3 biggest risks the Arizona Cardinals are taking with 53-man roster

2 - Staying thin at receiver

Unless something changes, the Cards are entering the 2023 season with just five receivers on the roster, which once again, isn’t unheard of. And for a run-first team, it makes sense as they have four tight ends, some of whom will undoubtedly play fullback, or better yet, H-back. 

But here’s the kicker: Marquise Brown, Michael Wilson (in college), and Rondale Moore all missed significant time with injuries last season. Conventional wisdom says they would have kept at least one more player on the active roster as insurance, and initially, that was the case as Daniel Arias made the first 53.

Luckily for the Cardinals, they managed to re-sign Arias, along with Andre Baccellia, and Kaden Davis to the practice squad. All three enjoyed solid camps and preseasons, so if injuries strike the unit, we know this trio can at least put up serviceable performances. 

The only huge gamble here? They are all playing against starters, not backups. And their relegation to the practice squad doesn’t give them a chance to see in-game reps against opposing starters.