‘Let’s get ready to put a ring on our finger’
Arians eager to get roster set, start play
Like many Americans, Cardinals coach Bruce Arians is looking forward to Labor Day, but not because he has the day off. He doesn’t.
It’s on that day, he said, that the 53 individuals on the regular roster, plus 10 on the practice squad, become the Cardinals.
“We haven’t been until this point,” he said. “We always preach about that. Let’s get ready to put a ring on our finger.”
Monday, no doubt, seems a long way away for the team’s personnel department. About 1,200 players across the NFL will hit the market by Saturday afternoon, and the Cardinals will be looking for help at a handful of positions, including punter and outside linebacker.
Preparing for this weekend was “hell on the personnel department,” Arians said.
The Cardinals began making moves on Friday, including releasing running back Chris Johnson, according to reports. The team also traded center/guard Tony Bergstrom to the Ravens for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2018 draft.
“Conditional” usually means the play-
er involved must achieve playing-time or active-roster thresholds.
Bergstrom struggled this preseason and wasn’t expected to make the Cardinals’ roster.
Johnson is the most notable player the Cardinals will release this weekend, but his departure isn’t a surprise. Johnson didn’t look explosive in training camp, and he fumbled twice in Atlanta last week. Johnson did not play Thursday night against the Broncos.
Johnson’s release likely means that Kerwynn Williams, Andre Ellington and Elijhaa Penny will be the backups to starter David Johnson.
This was Johnson’s third season with the Cardinals.
The first two were cut short by injuries, and the Cardinals signed Johnson this summer as insurance. His one-year deal included only $200,000 in guarantees.
Johnson, who turns 32 this month, has 9,537 yards rushing in his career.
The news of Johnson’s departure came after Arians met with reporters Friday morning.
Arians discussed a variety of topics. Here are some highlights:
» The Cardinals held most of their top players out of Thursday night’s game, but they went through a strenuous practice outdoors on Tuesday. They followed a 40-play script, and the players who weren’t participating ran on the sideline during those plays. “A lot of intensity. I thought it was more for me checking their condition. It was hot and we were in really good shape. Some guys stayed out and did a little extra.”
» Arians typically has given his players Monday off before the season opener, reasoning that it was better to practice four consecutive days. Some veterans, most notably receiver Larry Fitzgerald, asked Arians if they instead could start their normal schedule: Work Monday, day off on Tuesday, resume practicing on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Arians granted the request. The previous schedule, practicing four consecutive days “is better for learning,” Arians said. “But it might not be best physically, especially going to the East Coast playing at 10 o’clock.” The Cardinals open the season at Detroit on Sept. 10. Kickoff is 10 a.m. Arizona time.
» He raved again about the performance of rookie safety Rudy Ford on Thursday night in Denver. That suggests Ford will make the initial roster. He also liked how running back Penny performed. “Other than that, some guys went the opposite way.”
» He thinks the Cardinals are a smarter team than a year ago. “We saw that come to fruition all through camp in a lot of situations. We were much, much better than we had been in the past.”
» This year’s team has more fun in practice, Arians said. Last year’s team was very businesslike, probably because expectations were so high. “This year, it’s more of a chip on their shoulder, and it should be.”
» He liked how the backup offensive linemen played Thursday night. The biggest problem early, he said, was dropping two passes.