talking before the show.
There a guy that's been completely overlooked, and that's JJ
Russell because I thought, I recall I don't. I haven't
heard much about j J Russell since he since he
took that that brutal hit and had to go to
the hospital. But I remember while they were in camp

(01:05:14):
that he was that he was worrying the non contact
jersey step out of concussion protocol. So I thought he
was out of percussion protocol. He did not get into
the game on last Saturday, which to me signals one
of two things that Okay, they have a spot for him,

(01:05:34):
or two there's no it's it's one of the other.
He's either locked or no chance at that point. If
he's healthy, and so I completely overlooked him. If he
is a lock, well then that changes things. Says, I
have four inside backers, and the three, the three I

(01:05:55):
think are locks, right, Mike Wilson and King David Gather
and Cody Simon are locks. And that comes down to
the fourth spot. Is it gonna be Owen Papo, Is
it gonna be Mike Walker? Is it gonna be JJ Russell?
So Mike Walker and JJ Russell are established special teams
player in the NFL. Owen Papo has played some special
teams and and then did some nice things on special

(01:06:17):
teams last year, but also also has the freakish athleticism,
and Papo hasn't looked good in the preseason. But given
the decision, for me, it came down to Papo or
Walker because I completely didn't even think about Russell.

Speaker 4 (01:06:35):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (01:06:35):
I gave the edge to Papo because he's got the
youth and athleticism. If if everything else is equal, they're
like all they're going to do is play special teams.
Comparing open Owen Papo and Mike Walker. If they're equal
with special teams player, the upside of Papo to me
gives him the edge.

Speaker 1 (01:06:55):
Yeah, And so the one that was I was, you know,
I didn't put Russell Russell on there because of like
I said, I.

Speaker 3 (01:07:04):
I forgot he existed too well.

Speaker 1 (01:07:06):
No, No, I like I said, I miscounted my overall
offense defense. So so you know, when you look at it,
I think it's mac agd Simon and I went Papo
as well, and so I'm still trying to decide, let's

(01:07:26):
let's go to Corners real quick and then that'll kind
of help me. So Corners I had five, I assume
we have the same five Johnson, Melton, Williams, Burke and Clark.

Speaker 3 (01:07:40):
Yes, And although I did Clark was the toss up
with Darren Hall.

Speaker 1 (01:07:46):
Yeah, because Darren Hall's played so well right like.

Speaker 3 (01:07:48):
Yes, and they offer kind of some of the same things,
right Hall does, like I think Hall is a I
think he's a better special teamer than Clark. I think
the Clark's done a lot of special teams. But Hall
gives you nickel and safety. Clark does that as well,
but also gives you boundary. I don't think Hall can

(01:08:10):
play the boundary well at all, and so Clark gives
you a touch more. Even if Hall has been the
better playmaker, especially in over two preseasons and last year
they kept Hall early like he made the roster early,
but then was one of the first guys bumped later on.

(01:08:31):
So so I have to wait and see. I I
for me Kee Trell Clark was slightly over Darren Hall.

Speaker 1 (01:08:38):
Yeah, and then I again didn't count correctly so I
only had four safeties to start with, Buddha, JT. Rabbit
and Katan Crawford. What'd you go with?

Speaker 3 (01:08:52):
And that's where I kept the extra one. I I
because I had a spot. I know, I just kept five.
I'm like they would I think they would only keep
for safeties. They'll just figure things out later on, right.

Speaker 1 (01:09:05):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:09:05):
And so I don't know how that's gonna play out,
I said, but I think Blunt is I think Blunt
too to established for Jeff Rodgers as the special teams
coach to take him off. But Keaton Crawford was too
valuable to cut. Yeah, so I keep him on the roster.

(01:09:26):
That I think, who is my who is my last like,
who is my player fifty three? My player fifty three
is probably Crawford. Yeah, and so if there if they's so,
he gets bumped for somebody else at some point, and
so but I just I mean that was the decision.
I'm keeping five. That's something's gonna worry about later on, right,

(01:09:48):
And that's sometimes how the Cardinal how teams do that
because they they want a guy on there even if
they're not going to play it. But they're like, eh,
we'll worry about this later.

Speaker 1 (01:10:00):
Right exactly, And I'm with you, so I would I
would probably add Joey Blunt to my fifty three, which
would give me fifty three.

Speaker 3 (01:10:08):
There we go, and that would give us nearly identical rosters.

Speaker 1 (01:10:13):
Right, and we're not gonna lie, like it's definitely going
to be either. It's definitely gonna be gillickin Ryland and Brewer.

Speaker 3 (01:10:19):
So like there was no yeah, yeah, there's no reason
to think that'll that'll do anything different. So, yes, the
specialists are set, and so we're pretty much so there
are very few to so Josh Fryar is a guy
who could make the roster. So the guys that you

(01:10:41):
know might or might not make the roster. So you've
got them the offensive line, Josh Fryer is a possibility.
You've got Keaton Crawford their seventh round picket safety, Darren
Holler or or Key Trell Clark. You've got, like we
mentioned the trio of Owen Pappo, Mike Walker and JJ Russell.
You've got Xavier Thomas maybe yes, maybe not l J.

(01:11:04):
Collier at the back end. Maybe PJ. Mustif or Alleged
Simmons snakes on there. But I'm getting more of the
feeling that if one of those young d linemen are
gonna it's gonna be Mustaf and not Simmons. Simmons, I
think is one one is a lock for the for
the practice squad. I don't think he's gonna be like, ooh,
someone like he He wasn't. I don't think like he

(01:11:28):
was an undrafted guy to begin with. And most guys,
most teams stay with the guys that they had on
their roster for the practice squad because they already know
the system, they're already in the program, and so unless
it's unless there's a high upside, they're not going to
change that. But by and large, like we know what's
going to be a quarterback, we know what's gonna be

(01:11:50):
at running back, we know mostly at receiver, receiver six
is Xavier we were going to be there or not.
The tight ends, it's is it three or four tight ends,
it's the very back. So there are maybe six roster
spots that are kind of up for grabs right right exactly,
And even then they're only up for grabs because we're

(01:12:11):
projecting most of the injured players staying injured to start
the season.

Speaker 1 (01:12:16):
Yeah, and that's what makes it really difficult because the
injuries and not necessarily the ones where I mean even
we are a little let's not lie confused with like
the the the pop situation, but even the guys that
are healthy or we know that aren't healthy. I guess

(01:12:40):
it is the best way to put it right, like
we don't really know anything and that's what makes it difficult.

Speaker 6 (01:12:45):
Yeah, and with that we That's that wraps up this
edition of the Rise of Scared podcast. The Best Are
of Cardinals Talk on the Web, episode six eighty nine.
We will have one show next week. We'll do our
roster reactions and then likely another show towards the end
of the week, and then we will head into week one.
So until then, we've got a preseason game Saturday. We'll

(01:13:06):
be watching that game. We'll talk about that, We'll talk
about final projections, our final rosters.

Speaker 3 (01:13:11):
That seth Cox. I'm Jess Rute. Thanks for listening as
always'll be back against soon.

Speaker 6 (01:13:15):
Thanks for listening to the latest edition of the Rise
Up Sea Red podcast. Listen to previous episodes and subscribe
to the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitch your Radio, Audio Boom,
or many other podcast platforms. So shows are delivered directly
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Speaker 1 (01:13:36):
We'll be back soon for the best hour of Cardinals
talk on.

Speaker 6 (01:13:38):
The web, Rise up Red, c B Red Sea Red,
and of course Rise up Sea Red.

Speaker 1 (01:14:04):
There's it, there's it, there's it, there is it.