Arizona Cardinals: Five Best Position Battles

The Arizona Cardinals are back at it with OTA’s starting Tuesday and position battles continue

There’s no contact allowed but that doesn’t mean players aren’t still fighting for spots on the roster.  There is a job still to be done and 90 men on a roster that eventually becomes 53 by September.  That leaves OTA’s, mini-camp, and training camp to get the job done.

The battles continue on Tuesday with a three-day OTA and then a four-day OTA next week.  Mini-camp will be June 8th-10th and then training camp will open towards the end of July.  No dates have been announced for training camp yet.

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1. Linebackers

Kevin Minter has work to do on the inside.  Despite his free agent contract, Sean Weatherspoon also has something to prove.  I honestly don’t see it as a given he makes the team.  I think he does though.  On the outside rookie Shaquille Riddick will be one to watch and see how far up the depth chart he can climb before season’s start.

2. Punter

Drew Butler is still around using up a spot on the roster.  The Cardinals clearly think he still has a chance to be their guy come regular season.  I think Dave Zastudil is the better punter and the playoff game against the Carolina Panthers didn’t help Butler’s cause but this is one I’m watching closely.

3. Backup Quarterbacks

Logan Thomas is not a given to make the roster despite his only being a second-year guy.  He’s certainly created his doubters after the way he was removed as a starter at the end of last season after just one practice.  Chandler Hornish and Phillip Sims will have something to say before it is all said and done.

4. Wide Receivers

The biggest question will be how many do the Cardinals end up keeping because you could make an argument for almost everyone on the roster right now.  I detailed in my receivers piece a couple of weeks ago how I thought the final roster might look like at receiver.  I made a bold prediction that Michael Floyd could be the odd man out but it will be fun to see if he can have a great camp and maybe keep himself around and doubters on the sidelines.

5. Offensive Line

Bobby Massie and D.J. Humphries.  That will be fun.  Throw Bradley Sowell into the mix along with Jonathan Cooper and Ted Larsen and you don’t know what that starting five looks like September 13th.  I do know the Cardinals are going to give each one of them the chance to win starting positions.