For many Arizona Cardinals players, today’s preseason outing against the Minnesota Vikings was their final chance to prove they deserve a spot on the roster. Nearly half the players you have come to know over the past few months won’t get the phone call they were hoping to get, but the good news is that several players not listed below should become viable members of the practice squad.
In this final roster projection before the cutdown, I did something a little differently. Instead of projecting what I think general manager Monti Ossenfort and Company will do, I’m projecting what I believe they should do.
Therefore, this projection will look a little different from what you may have seen in the past, including one major difference at the first position listed. So who should the Cardinals keep? As with previous editions, you will see 55 players listed, with Kyler Murray and Garrett Williams projected to start the year off the active roster.
Who finds a spot on the 2023 Arizona Cardinals?
Offense
Quarterback: Josh Dobbs, Clayton Tune (Kyler Murray)
As you can see, I’m looking for Ossenfort and head coach Jonathan Gannon to cut ties with quarterback Colt McCoy. The aging quarterback is a hindrance, and he’s holding the team back at this point.
In his stead, Josh Dobbs opens the season as the starter, despite having just two weeks to learn the playbook. But Dobbs is a smart player whose journeyman status implies he can quickly grasp any offensive system thrown at him, so I wouldn’t be worried if he’s the guy in Week 1.
Running back: James Conner, Keaontay Ingram, Emari Demercado, Corey Clement
James Conner and Keaontay Ingram are a pair of bruisers that will allow the Arizona Cardinals to play a throwback style this season. Emari Demercado wasn’t great in the preseason, but he’s a versatile back who can catch passes. Corey Clement wins the RB4 job because he can play just about anywhere on special teams.