McCoy molding offense to fit Cardinals players’ talents
GLENDALE — Offensive coordinator Mike McCoy is building the Arizona Cardinals’ offense from scratch and, big surprise, David Johnson is figuring prominently in his plays.
“David’s a special back,” McCoy said after the Cardinals practiced in pads in muggy weather outdoors on Tuesday.
“You see how the offensive line worked together the first day in pads (on Monday),” McCoy said. “That was a positive, watching those guys and the way they all work together. We’ve got a long ways to go still but that’s what training camp is for. But we’re off to a good start.”
McCoy brings plenty of experience to work alongside first-year coach Steve Wilks. McCoy was head coach of the San Diego Chargers as well as two stints as offensive coordinator of the Denver Broncos.
Johnson sat out minicamp in a contract dispute but came back for training camp and, as always, has impressed his coaches.
“I think everybody knows what kind of player he is,” McCoy said. “The way he played in the ‘16 season. He can do it all.”
Johnson led the NFL in yards from scrimmage in 2016 but broke his left wrist in last year’s opener and missed the remainder of the season. He’s fully healthy now.
McCoy said that most running backs are all right out of the backfield, “but he’s special.”
“He can run every route in the route tree a receiver runs,” McCoy said. “Are we going to do that with him? We’ll find out come the season, and you just love the way he works all the day.”
At quarterback, Sam Bradford is working on chemistry with his receiv-