Now that the Cardinals offseason work has concluded, the players are out of the facility. Many have stated that these next few weeks aren't time off from football, but time away from the facility, hoping players remain locked in and prepared to report to Glendale for training camp on July 23. In the meantime, azcardinals.com will take a look and evaluate each position group prior to camp.
Next up, wide receiver.
LOCKS: Marvin Harrison Jr., Michael Wilson, Greg Dortch
When the fourth overall selection is used on a player with the caliber of Marvin Harrison Jr., he should be on the "lock" list for years to come. It's no secret how much of an impact Harrison is expected to make on the Cardinals roster. As quarterback Kyler Murray told the media, even when No. 18 "isn't open, he's open." Towards the end of OTAs, Harrison was already taking reps as WR1.
Michael Wilson has said that the most important number for him in 2024 is 17, with the stat belonging in the games played category. When he's out on the gridiron, Wilson is a difference maker. Over the course of 13 games, Wilson averaged nearly 15 yards per reception. The 2023 third-rounder for the Cardinals has spent a lot of time throughout the offseason working with Murray off campus. The chemistry that continues to be forged between the two will help come September.
Midway through the 2023 season, the question was posed to Jonathan Gannon about what more he needs to see from Greg Dortch to ensure he sees the field more often. "Consistency" was the response from the Cardinals head coach. The Cardinals re-signed Dortch for the 2024 season and since then, the wide receiver has received praise from Gannon and Murray, even with QB1 saying he'd "go to war" with Dortch. Considering his potential abilities with the new kickoff format, it appears like the 5-foot-7 wide receiver is a lock to make the roster.
WORK TO DO: Zay Jones, Chris Moore, Zach Pascal, Tejhaun Palmer, Xavier Weaver, Dan Chisena, Andre Baccellia, Jeff Smith, Daniel Arias
It's worth emphasizing that a few of the players in the "work to do" category will make the roster in 2024. There's a belief that players like Zay Jones and Chris Moore, two free agency acquisitions, could be on the plane flying to Buffalo for the season opener. The Cardinals also used the final day of the draft to turn in Tejhaun Palmer's card in the sixth round, and signed Xavier Weaver as an undrafted rookie free agent.
With a heavy emphasis on the tight end position in Drew Petzing's offense, each wide receiver is going to be competing for snaps. Due to the Cardinals stout running game, wide receivers have the expectation to excel in the blocking game as well. If a receiver can bring that aspect to the offense, they can certainly be in the running for one of the 53 roster spots.
UPGRADE ODDS: Low
When comparing the 2023 roster to the upcoming 2024 roster, multiple players in the work to do category would've likely played meaningful snaps last season. General manager Monti Ossenfort put an emphasis on the position through free agency and the draft, giving the team plenty of options to choose from heading into training camp.
