Training camp has arrived for the Arizona Cardinals and the other 31 NFL teams. And while few are expecting much from the Redbirds, it doesn’t stop the influx of optimism from creeping in at this stage in the season.
This becomes especially true when we see some notable things happen at camp involving not only some fan favorites, but also a dark horse or two who could find a niche on the 53-man roster. And on Thursday, three notable things happened that caught our attention.
Takeaways from Arizona Cardinals Camp - July 27th
1 - Clayton Tune moving up on the depth chart?
You know how excited we have been about Clayton Tune since the Arizona Cardinals drafted him. And while Colt McCoy is still the man to beat at quarterback with Kyler Murray on the PUP list, Tune is clearly making his case.
On Thursday, the rookie saw time with the second offense, indicating he’s moving beyond Jeff Driskel and David Blough, as expected. What wasn’t so expected, though, is how fast Tune seems to be moving up and it could be a matter of time before he’s at least getting a look with the first team.
2 - Isaiah Simmons looks like he will play safety
So far, we’re seeing the Cardinals run three-safety packages, indicating defensive back Isaiah Simmons will be seeing time at the position. In Part II of my depth chart predictions, I listed Simmons at both nickel and safety, but now that we have an idea of where he’s likely playing, I can finally update the projected depth chart accordingly.
All summer long I’ve also been talking about the dynamic duo that is Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson - one ray of hope for an Arizona Cardinals team that’s not supposed to accomplish much in 2023. But with Simmons joining the party, that duo looks like it’s about to become a trio.
3 - Return of the fullback?
With it looking more and more like a quarterback duel will erupt between Colt McCoy and Clayton Tune, a byproduct would be an offense focusing heavily on the running game, as expected. But most offenses built around the run have one position that you don’t see on every NFL roster - a fullback.
The Cardinals don’t have one listed on their depth chart, but it looks like tight end Noah Togiai is getting the honors. Technically, this would be considered an H-back, but nonetheless, if the trend continues, then Togiai could work his way onto the roster and serve a role in the Arizona backfield.
Source: New era notes: Cardinals’ Clayton Tune runs with the 2s early into training camp by Tyler Drake, Arizona Sports