Arizona
Arizona Cardinals still eyeing the cornerback market
GLENDALE — There’s belief within the Arizona Cardinals’ prime two cornerbacks.
Byron Murphy is the clear chief, and defensive coordinator Vance Joseph wouldn’t have despatched Marco Wilson to the wolves in his rookie yr if he wasn’t mentally prepared.
Past that, the Cardinals are nonetheless making an attempt to find out what they’ve behind these two. On Day 2 of coaching camp — with out pads nonetheless — the method of understanding the choices is simply starting.
Antonio Hamilton is the chief within the clubhouse as a result of he performed important snaps because the No. 3 possibility for parts of final season, however signee Josh Jackson is the addition with a resume that places him in line to compete for an enormous function in 2022.
Head coach Kliff Kingsbury stated Thursday the staff stays out there so as to add one other nook.
“I feel so. I feel we’re going to proceed to work with the group we’ve got after which see what’s on the market,” Kingsbury stated. “There’s some actually good gamers nonetheless on the market looking for properties. We’ll be in that market, positively.
“However I like Josh. He’s acquired some savvy, he’s performed in huge video games and he has nice ball abilities — going again to school has a bunch of interceptions and also you noticed that at this time in 7-on-7s.”
Jackson was a second-round pick of Iowa who blew up as a university junior with eight interceptions, two returned for touchdowns, and 18 complete passes defensed.
That momentum for the lanky 6-foot-1 nook continued into the professionals. He had his finest season as a rookie with the Inexperienced Bay Packers in 2018.
Jackson posted 49 tackles with 10 passes defensed that yr however fell right into a depth function the subsequent two seasons. He’s since frolicked with the New York Giants and Kansas Metropolis Chiefs earlier than signing with Arizona because the staff tried to fill the room following the dying of projected contributor Jeff Gladney.
Now together with Murphy, Wilson, Hamilton and Jackson, the cornerback room additionally contains Breon Borders, Jace Whittaker, Nate Brooks, plus rookies Darrell Baker Jr. and Christian Matthew.