Notes from the Nest: July 26, 2014
Jul 27, 2014, 3:31 AM | Updated: 3:32 am
Glendale, Ariz. — The Cardinals went through day one of their 2014 training camp at University of Phoenix Stadium Saturday. The players were not wearing pads, but there was considerable energy in the building as fans got their first chance to see this year’s team.
Of Note
– One of the more interesting battles this camp should be the one at kicker, and it looked like rookie Chandler Catanzaro got the leg up (pun intended) on incumbent Jay Feely Saturday. At one point, Catanzaro connected on four of four attempts while Feely had made just three of five.
– Though he threw a nice deep ball to Walt Powell for a touchdown late in the afternoon, quarterback Logan Thomas was a bit erratic. He also fumbled a snap. Rookie jitters, perhaps?
– Jared Veldheer knows what kind of trouble the Cardinals have had at left tackle. He says he wants to be accountable to his teammates and do a good job.
– Tony Jefferson and Rashad Johnson were the starting safeties Saturday, with rookie Deone Bucannon working with the second team.
– Bobby Massie and Paul Fanaika made up the starting right side of the offensive line.
– Tyrann Mathieu received a loud ovation from the fans when he made his way onto the field. Apparently Cards fans like him.
– Jonathan Cooper, making his way back after breaking his leg and missing all of last season, declared himself ready to go.
– Neither Larry Fitzgerald nor Carson Palmer were too concerned with the expectations people are placing on them, each saying it’s all about what the players expect of themselves.
Stat of the Day
Darnell Dockett’s 4.5 sacks last season were his most in a year since he had five in 2010. It’s also the fourth-most sacks he’s had in any of his 10 previous NFL seasons.
Quotes of the Day
“I don’t think I have anything to prove to the NFL or anybody else, at this point I need to prove it to myself,” cornerback Antonio Cromartie said. “Knowing that I’m healthy, going out and go play football the best way I know how.”
“It’s awesome. It’s been a while since it’s been so stable around me. It’s been five years, six years. So it’s exciting. It’s fun,” quarterback Carson Palmer said when asked about the stability around him with the Cardinals. “It’s nice to just focus on you and focus on your improvements and as that happens you focus on the other guys around you. But just being able come into camp prepared, knowing how stable everything is. It’s not up and down, it’s not going to possibly change drastically right before camp like it has before for me. So just being a very stable, even-keel mood and flow coming through July and out of OTAs and all that. Now that camp is here I just feel different than I’ve ever felt.”
“It’s a very basic level of joy right now, it’s not about anything else but just having the opportunity to play, simple as that,” linebacker Sam Acho said of getting back on the field following last year’s injury. “I couldn’t play last year, and now I’ve got a chance to play.”
