July 22nd is about to drop a week earlier for the Arizona Cardinals, and honestly, the whole league's gonna be watching what happens. This isn't just some casual early camp start, folks; the Cards are kicking things off early because they're playing in the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday, August 6, down in Canton, Ohio. Kickoff is set for 8:00 p.m. Eastern, and that game is gonna be a massive highlight of the weekend that sees former Cardinals legend Larry Fitzgerald inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. With 90 players under contract all vying for just 53 spots on the Week 1 roster, the early start means these guys better be ready for some serious battles.
The QB Chaos Is About To Get Real
Remember last year? Kyler Murray was healthy, Jacoby Brissett was signed as the starter, and the only question was who'd be QB3. Simple. Cut and dry. Fast forward to this year and BAM, chaos. Coach Mike LaFleur *named* Brissett the starter, right? Then he practically took that assertion back! Why? Because Brissett completely ghosted on all the offseason OTAs and minicamps. With a new offensive scheme being installed, those on-field reps and tutelage are absolutely critical for understanding what the heck is going on. You need to be there, putting in the work. And guess who was there? Gardner Minshew. He looked good during the offseason sessions, and he's definitely made some noise about working hard to claim that starting role. Even rookie Carson Beck is playing the same angle: show up for everything, stay in the weight room, and then tell the media his goal is to start sooner rather than later. If LaFleur really did retract and open this job up, Minshew and Beck are coming for it. Brissett better show up July 22nd ready to fight, or he's gonna get left behind.Who's Locking Down The Safety Room?
Then there's the safety room, and what a head-scratcher that's been. Jalen Thompson? Gone. Just like that. He was a good player, too, and it felt pretty strange that Ossenfort didn't retain him. Budda Baker, though? Thank goodness, he's still there, rocking a house full of Pro Bowl hardware. But the big question remains: who is going to replace Thompson? And who's going to fill that linebacker role in DC Nick Rallis' aggressive 4-2-5 scheme? We all assumed the Cardinals would draft a young buck for the safety room, but nope, that came and went. Afterwards, Ossenfort did sign S Wydett Williams, Jr. from Ole Miss. And during free agency, they inked hard-hitting Andrew Wingard from the Philadelphia Eagles. He was signed to fill Thompson's spot, and he's currently on the unofficial depth chart. But man, that defensive back room is slapping full, with 11 cornerbacks and seven safeties right now. It's gonna be a grinder to see who earns a spot. So, when the Cardinals kick off their training camp July 22nd, a full week earlier than everyone else, it ain't just for a Hall of Fame game. It's to figure out who's taking the snaps, who's locking down the secondary, and what this team actually is. That Hall of Fame game on August 6th? It's gonna be a first look at all these battles, not just a celebration for Larry Fitzgerald. Better grab your popcorn, because it's about to get interesting.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.