Arizona Cardinals training camp: Carson Chats

Quarterback Carson Palmer, now in his third year with the Arizona Cardinals, meets the media several times during training camp.

Here, in this space, we’ll highlight many of the key topics and personnel conversations he has with reporters following the morning walk-through.

What kind of special problems does Deone Bucannon bring when he moves down to (linebacker)?

“He moves like a safety and in tight quarters and spaces and hits like a linebacker. I saw him the other day and we ran a play where we pulled our guard and he runs up in the hole and has to hit the MIKE or the JACK in the face. He brought it to a 310 pound guard and you just don’t see that by safeties. He’s built like a bigger safety, hits like a linebacker but he can still cover guys. He will be great when we play teams that check down to the running backs a lot because I am sure he will be matched up with running backs and tight ends in the box. The first couple days he looked like he was learning a new position, but he has gotten more comfortable. I think it is a good thing for our defense.”

How beneficial is it for the offense to work against a strong secondary in practice every day?

“It’s great. When you play against our guys you just can’t miss, can’t leave a ball inside, can’t lead a guy too much or under throw a guy. When you are throwing zone routes you have to put it on the opposite shoulder of where you are because if you miss it’s not a pass breakup it’s an interception. Tyrann (Mathieu) and Patrick (Peterson) both catch the ball extremely well and (Jerraud) Powers hands are very underrated. He’s just so smart and sees things before the snap and is like a quarterback in the secondary. It’s a good mix of different things going on, but when you play against us you’ve got to be on and can’t miss balls by a foot or two when your playing us because like I said, it’s not pass break-ups, its picks.”

Were you around the team after your injury last season?

“As soon as I had the surgery I was in bed for a couple days and then was in the facility. I was there during morning meetings and then the rehab process started and that was a good chunk of the day. Early on I was not supposed to be up on it or walking on it, so I was in doing rehab. I wasn’t allowed to travel or be around on the sideline in crutches in people’s way. I was there as much as I can , but rehab takes up much of your time, hours each day. The one thing that was consistent from November through January was be in the meetings and keep your mind on football.”

Did you think the team would cut ties with you after your injury?

“You just don’t know. I was thinking, what happens if we make a run.. You can’t predict the future. I was hoping that wasn’t the case. I’ve been around a long time and seen crazy things happen. I’ve seen guys get let go that shouldn’t get let go and guys stick around that shouldn’t be there. As crazy as the first 10 weeks of the season were, and the next seven, I’ve seen weirder things happen and just didn’t know with so much up in the air.”

Are you concerned about more playing time this week with increase of preseason injuries?

No, you can’t fear that. You can’t think about that or worry about that. There is so much on your plate from a quarterback standpoint and that is the last thing you are thinking about. You have so many things, so many checks to make pre-snap and post-snap, and then worrying or fearing an injury because it is a game that doesn’t count, for the most part the guys on this team don’t think much about that.”

How much time are you going to get on Sunday?

“We haven’t been told yet what we are going to get. I would assume the first half and then coming out in the third quarter.”

Are you OK with that?

“I’m OK with coach’s decision. I would love to play more. Obviously you have more information, but we have a big practice today and we will worry about that and when game gets here we will sit on the bench when we are going to sit on the bench.”

Can competition be healthy for the number three quarterback spot?

I think competition is great everywhere, but yeah it’s coming down to these last two games for the last quarterback spot. It seems to me the philosophy around here is the best stay regardless of draft position, regardless of anything. The best are kept on the team and the best play. These last two weeks of training camp are huge for the young guys to just learn and get better, but then they are still battling it out.

On the thought of riding off into the sunset with Bruce Arians?

“I don’t like to use the word ‘old,’ though. You can use it when you talk about coaches. I’m in my mid-to-early 30s, and in quarterback years that’s middle of the road in my book.”

Thoughts on Jared Veldheer not sharing his beers with Bruce Arains?

“That’s the first time Coach Arians has ever been wrong because he is a very good sharer. He will tell you that is brew house is always open and I have visited multiple times. He’s like a chemist. He’s not a dumb offensive lineman and is very intelligent.”

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