Cards TE Arnold preps for bigger role
Sometimes, when the moment is right, Dan Arnold will scream at his coworkers.
“He’s one of those who will scream every now and then just to see if guys are paying attention,” Kliff Kingsbury said.
Kingsbury says “one of those” as if simply every group has a token screamer. Perhaps there are more of those in 2020, but in many work places, this would pose as a problem and a hostile environment. However, it is sometimes OK on a football team, and in this case, Arnold has his boss’ approval. It also helps that he does it not out of malice, but as a way to “amp up” his Cardinals teammates.
“When we need a whole energy boost, I think it’s kind of fun to amp up your teammates and get them ready to go.” said Arnold, a third-year tight end. “...I like to be fired up about things and when guys are making good plays, congratulating them, celebrating everything.”
Arnold is entering his second season with the Cardinals, though the first one was significantly abbreviated. The team acquired him in Week 14 last year, so he played just three games with Arizona after entering the league with New Or
leans. But he made quite the impression, and now he’s looking to give Cardinals fans a reason to yell out in celebration.
Last year, Charles Clay (237 yards) and Maxx Williams (202 yards) led the Cardinals tight ends in yards receiving. Clay is currently a free agent, and at the moment, Williams is working through an injury.
“He’s got some soreness, some lingering stuff,” Kingsbury said of Williams on Monday. “He’s one of those players, along with several others, that for us, it’s about getting those guys to Week One . ... There’s quite a few vets on this team that we know what they’re about, and we want them to be healthy when we play the 49ers, and he’s one of those on that plan.”
But Arnold had nearly half the yards (102) and double the touchdowns (two with Arizona) in less than a quarter of the season with the team. He did all this on just six receptions. It is unlikely that he will continue the pace of a touchdown once every three catches, but his production in that short time frame is significant.
There are a few factors there. Kingsbury did integrate his tight ends more and more as the season went on. But playcalling aside, Arnold is 6-6 and quarterback Kyler Murray really likes him.
“I’ve never had a guy that big that can do what he can do,” Murray said last December. “It’s pretty nice.”
For Murray, Arnold’s Week 15 debut was foreshadowed with some “freakish catches” during practices leading up to that game. That is happening again. When Peter Schrager spoke highly of the Cardinals tight end, calling for a breakout season, teammate Justin Pugh vouched for Arnold with a recent example.
“Double down. Should’ve seen the catch he made today,” Pugh tweeted Thursday. He even tweeted this with the eyeballs emoji, which only ups the intrigue.
Arnold appreciates the support from his teammates and was excited to have some college friends texting him about the predictions. He just wants to back it up in each game.
“It didn’t take us long to get him caught up to speed,” Kingsbury said Monday. “He was all about learning the offense, and we were able to put him in fairly quickly and start utilizing him. He’s a talented player.”
There is a difference in relying on raw talent with a basic understanding of the playbook and being immersed in one’s role. And that seems particularly prevalent on Kingsbury’s offense, which is ever-evolving. Arnold candidly admits that he needed a bit of time to learn more, and that the offseason was invaluable for that.
“When you get up to the line and you’re thinking about assignment, it’s hard to think about what you’re going to do to react to defenses and how they’re changing coverages on the fly,” Arnold said. “You’re not really thinking about that. You’re just thinking about, ‘Okay, well, where am I supposed to be?’
“...I think I’m a lot more comfortable with this offense this year coming into it. I don’t feel like I need to be taking baby steps with it, and having the coaches kind of explain everything in the heat of the moment to me in order to get me on the right page.”
Now, Kingsbury wants him to deepen that comfort level, both with the offense as a whole and particularly with Murray.
“We’re hoping he can build with us, build with Kyler, and be a valuable target for us,” Kingsbury said.
Arnold’s temperament also mirrors Murray’s in some ways. Outside of the yelling, the Wisconsin native is actually more reserved.
“(He’s) not overly loud or out there with his thoughts,” Kingsbury said of Arnold. “But you can tell he’s locked in, and he is physical, and he wants that contact . ... You like that, the competitive nature is there day in, day out. He definitely has a big chip on his shoulder, so he’s fun to be around.”
There is one caveat from the head coach, however.
“Kliff told me as long as (I’m) not screaming in his face or getting in his face or anything, everything’s all good,” Arnold said. “...If we all amp each other up, all have the energy, I think it just makes it more enjoyable, and it makes it a more fun process for everybody.”
No word on fans yet
It remains to be seen if Cardinals fans watching Arnold this year will be able to do so in person. More teams are announcing what their early games will look like, whether that is fanless or at limited capacity.
As far as Arizona, Kingsbury says he is still not sure what the situation will look like at State Farm Stadium as far as fans for the Week Two home opener against the Washington football team.