Every day, Dadrion Taylor-Demerson tells himself the same thing: "Stay ready, so you don't have to get ready."
It's also a phrase that he believes his rookie teammates embody.
"A lot of guys in this class have been thrown in at any given moment and we're ready, but you never know when it's going to happen and it just comes out of nowhere," the safety said. "I feel like there's no drop off from our class. We come in and I feel like we add value."
Of the 12 rookies the Cardinals drafted, seven have played in some capacity. Christian Jones, who was just activated to the 53-man roster this week, could potentially make his debut as the eighth on Sunday against the Dolphins.
Taylor-Demerson has seen some playing time this season, mostly on special teams. With cornerback Garrett Williams ailing against the 49ers, the man they call "Rabbit" logged 22 defensive snaps and a few pass breakups that caught the attention of the coaching staff.
With cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting sidelined this weekend with a neck injury, the door is open for Max Melton, the Cardinals second-round pick, to continue increasing his usage. He played a career-high 52 snaps on Monday night.
"Max goes out there and does his thing," Taylor-Demerson said.
There's a chance that Taylor-Demerson sees additional playing time as well. "I study every week like I'm the starter on the field," he said.
Cardinals rookies, both in 2023 and 2024, have seen more playing time than they might've otherwise expected. With Dennis Gardeck tearing his ACL on Monday night, linebacker Xavier Thomas is next on the list to potentially make his return to the grass after being a healthy scratch in recent games.
"You've seen a couple of guys this year get some opportunities and maximize some opportunities," coach Jonathan Gannon said. "Roles change with production, that's one of the things that go into your role. I'm excited for our guys."
Guard Isaiah Adams had been eagerly waiting for his number to be called. In back-to-back games he's played over 20 snaps. Offensive coordinator Drew Petzing said he saw a jump from Adams, who was a third-round pick, in between Week 6 and 7.
That's music to Adams' ears.
"At the end of the day, you just want to be someone that guys can count on no matter what position you are," Adams said. "When your name is called, you're expected to be at that level, and there shouldn't be no drop off, so that comes with preparing as if you were going out there and playing."
Adams' patience has begun to pay off. For Taylor-Demerson and the other rookies, they're staying ready so they don't have to get ready.
"Seeing them ball just motivates me for whenever I get on the field, like why can't I be a part of the fun that's going on," Taylor-Demerson said. "The name of the game is being patient, and that's what I am. When the time comes, I'm ready to rock out."
