3 competitive advantages the Arizona Cardinals have over the Commanders in Week 1
By Sion Fawkes
3 - Cardinals secondary vs. Commanders receivers
The Commanders could have a remarkable receiving unit, and WR1 Terry McLaurin is one of the best in the game. But Arizona Cardinals CB1 Marco Wilson made noticeable strides last year, and he should match up well against McLaurin.
Curtis Samuel is a decent WR2 who returned to form last year, and Jahan Dotson could be poised for a breakout. But the Cards should have an answer with Kei’Trel Clark showing excellent value for a sixth round pick.
Following Arizona’s depth chart release yesterday, we found out that Clark successfully wrestled the starting job from Antonio Hamilton Sr. But we also know Hamilton is also a good coverage guy, having allowed just 9.4 yards per completion and 6.3 yards per target last year. In 2021, Hamilton posted similar advanced stats, giving us reassurance he will enjoy a repeat performance this year.
Then there are the safeties in Budda Baker, Jalen Thompson, and newcomer K’Von Wallace. Baker is the all-around ace, while Thompson showed us he can play slot corner in the preseason. The duo is among the best safety tandems in football, and Wallace could make that a trio thanks to his familiarity in Jonathan Gannon’s system.
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(Statistics provided by Pro-Football-Reference)