Veteran WR Little hopes to land with Cards
The sign said “Cardinals rookie minicamp,” so what was a 28-year-old, sixyear NFL veteran wide receiver doing on the field Friday at the team’s Tempe training facility?
It’s simple. Greg Little, who led the Cleveland Browns in catches and receiving yards as a rookie way back in 2011, is looking for work again after spending all of last season “on the couch.” The former second-round pick out of North Carolina was one of 24 players invited to camp on a tryout basis, although he was the only one with any real experience.
Most of the 61 players participating in this weekend’s workouts are fullfledged rookies. Nine of them have one year’s worth of some type of pro experience. And then there’s Little, who has caught 161 passes for nearly 2,000 yards in the NFL to go along with eight touchdowns.
“Opportunity,” Little said. “Coach (Steve) Wilks came in yesterday, and that was the first thing he put on the board. That really hit home for me. This is an opportunity. … Honestly, it hits home. This league is here today, gone tomorrow. I’m just trying to make the best of this opportunity.”
So far so good. Little showed flashes on Friday of why he finished second in the league to the Bengals’ A.J. Green in rookie receptions, making several dazzling grabs and tough catches while running some extremely precise routes for rookie quarterbacks Josh Rosen and Chad Kanoff.
Given the lack of depth in the Cardinals’ wide receiver room, Little could earn himself a one-year contract if he shows more of the same these next two days.
“I think you guys saw the same thing I saw,” Wilks said. “He was out there making some plays, and he stood out a little bit. It was good to be able to get him out here. I know he’s excited about the opportunity he has, and hopefully he can continue to make the most of it through the weekend and we’ll see what happens on Sunday.”
Little, who said he was on the Cardinals’ “short list” a year ago entering training camp regarding a possible roster invitation, called his journey thus far an “eye-opening” experience.
“I’ll just hang my hat on that,” he said. “When you come in the league, every- body has high expectations. Everybody thinks they’re going to have this illustrious career. That’s not always the case. But as long as you keep your head down and keep working, you’ll stay in the fight.
Fitting in
Receiver Christian Kirk, who is from Scottsdale, could be sleeping in his own bed during rookie camp, but he decided to stay with other players in a hotel.
There are a couple of reasons for that. The hotel is close to the team’s practice facility and players are shuttled back and forth, while Kirk’s parents’ house is a 30-minute commute.
Staying at the hotel also allows him to get know his teammates.
“Just to get the whole experience of being at the rookie minicamp,” said Kirk, who is rooming with Rosen. “I wanted to be with the guys.”
Kirk said there aren’t any extra demands on his time from family and friends, even though he is beginning his professional career in his hometown.
“I give most of the credit to the guys I put in my circle,” he said. “All my friends that are close to me know my mission and what I’m trying to do. They let me be. They are there for encouragement. They’re there for me when I need them. They let me go to work, do my business and when it’s time to hang out with them, they’re open-armed.”
German exchange
The Cardinals got their first real look in person at defensive lineman Djeri Moubarak, the 6-foot-3, 275-pounder from the West African nation of Togo who moved to Germany when he was 11 and played in the German Football League.
Last season, Moubarak finished with 40 tackles, including 10 for loss, in addition to two sacks and a pair of forced fumbles for the Cologne Crocodiles.
“He’s learning, Number1, the game as we play it over here,” Wilks said. “It is a process for him. I love the way he works. I’m excited about him. Again, he’s a project and we’ve just got to see exactly how it goes. … We’re in shorts and Tshirts. Until we put the pads on and really start going full-bore with one another, you never can tell.”
Finally, a fullback
Former Cardinals coach Bruce Arians was never a fan of fullbacks, which explains why there never was one on the roster during his five seasons here. Wilks, however, has long been a proponent of the fullback position, and that’s a big reason the team signed five-year pro Derrick Coleman to a one-year deal this week.
The first deaf offensive player in the NFL, Coleman has played 47 games in the league (including 14 starts) during his time with the Vikings, Seahawks and, most recently, the Falcons.
“I think Derrick is going to come in and really give us a boost,” Wilks said. “We didn’t really have a true fullback on the roster. Going against him in that (NFC South) division, the guy has proven himself. Most importantly, he brings another element on special teams, as well, and that’s a big thing for me as a head coach.
“Within our system and the things we do, a fullback is a part of that offense. We think that’s a major part of what we’re doing, and we wanted to bring in a guy that’s going to shore up that position for us.”
Quick kicks
❚ Mason Cole, the team’s third-round pick out of Michigan who has experience at every position along the offensive line, worked out specifically at center on Friday. That doesn’t mean he also won’t be tried at guard, Wilks said. “We see him as both, to be honest,” the coach said. “That’s the one thing that attracted us to him is just that position flexibility that he has. He’s a hard-nosed, gritty guy. I know what I’ve seen on film. He has that make-up, and that’s the reason why we wanted him here and that’s the reason why we drafted him.”
❚ Wilks on what rookies can do this weekend to catch his eye and that of the rest of the Cardinals’ coaching staff: “The biggest thing Number 1 is just the effort. That’s the one thing we can’t coach. You’re going to make mistakes from a standpoint of system or schemewise, we’ll correct that. But guys just showing that all-out effort, running to the ball, doing all the little things right. And most importantly, it’s the things in the class room, really taking the playbook and coming out here and playing it on the field is a major plus for me as well. You want smart guys out there and that’s what we’re looking for.”
❚ The Cardinals announced they signed three rookies to four-year deals on Friday: running back Chase Edmonds (fourth round), cornerback Chris Campbell (sixth round) and offensive tackle Korey Cunningham (seventh round)
Preseason specifics
The Cardinals knew their 2018 preseason opponents - beginning with the Chargers - but now they know the specifics.
The dates and kickoff times of the 65game NFL preseason schedule were announced Friday, beginning with the annual NFL/Hall of Fame Game between the Chicago Bears and Baltimore Ravens in Canton, Ohio, on Thursday night, Aug. 2.
❚ Saturday, Aug. 11, home vs. Los Angeles Chargers, 7 p.m.
❚ Friday, Aug. 17, at New Orleans Saints, 5 p.m.
❚ Sunday, Aug. 26, at Dallas Cowboys, 5 p.m., Channel 12
❚ Thursday, Aug. 30, home vs. Denver Broncos, 7 p.m.