5 THINGS TO WATCH

Cardinals insider Bob McManaman breaks down what to watch in Friday night's preseason game against the New Orleans Saints.

How will Bradford and his knee hold up?

The Cardinals' starting quarterback said rest and the execution of a continuous training plan has left both his body and his oft-injured knee feeling as good as he can remember. That’s important considering the nine-year veteran is about to be exposed to the most live action he’s faced since Week 5 of the 2017 season. He has yet to take a hit since signing with the Cardinals.

Will Rosen makes strides with the starters?

Rookie quarterback Josh Rosen never could get anything going in his NFL preseason debut last week, largely because he and the rest of the second-team offense rarely could find any rhythm. The firstround pick did show his mobility and poise by nimbly avoiding a rush to connect on nice first-down pass play. He’ll get plenty of more opportunities by getting a chance to shine with the starting offensive line.

Keep an eye on the rookie RB

Chase Edmonds hasn’t looked like a fourth-round draft pick from a small school. When Johnson came out after two carries last week against the Chargers, the Cardinals inserted the speedy, tough Fordham standout into the mix with the starters and he responded with some physical runs and a gritty touchdown run that featured a veteran-like extra effort.

Budda, Budda, Budda

Secondary coach Dave Merritt mentioned earlier in camp that no player wears more hats on defense than Budda Baker, the team’s secondyear safety who is asked to cover multiple spaces at a moment’s notice. With depth concerns at linebacker, expect to see Baker play in the box more often than normal.

Chad Williams will score a touchdown

Well, that’s what coach Steve Wilks predicted this week, anyway. Someone asked him about players showing bad body language, and Wilks said he noticed it in the secondyear wide receiver during the team’s final practice of camp. He said Williams dropped a few passes and was hanging his head, but the coach boldly predicted the secondyear man will hit the reset button, regroup and added, “I promise you come Friday night he’s going to catch everything that comes to him and he’s probably going to score.”