DOUG & WOLF

Doug & Wolf’s biggest takeaways from Cardinals’ depth chart

Sep 9, 2020, 11:00 AM | Updated: 11:16 pm

Arizona Cardinals first round draft pick Isaiah Simmons (48) runs drills during an NFL football tra...

Arizona Cardinals first round draft pick Isaiah Simmons (48) runs drills during an NFL football training camp Friday, Aug. 14, 2020, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)

(AP Photo/Matt York)

The unveiling of the Arizona Cardinals’ depth chart Tuesday made the upcoming NFL season that much more real.

Like every year, the team’s roster makeup comes with its surprises.

Taking a closer look at the depth chart, Arizona Sports’ Doug & Wolf put together a handful of takeaways as the Cardinals’ Week 1 matchup with the San Francisco 49ers looms over the horizon.

Three Quarterbacks

“That’s perfect,” Ron Wolfley said. “That’s absolutely the way that you want it right there. ‘Brett Hundley, you’re going to back up Kyler Murray. Chris Streveler, you’ve got your own offense. We’re going to scheme you something real good and expand out football universe.’ I absolutely love it. I can’t wait to see how that happens.”

Kelvin Beachum gets the start at right tackle

“That was my No. 2 takeaway,” Wolfley said. “He’s won the job, he’s going to get the opportunity to be that right tackle. Justin Murray backing up not only the tackle position but also the guard position. Justin Murray is basically gonna be the Earl Watford of this team.”

Kylie Fitts ahead of Dennis Gardeck at OLB

“It’s only on the depth chart, don’t worry about it,” Wolfley said. “Gardeck the barbarian has made the 53. This is a kid who’s going to have a 10-year career. He’s going to go out and, I don’t know, win some Pro Bowls as a special teams guy. I could see that happening.”

Isaiah Simmons listed as a backup

“My fourth big takeaway was the fact that Isaiah Simmons was listed as a backup,” Wolfley said. “Think about that for a minute, he’s listed as a backup. Do you think that was intentional? Say yes, because I think they are going to get him a ton of snaps when they play the 49ers. I don’t know how they are going to do that. I don’t know where that’s going to be. I know this much, if I’m Vance Joseph, I’m trying to get three playmakers, three guys that are long and athletic, three guys that are linebackers on the field at the same time. Isaiah Simmons, De’Vondre Campbell and Jordan Hicks.”

Josh Jones a third-stringer

“You’ve always said, ‘Earn it, rookie,'” Doug Franz said. “This is kind of an interesting note. Josh Jones, who I was just thrilled with that draft pick — third-round pick — is third-string behind D.J. Humphries and Joshua Miles and only listed as third-string left tackle. Not listed anywhere else at any of the other positions.”

Zach Allen starting up front at DE

“Zach Allen will start on that defensive line and that’s really intriguing to me,” Wolfley said. “He actually bulked up, beefed up a little bit, got stronger. Zach Allen is very, very interesting to me because go back to training camp last year before he got hurt. Zach Allen was having a really good training camp. Really, really good. He was the talk of training camp as a matter of fact. … Zach Allen is a guy to keep an eye on here and he’s going to get that start alongside Jordan Phillips and Corey Peters. I really, really like that defensive line.”

Doug & Wolf

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