Who rounds out Cardinals’ CB rotation post-Starling Thomas V injury?
With Cardinals starting cornerback Starling Thomas V sidelined with a torn ACL, who picks up the slack out of the position group moving forward?
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GLENDALE — When it came to the Arizona Cardinals’ outside cornerbacks situation, there was a clear pecking order three days into training camp.
– Starling Thomas V
– Max Melton
– Will Johnson
– Everybody else
The trio had clearly separated itself from the pack, rotating in on the perimeter with the first-team defense more times than not.
But after Thomas’ torn ACL suffered Friday — the second season-ending injury in the room — the rotation no longer exists for 2025, leaving the rest of the group to pick up the slack due to the injury.
“It’s heartbreaking. … That’s our brother. That’s our leader.”
Cardinals CB Max Melton on losing Starling Thomas V to a torn ACL. pic.twitter.com/EY8ohYxanB
— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) July 27, 2025
“It’s heartbreaking to be honest. We know it’s part of the game of football but that’s our brother. That was our leader in the room. You know (Sean Murphy-Bunting) went down so he was like the next leader up. He been here the longest. He knows the playbook the best out of the whole room. And uh it’s just hard seeing guys like that go down.
“Me and Star pretty much knew we had a pretty good chance of being out there (starting), but it’s pretty much like a next guy up mentality. We know we pretty much have a three-corner rotation and so we just looking for that third corner now next guy up so uh it is a big loss. You know he brings to the table so there’s really next guy up like I said.”
What’s next for Cardinals CB rotation post-Starling Thomas injury?
Following Thomas’ injury, two constants remain on the outside in Melton and Johnon, a pair of second-round picks from Arizona’s past two draft classes.
That couldn’t have been any clearer Sunday, with the pair working almost exclusively with the first-team defense.
How the CB depth has been tested, the second-round addition of Johnson looks even more impactful. It also helps that he’s living up to expectations.
“He’s snapping.”
Cardinals CB Will Johnson is everything they said he was going to be in the eyes of CB Max Melton. pic.twitter.com/QWam3zldtp
— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) July 27, 2025
“He’s snapping. Will’s everything everybody thinks he would be. He’s lengthy, he’s fast, quick and he had a really good press man rep last hot day. You could tell he seems like he’s been here for a while now.
“He’s adapting pretty fast. He’s got all the physical attributes. He’s getting used to the playbook rather fast. He’s going to have a great year.”
Melton’s rookie experience should only help him take that next step, too.
Taking on more responsibility with Thomas sidelined only represents more opportunity for the second-year pro to leave his mark, Melton said Sunday.
“How much better can you get every day?”
With Cardinals CB Starling Thomas V done for the year, it’s on Will Johnson, Max Melton and the rest of the CBs room to step up in his absence. pic.twitter.com/I2hVGnSAKP
— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) July 27, 2025
“Max was obviously drafted where he was drafted and played a lot of ball for us last year. He has a really high ceiling. And then Will, drafted where he was drafted. He’s done some good things in spring and now it’s just going to be like all our guys, how much better can you get every day?”
For their respective trajectories, it’s all about staying healthy through camp and the preseason.
But given Arizona’s three-cornerback rotation that’s been on display even more this camp, there are plenty of snaps up for grabs.
As for the candidates vying for the role, Arizona has options, beginning with a former rookie starter and cornerback Kei’Trel Clark.
Clark went from near-every week starter through the first six weeks of the 2023 season as a rookie to a near-nonfactor the rest of the way. He made just two more starts the rest of way (due to injuries in the room). Outside of that stretch, Clark failed to record a defensive snap the rest of the year.
In Year 2, he found his way back on defense, though sparingly, across 15 games last year. He registered one start and didn’t see more than 44 available defensive snaps in a single game.
But after stacking days early on at camp, is this the year Clark regains a more consistent role defensively?
Cardinals CB Kei’Trel Clark, who head coach Jonathan Gannon has spoken highly of this training camp, reels in a couple one-handed “INTs” on Day 4. pic.twitter.com/jk9UMRmJvz
— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) July 27, 2025
Two other names to watch are second-year pro Elijah Jones and rookie Denzel Burke, two Cardinals with not a lot of experience for different reasons.
Jones was sidelined throughout all of last year with a heel issue that could never quite check off all the boxes for a return.
Effectively redshirting as a pro, Jones was forced to pick things up from the sideline and in the meeting rooms.
“I just want to showcase what I can do,” Jones told the Cardinals Corner podcast in March. “I’m happy to be pushed by other corners in my class. I feel like there’s been a lot of success at my position around the league and in our building.
“I just want to be able to show that I’m here as well. Last year was a big learning experience for me.”
Now healthy, Jones is seeing a lot of second-team reps. He was one of the first subs in during base red zone work on Sunday.
Getting the 6-foot-1 Jones up to speed for a bounce-back Year 2 would at the very least give the secondary some added length. Only Johnson (6-foot-2) stands taller than Jones in the CBs room.
“He’s more along with the playbook than he was last year. Just like all of our guys,” Gannon said Sunday. “He’s very smart. I think he feels more comfortable with the techniques that he’s playing.
With him, I tell him to cut it loose. We have to see him make some plays here. He had a good week. I’m looking forward to his trajectory here as we get going.”
Much like Jones, Burke was also in for second-team base defense work. The rookie has plenty of football experience but must show consistency through camp and into the preseason to earn a larger role.
The added wrinkle on the outside
A lot has been made about which Cardinals cornerbacks will command the outside.
Melton, Johnson, Clark, Jones and Burke represent the top outside options in nickel packages.
But in base? Don’t be surprised to see do-it-all Garrett Williams line up on the boundary, much like what was on display Sunday.
During red zone work, it was Williams and Melton leading the charge out of the base formation. A combination that includes Williams with either Melton or Johnson could very well be in play this season.
Williams has already added a ton on his plate since coming to town as a third-round pick in 2023. What’s a little more?
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Comments
2 Comments
AZ is loaded at cornerback they will be just fine. AZ has multiple SAFs who are elite in coverage outta the slot as well as inside/outside 5”11-195 CB Garrett Williams who’s an elite top 5 caliber corner who excels in coverage.
And then there’s last years 2nd rd pick elite athlete with 4.38 speed is 6-190 CB Max Melton who’s from week 9 on posted a 78.8 PFF coverage grade his rookie year. Melton is primed to TAKE OFF in YR2 & put together a top 5-10 ranking next season. We drafted another Elite blue chip prospect arguably thee best corner in the NFL draft most definitely a top 10-12 blue chip prospect in both big physical 6”2-195lb CB Will Johnson. Johnson possessing an extremely high football IQ who can see things n read plays before they happen running WRs routes for them or out of nowhere would break n jump passes picking them off n making house calls the other way with Johnson have more pick 6s n Interceptions than TDs allowed as since the middle of 2023 Johnson had:
478 Coverage Snaps, A big fat 0 as in Zero TDs Allowed w/6 INTs | 4 PBUs , And an Allowed Passer Rating of just 36.7 and Elite 85.1 Coverage Grade both among the best at the position.
And then we may of lost CB Sterling Thomas but we are gaining last years 3rd rd 6”3-195lb BC CB Elijah Jones who in college was elite in man/press man coverage posting an Elite 89.8 PFF Grade 6th in FBS among CBs and in 2023 allowed just a low 32% Completion Rate to just l 5 INTs | 6 PBUs, an elite 18.1 allowed Passer Rating in coverage among the best in FBS an Elite 89.8 Coverage Grade. Don’t sleep on Elijah Jones as he could be an upgrade proving to be even better in his yr2 after missing his rookie year to an injured/ broken heel now healed.
And this year we drafted another big time talent at corner who just this time last year was talked about as a 1st rd top 20 till he had some struggles in man coverage even though he’s borderline elite in zone coverage in 6ft-190lb CB Denzel Burke who’s tremendous in zone cov (81.9 PFF Grade) as OSUs employed a balanced approach in coverage, mixing man and zone without leaning heavily on any one scheme. Burke played zone on 53.9% of his coverage snaps in 2024 and was targeted 18 times, allowing 12 catches for 132 yards and no touchdowns. He also tallied two pass breakups, two interceptions, and held opposing quarterbacks to just a 48.6 NFL passer rating when targeted in zone. And in the CFP playoffs he was even better . Playing 116 snaps he allowed just 4 receptions for 43YDs and a 53.5 passer rating in the playoffs. In the national title game he dominates again, 35 coverage snaps , 19yds allowed on 6 targets allowed passer rating of 56.9..
There’s a lot to like about Burkes game and with a little more development could become an above average starting #2CBs .
And we won’t forget Sterling either with a 69.9 overall coverage grade last season in pass-cov alone he will be even better next season’s and will be back as a rock solid above avg starting corner.
And Arizona fielding an above avg borderline elite to elite pass rushing front 7 absolutely stacked at both OLB n DT allowing AZ to rotate fresh bodies n wear down opposing OLs forcing QBs imto bad throws and/OR interceptions slash turnovers
Next Corner up !!