In the offseason, it remained to be seen whether wide receiver Jalen Brooks would even make the 53-man roster for the Arizona Cardinals. He ultimately played well enough throughout training camp and preseason to solidify a spot.
Brooks was just one of seven receivers Arizona brought into the season, a somewhat unconventional decision that was a testament to its deep and underrated receiving core.
We immediately saw that decision pay off in their Week 1 upset over the Los Angeles Chargers, particularly in the decision to keep Simi Fehoko. Part of the reason the Cardinals felt comfortable keeping seven receivers was due to their versatility and contribution on special teams. Fehoko blocked a punt in the fourth quarter of Week 1, sealing the win for Arizona and earning NFC Special Teams Player of the Week.
We've already seen that decision pay off on special teams, but now Arizona has the opportunity to showcase the actual pass-catching side of this group as well.
Admittedly, it's not like the Marvin Harrison Jr trade vacated a ton of targets. Jacoby Brissett failed to establish a true connection with the former No. 4 overall pick, who recorded a total of just five receptions on 12 targets through the first four games.
Still, it does give other receivers a chance to prove themselves by sliding up the offensive hierarchy in Arizona. Brooks, in particular, is one receiver that has seen his stock rise over the past week.
Jalen Brooks is quietly emerging in the Cardinals' offense
He only had two receptions for 16 yards in Harrison's absence against the Detroit Lions. But most importantly, those seven targets he received from Brissett are more telling about the role he has to play in this offense going forward.
The Lions' defensive game plan was basically to let any other pass catcher besides Trey McBride or Michael Wilson beat them.
"Last week was crazy, something I haven't seen in a while in this league," Brissett said after the Week 6 loss. "As frustrated as Trey and Mike were, it was the ultimate sign of respect."
McBride is the best tight end in all of football, so sometimes it's not a bad idea to force the ball and simply allow him to make a play. But it's also not a sustainable offense. The Cardinals need more options.
With Harrison out of the picture, Kendrick Bourne predictably had an increased role alongside Wilson. He saw eight targets last week, bringing in five for 70 yards. Still, with the amount of attention that's being given to McBride and Wilson, the Cardinals will need multiple pass catchers to step up.
Brooks is emerging as that WR3 for Arizona, and honestly seems to already have more trust from Brissett than Harrison ever did.
It's an impressive career trajectory going from a fringe roster spot to solidifying himself as the WR3 in just a matter of weeks. He didn't have the most efficient game against the Lions, but the targets and overall opportunity in this new role were certainly there.
Look for Brooks to bounce back against the Rams in a game that will likely have to be a shootout for the Cardinals to have any semblance of a chance. With all eyes on McBride and Wilson, they’ll need contributions from players like him to make that happen.
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