When the Arizona Cardinals take the field against the Green Bay Packers on Friday, Aug. 28, they may be without any of their Week 1 starters.
Maybe, head coach Mike LaFleur conceded, one or two nominal starters could sneak onto the field. After all, the term itself is fluid. Maybe the Cardinals’ first offensive snap of the season will come out of a three tight end set. Or maybe, on defense, they’ll open in a dime look.
But you get the idea. None of the Cardinals’ most important players will be taking part in their final preseason game, as they aim to preserve health ahead of their Sept. 13 opener.
This game, rather, is about the players further down the roster pushing for jobs before the Cardinals must trim their roster from 90 to 53 on Sunday,
Aug. 30. Here are three roster battles worth watching on Friday night.
The final wide receiver spot
It’s easy to project the first five wide receivers on the Cardinals’ roster.
Marvin Harrison Jr., Michael Wilson and Kendrick Bourne are the starters and, therefore, locks. Devin Duvernay was rested during the third preseason game and should make the team as the primary return man. And Reggie Virgil was drafted in the fifth round, draft capital that typically ensures roster status, especially for a player who has shown positive signs in camp, as Virgil has.
Unless the Cardinals opt for the uncommon roster construction of keeping seven wide receivers, that leaves one spot open — and it’s not a throwaway spot, either. Duvernay is unlikely to be used much as a receiver, while the Cardinals seem likely to integrate Virgil slowly. That means that the sixth receiver may, in practice, operate more as the fourth receiver.
Last year, when LaFleur was with the Rams, his fourth receiver often played upwards of 20 snaps a game.
In Arizona, Jalen Brooks is the lead candidate for that job after a strong preseason, but Simi Fehoko could also stake his claim on Friday night. He has six catches for 70 yards and a touchdown through three preseason games and, like Brooks, offers a versatile veteran presence who can line up in the slot or outside.
Can B.J. Ojulari earn one more chance?
Maybe the Cardinals will keep four edge rushers. That wouldn’t be unheard of, but Josh Sweat’s situation makes it less likely. Even if he’s built into football condition by Week 1, he may need a lighter workload to begin the season. Or maybe they’ll keep six, although that would be an unusual roster construction.
Most likely, then, five will be the number. And, like at wide receiver, that seemingly leaves one spot between two players.
Here, it’s Eku Leota and B.J. Ojulari.
The former has had a stronger preseason, with LaFleur saying last week, “there’s been a lot of good stuff that we’ve seen throughout camp.” But the latter is a former second-round pick who returned from a 15-month knee recovery less than a year ago. As a rebuilding team with an eye toward the future, the Cardinals may opt to give Ojulari more time, hoping to make good on their draft day investment.
More than anything, this decision is a philosophical one that depends on whether the Cardinals prioritize the player who has been better all summer or the one with a higher long-term ceiling. But a strong final impression against the Packers wouldn’t hurt either player.
Two players for one cornerback spot
The picture is similar at cornerback.
Five players, seemingly, are locks: Will Johnson, Garrett Williams, Max Melton, Denzel Burke and Sean Murphy-Bunting. As for the sixth, that once again depends on how the Cardinals view a former high draft pick.
Elijah Jones was the 90th overall pick in 2024, but has earned just 37 career snaps in two seasons and has never made a notable impression with his preseason opportunities. But the other candidate for that spot, Starling Thomas V, has also struggled this summer, after returning from a torn ACL sustained last July.
The most likely outcome is that the Cardinals will keep Thomas, providing him with a longer runway to return to full health. But if they still believe in Jones’ talent, they may be hesitant to cut ties with a former top-100 pick.
Again, a strong final impression could sway the decision-makers in either direction.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 3 roster battles to watch in Cardinals preseason finale vs Packers
