Cards camp notebook: Arizona looking to build solid core ‘brick by brick’

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Football is back.

Well, sort of.

The Arizona Cardinals kicked off their first official day of training camp on Friday as fans got their first look of the new team.

There aren’t any pads yet, but that doesn’t mean the Cardinals are taking plays off during the first day.

From the sounds of things, it seems like the complete opposite.

“We’re building bricks, every day,” offensive lineman D.J. Humphries said. “Coach had a saying yesterday … When you go in your room every night and you’re done at the end of everyday, you better be happy with the work you laid that day and the way it was laid and the matter it was laid.”

The phrase seemed to be the mantra of the day for players as they exited the field.

“Every time we get the opportunity to step on the field, you gotta lay a brick,” Patrick Peterson said. “That’s the foundation. We want to build a strong, reliable foundation, no tornado, no hurricane, no crazy storm can break this team apart.”

Look inside the team’s locker room and it’s evident by the literal bricks that the team has already bought in.

“That thought process has definitely hit home for me because that’s something I always believed in and that was something my dad always pushed home for me as well,” Humphries said. “You got one day today and you better take advantage of it and set yourself up for the next day.”

DENZEL AIN’T GOT NOTHING ON WILKS

Another day, another comparison.

If you haven’t already heard, Denzel Washington and Wilks have been used in the same sentence lately, most notably from Tre Boston.

But he’s not the only player who has seen glimpses of the award-winning actor in the new head coach.

“That’s how he talks. Denzel, the way he talks is strong, you want to listen to him, you don’t want to look down or be on your phone and stuff. You want to listen to him,” 2017 rookie standout Budda Baker said.

So with all this talk about Mr. Washington, when are the two going to meet?

“[Larry Fitzgerald] can get anybody so probably catch Fitz,” Baker said when asked when Denzel might make it out to practice.

EXTRA POINTS

– Baker on how he’s feeling enter 2018: “I feel like today was a real great day for us. I remember from OTAs learning it to minicamp going over it it wasn’t as good then as it is now.

“I feel like Day 1 was good for us and we’re just trying to stack days.”

– Baker on whether he will be utilized in special teams this year: “I tried to get out there one time and they told me ‘get out of here’ so probably not.”

– Josh Rosen tossed his first interception in a Cardinals jersey when Rudy Ford jumped the route and came away with the football. Rosen, the rookie 10th overall pick, followed behind Sam Bradford in drills for the majority of the day.

– Bradford threw an incomplete pass to start but looked sharp throughout practice.

– Brice Butler changed numbers from 18 to 12, allowing Greg Little to take over the number. Little wore the number before joining the team.

– On the first play of practice against the defense, David Johnson showed off his speed and vision, getting through the line untouched and down the field.

– Toward the end of practice, linebacker Bryson Albright was seen limping off the field.

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