Christian Kirk and Chad Williams have performed well in their pursuit of the Arizona Cardinals’ number two wide receiver job
The Arizona Cardinals’ wide receivers room underwent a huge transition this offseason. The legendary Larry Fitzgerald stayed put, but other receivers like John Brown, Jaron Brown and Brittan Golden exited the desert.
The departures of those individuals have created a void at the Cards’ number-two wideout spot. In their place have been a mixture of youngsters and veterans, each vying for the starting position. It’s been an interesting competition to say the least, but it appears that the inexperienced portion of the group has taken the lead at the current time.
Rookie Christian Kirk and second-year player Chad Williams have vaulted to the front of the pack. The older participants, Brice Butler and Greg Little, have seemingly fallen behind. And, in all honesty, it really hasn’t been that much of a race.
Kirk has undoubtedly been the standout of the summer. This year’s second-round draft pick has resembled a seasoned pro, hauling in six receptions for 58 yards. Included in his performance was a 13-yard touchdown grab last week against the New Orleans Saints that was of the highlight-film variety.
Williams was highly-disappointing as a rookie, tallying just three catches for 31 yards last season. Now, a year later, the 6’2″, 204 pounder seems to be on a mission to live up to his third-round status. Williams has caught three balls for 44 yards over the past two weeks, averaging an impressive 14.6 yards per reception.
On the flip side of the youthful duo lie the more-experienced candidates. Butler was not even targeted when Arizona defeated the Los Angeles Chargers on August 11th, and has since suffered a foot injury. Little, who has not caught a regular-season NFL pass since 2014, has snagged just one ball for six yards during the exhibition contests.
With the start of the 2018 schedule less than a month away, Kirk has emerged as the favorite for the first-string gig. Williams isn’t far behind his younger counterpart, however, and could overtake the 21-year old with a strong showing down the stretch. No matter who gets anointed the starter, the Cardinals can rest easy knowing that they have two promising wide receivers poised to excel for years to come.