Against Former Team, Starling Thomas V Wants Cardinals Corners To Leave Impression On Lions

Secondary coming off strong game in win over Rams

Sep 21, 2024 at 12:01 PM

Zach Gershman

azcardinals.com

Cornerback Starling Thomas V was with the Lions as a rookie last season before being released and claimed by the Cardinals.

Undrafted in 2023, the Lions were the first team to give Starling Thomas V a chance.

That lasted through the preseason, Detroit cut him, and the rest of Thomas' career -- in Arizona, after the Cardinals claimed the cornerback -- began.

As the Lions visit State Farm Stadium on Sunday, Thomas is grateful his first team gave him an opportunity, but he's looking forward to "showing what they missed out on."

"(I want) to prove myself right," Thomas said. "Prove the Cardinals right and just prove everybody that believed in me right."

The Cardinals cornerback room is young, comprised of mostly first and second-year players. Thomas, Max Melton, Garrett Williams, and Kei'Trel Clark are all seeing action early in the season. Sean Murphy-Bunting is the leader in that room, a unit that coach Jonathan Gannon describes as "extremely intelligent."

"They do have to be smart, and I like where they're at technique at the point of attack," Gannon said. "We haven't busted a coverage through two games, and we play some different things."

The Cardinals haven't played the Lions since 2021, so outside of Jared Goff's time in the NFC West with the Rams, this matchup presents a level of unfamiliarity. A receiving corps led by star Amon-Ra St. Brown and the blazing Jameson Williams, the Cardinals secondary will be tested.

"I guarded most of those guys before, so I got a feel on how to guard them or what type of plays will work against them," Thomas said. "Then seeing certain route concepts, that'll be great because I've already seen some of them before."

Perhaps more importantly, the corners have already earned respect from veteran safeties Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson.

"Usually in the season it's like, 'alright, corners, this is what happens,'" Baker said. "Corners are kind of in their own world. But the offseason definitely helped letting them understand what the concepts mean, where the help should be, shouldn't be. The communication with us has gotten a whole lot better, so it's definitely exciting to be able to just line up, see the formation, and let me make my call out to the corners."

Aside from the receivers, the Lions have running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery and a stud tight end in Sam LaPorta. The test will be stiff, more difficult than the Rams posed.

"They got guys that guys that can get the ball and make plays, so you have to have great eyes and attack the ball carrier and swarm to the ball," Thomas said. "Flying around, making plays, and just doing something that we expect to do every week which is win, man.

"We're just really looking to build on that, because we know we can do that every week."

Lions coach Dan Campbell said his staff saw Thomas as a raw player coming out of UAB. Their plan was to let Thomas be a good special teamer while he learned cornerback. He likely would've been on Detroit's practice squad had the Cardinals not scooped him up.

"You see what they're doing with him out there which I'm not surprised with at all," Campbell said. "He's certainly a better player than when he left here, that's what you see."

Over the course of 12 months, Thomas emerged from a borderline practice squad player to a starter. Sunday's game will mark his 10^th start in 15 games. When Thomas’ story is brought up, perseverance is a given more than it being a surprise.

Which is why Gannon felt convicted in Thomas' readiness.

"He's playing good football right now," Gannon said. "I'm glad we have him."

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Arizona Cardinals safety Joey Blount (32) during practice at the Dignity Health Training Facility on Wednesday, September. 18, 2024 in Tempe, AZ.