The time for Max Melton might be here. The second-round pick has already been playing a significant amount at cornerback, but with Sean Murphy-Bunting now having left two straight games with a neck injury, that has only ramped up.
Melton played 52 of the Cardinals' 66 defensive snaps against the Chargers on Monday night, setting career-bests in snaps and snap percentage (79). Melton was also second on the team with nine tackles, forced a fumble and made an impressive pass breakup by diving to knock it down.
Murphy-Bunting only played 14 snaps before leaving the game. Cornerback Starling Thomas V was part of the 100 percent club (all 66 snaps), as were safeties Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson. Cornerback Garrett Williams (52) was the other piece of the secondary (Rabbit Taylor-Demerson got 2.)
At outside linebacker, Dennis Gardeck had just 22 snaps before leaving with a knee injury on a special teams play (NFL Network reported Gardeck tore his ACL, which would be a painful development.) Zaven Collins (40), Julien Okwara (29), and Jesse Luketa (22) were next. At inside linebacker, Kyzir White was 100 percent (66), with Mack Wilson Sr. (59) and Krys Barnes (20) getting in work.
On the beleaguered defensive line, Dante Stills topped the list (36) followed by L.J. Collier (35), Ben Stille (27), Naquan Jones (20), Roy Lopez (20), and Khyiris Tonga (14).
Offensively, James Conner was at his bellcow best and his snaps showed it; he set season-highs in snaps (48), and snap percentage (84). Emari Demercado only got six snaps at running back. Trey Benson was at four.
At wide receiver, Marvin Harrison Jr. came off his concussion to have a unit-high 48 snaps, with Michael WIlson at 44 and Greg Dortch down to 17 (although he had a TD catch.) Zay Jones had 11 in his first game of the season. AT tight end, Trey McBride was at 54 (of 57), and Tip Reiman (30) and Elijah Higgins (21) next.
Clayton Tune got three of Kyler Murray's snaps running the tush push - one worked, two others did not. Trystan Colon (37) and Isaiah Adams (20) were the only offensive linemen not out for every snap.
