During the first Arizona Cardinals practice fully open to media and fans on Friday, July 24, Jacoby Brissett drew the most eyeballs, as quarterbacks do. He stood to the side during 11-on-11 drills, continuing an abridged version of his contract holdout.
But that much was, to some degree, expected.
So where to begin? Let’s start at running back, because that now appears to be a genuine competition.
The Cardinals’ first-team offense saw a heavy workload, with 10 series of three plays each, including some situational work in the red zone. Tyler Allgeier worked with the first team on six of those series — so 18 of 30 total plays — compared to four for Jeremiyah Love. And it was Allgeier who saw both the first snap and the first carry of the day.
That
might not last, especially given that Love looked explosive in his opportunities (he also saw work with the second team). But it’s certainly worth tracking, given the draft capital that the Cardinals expended on Love, selecting him with the No. 3 overall pick in this year's draft.
And earlier in the day, head coach Mike LaFleur spoke with a new tone regarding the rookie class, shifting from the patience he called for during spring practices.
“There’s gotta be an urgency, a bounce in their step to improve every single day,” LaFleur said. “So we’ll get a better feel. We’re still in a t-shirt and shorts, playing flag football right now.”
LaFleur added that running back is a particularly difficult position to evaluate during training camp. Preseason games, he said, will be especially important for that position group.
Isaiah Adams remains with starters despite arrest
Cardinals right guard Isaiah Adams turned himself into police in Canada last week on four gun charges, but the off-field issues do not appear to have impacted his role with the team.
On day two of training camp, the Cardinals’ starting offensive line was as follows, from left to right: Josh Fryar, Isaac Seumalo, Hjalte Froholdt, Adams, Elijah Wilkinson.
Left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. remains on the physically unable to perform list with a knee injury, although LaFleur suggested that the Cardinals expect him back in the coming weeks. And at right tackle, Wilkinson has been the Cardinals’ starter of choice all offseason, despite only signing a meager two-year, $6.3 million contract in free agency.
So it’s right guard that remains the biggest surprise up front.
The Cardinals drafted Chase Bisontis with the 34th overall pick, seemingly suggesting that he could slide into that job from day one. Instead, Adams — who has mostly struggled in his 16 career starts — remains the right guard of choice.
Defensive line thinned by injuries
During 11-on-11 drills, the Cardinals were without three potential starters along their defensive line.
Walter Nolen, who stood out in individual work, was held out of team drills as he continues to recover from a torn meniscus. Roy Lopez did not dress. And Josh Sweat is on the physically unable to perform list, with LaFleur suggesting that he is still getting his body ready for the season after missing voluntary spring workouts.
“Everyone's been on the same page the entire time,” LaFleur said. “I'm not worried about Josh Sweat at all in terms of his health and all that.”
Earlier in the offseason, Sweat was reported to be unhappy in Arizona, as the organization prepares for what is widely expected to be another losing season. LaFleur, though, said that is not the reason for Sweat’s continued absence.
“I don't see any discontent and he's never expressed one bit of discontent to me,” LaFleur said.
When reporters entered the locker room before practice, Sweat took a phone call and disappeared into a training room.
In the absence of those three key players, the Cardinals relied on Baron Browning, Zaven Collins and Jordan Burch at edge rusher, with Darius Robinson and L.J. Collier seeing the bulk of the first-team snaps at defensive tackle.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Cardinals training camp: Love, Allgeier in RB competition
