Arizona Cardinals: The wide receivers

The Arizona Cardinals kept six receivers on their 53-man roster

All of training camp the debate was would the Arizona Cardinals keep five or six receivers on their 53-man roster? There was even speculation they could keep seven at one point but that is too many when you are trying to make sure you have proper depth at other positions.

Last year it was thought they could keep six out of camp and they only kept four. That shows you just how well this group played in camp and in the preseason.

Here is a look at the six guys that made the team as of Monday. Of course this is always subject to change.

Larry Fitzgerald

I’m shocked this guy made the team. Alright, not really but seriously Fitz, going into his 12th NFL season is still bringing it. He showed in the preseason still just how valuable he is. Yes, his role has changed to more of a slot and possession receiver but he can still go up and grab the ball. He also will fight for every yard he gains.

Many think his new contract is an over payment and nothing more than a symbolic gesture to a player who has given so much to this franchise. There probably is some truth in there but the Cardinals aren’t going to just throw money around, not even for Fitz. He’s earned it and as long as he stays healthy he will prove to be worth every penny and then some.

Michael Floyd

Floyd was just starting to heat up in camp when he dislocated three fingers in practice and had to have surgery. Floyd will likely only miss the first couple of game at most as he continues to recover. This is an important year for him. The Cardinals picked up his fifth-year option in the offseason.

Rumors about him being traded were of course squashed with the injury but in my opinion may have saved him a job with the team for now. I’m expecting the 2013 Michael Floyd to show up this season. He is likely to lead the Cardinals in total yards receiving despite the fact he could miss a game or two.

John Brown

This guy showed Cardinals fans he is ready to take it to another level this season. He showed off his speed in the preseason and more of his receiving ability. He also bulked up a little bit. He said he stopped eating fast food and is eating healthier now.

Jaron Brown

Brown had an up and down preseason. He started off shaky the first couple of days of camp and then into the first week showed some real talent. He was making every catch in practice. He kind of disappeared a bit after that first week but he was a strong enough performer to get the number four receiving spot.

Brittan Golden

Good for Golden. After making a great catch in a game in 2013 and then getting hurt and missing the rest of the season, he really couldn’t connect with the team in 2014. He didn’t make the club out of camp last year. This year however he played very well in the preseason.

With the other talent vying for a spot, this year Golden made it tough for the Cardinals to do anything but keep him. Like the others he can put on the after burner and run away from defenders quickly.

J.J. Nelson

Maybe the most talked about offensive rookie this preseason. The kid ran a 4.28 in the NFL Scouting Combine back in February. The one thing I noticed about him was not only his speed once a play developed but just how quickly he can jump off the line of scrimmage.

Teams started learning how to start bumping him a bit at the line over the second half of the preseason because otherwise Nelson will leave his defenders in the dust. He made a great 59-yard touchdown catch in the preseason finale this past Thursday night in Denver. He will be valuable on special teams as well.

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