The Arizona Cardinals were faced with the difficult task of cutting their roster down to 53. A few players benefited from those roster decisions more than others, whether that means surviving the bubble or competitor cuts suggesting an injury is progressing well.
That was the case for running back Jeremiyah Love, who came away as one of the six notable winners for Arizona.
Jeremiyah Love
The Cardinals decided to roster just three running backs: Jeremiyah Love, Tyler Allgeier, and Bam Knight.
That's a good sign that Love is trending in the right direction as he continues to recover from a high ankle sprain. Plenty can change in the coming two weeks, but expect the Cardinals rookie to likely be ready to go Week 1 against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Jalen Brooks and Simi Fehoko
Arizona somewhat unconventionally decided to keep a total of seven wide receivers: Marvin Harrison Jr., Michael Wilson, Kendrick Bourne, Devin Duvernay, Reggie Virgil, Simi Fehoko, and Jalen Brooks.
With Duvernay securing his spot thanks to special teams contributions and Virgil being a fifth-round rookie, that meant the final spot could've came down to Fehoko and Brooks.
It was an inpossible decision with how well each performed this preseason. They were consistently two of the standout pass catchers throughout this preseason, and it's resulted in a much deserved spot on this initial 53 man roster.
Garrett Williams and Kei’Trel Clark
The Cardinals kept five cornerbacks: Garrett Williams, Will Johnson, Denzel Burke, Max Melton, and Kei'Trel Clark.
One of their headliner cuts was Sean Murphy-Bunting, which is also a positive sign that Williams is progressing well from injury. Williams was recently activated off the PUP, and these moves suggest he could be ready to go Week 1.
Meanwhile, Clark was on the roster bubble, but Arizona could benefit from the versatility and added depth after moving on from Murphy-Bunting.
Eku Leota
Eku Leota vs BJ Ojulari was a positional battle throughout training camp, with the former ultimately winning the final spot at outside linebacker. He genuinely outplayed Ojulari, leaving the Cardinals no choice but to move on from their former second-round pick.
As a result, Arizona will now keep five at the position: Josh Sweat, Baron Browning, Zaven Collins, Jordan Burch, and Eku Leota.
Even with Sweat staying with the Cardinals (and coming off the PUP) for now, this is a unit that definitely could use an upgrade. Leota should at least help add depth, beating out the bigger-named Ojulari.
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