Arizona Cardinals training camp: All-Access with Bruce Arians, Aug. 16

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Head coach Bruce Arians, now in his fifth year with the Arizona Cardinals, meets the media each day 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.

“Pretty solid practice yesterday. I’m still not—it’s kind of getting like boring out there. They’re getting bored with each other, looking more forward to games. You have to fight through that. I think we’ll fight through it better today. Other than that, it was a pretty solid practice.

“Nothing new injury wise. Josh Bynes looks like he could be a week from his hamstring. He’ll probably miss this game.”

How is Markus Golden?

“He’s just got a sore foot.”

John Brown after practice yesterday indicated he’s not right—

“That’s obvious. He ain’t practicing.”

He mentioned the sickle cell trait is slowing him down. Have you seen that?

“Not at all. I didn’t see it at all in the spring. He’s got a quad that’s slowing him down.”

He said the sickle cell trait takes him longer to recover.

“That is a fact.”

So what does that do to your wide receiver core?

“Well, hopefully it’s not two months to recover. When the muscle heals, he’ll be ready. It does affect differently—some guys are slow healers, some guys are fast healers.”

Will you have the patience to let him recover at his pace?

“I don’t have any choice. He can’t run, he can’t play. Now if he can’t run long enough, we got to replace him.”

Larry Fitzgerald was supposed to have the day off yesterday. Might him practicing be in response to your unhappiness with the wide receivers?

“Yeah, I think he wanted to help lead his group and hopefully he’ll take today off.”

What does that say about Fitzgerald?

“You can’t say anything more about Larry that hasn’t been said. He takes care of his room as good as anybody.”

Outside of Fitzgerald and Jaron Brown are the other receivers on equal footing fighting for a spot?

“Yeah, everybody has a good day, everybody has a bad day. J.J. (Nelson) was really looking well and he just dropped a couple balls, but he’s been probably the next most consistent guy. Chad (Williams) jumped out there yesterday because he had some fresh legs, but then he dropped a touchdown.”

Do you think Williams can contribute this year?

“I think in time. Around Thanksgiving probably. There are other things he can do because he’s big and strong. He can play on special teams, but it’s going to be very hard to get a hat on Sunday.”

How about Brittan Golden?

“Brit has always been solid. He’s a core special teamer. Whenever he plays, he’s made plays. He just, unfortunately, got that groin on that long pass the other night.”

With Jaron Brown, how cautious do you have to be with his knee?

“Not at all. The doctor gives you the ‘Ok’ you’re good. He’s been cleared so he doesn’t need any days off.”

How good can Tyrann Mathieu be?

“We’ll have to see. You have to see it in games. It’s one thing in practice, it’s another thing in games the opportunities that he creates for himself, but h e should be back to the player he was.”

On that boredom the players may be experiencing, is there anything you and the coaches can do to help fight that?

“No, just see a different color jersey. There’s a different excitement level for the Raiders practice and there will for the Bears practice because I don’t call them games because you ain’t out there but 15 or 20 plays but there’s a different level of excitement.”

Are you itching to call plays?

“No. I’ll get all I want next week and I’ve done enough of it in this camp. In Atlanta, I will call the plays in Atlanta.”

Who is calling plays this week?

“Byron (Leftwich).”

When you have Leftwich or Harold Goodwin first call plays do you sit down with them?

“Well, you let them do it in practice so that they get practice for it. I scheduled an actual period yesterday that was a scripted period that went to a call-it period just so he could practice it.”

Will you keep five receivers?

“We’ll probably keep six.”

Are they here now?

“That’s yet to be determined.”

What did you like about Drew Stanton’s game against the Raiders?

“He was really accurate and no hesitation. And he has been. He’s been all of OTAs. It’s the best, by far, I’ve seen him in OTAs.”

How much will he play this week?

“Another whole quarter.”

Once Haason Reddick gets up to speed and you’ve got Budda Baker, too, with the ability to rush the quarterback like Tyrann Mathieu. Do you like that versatility to keep offenses off balance?

“Oh, heck yeah. That’s what it’s all about. Not knowing who’s always coming. It’s not always Ty that’s coming. So, yeah, the more guys you can put out there that can cover, can blitz, can play the run, play better defense. And fast.”

What does this offensive line have to improve upon from last year?

“Just consistency. So far so good in when they’ve been out there against other people. Nobody got really close to Carson (Palmer) except the one long pass, but play that solid.”

Does it still look like D.J. Humphries might try to practice today?

“Yeah, he’ll get extended work this afternoon.”

How close is Jarvis Jones?

“No luck yet on the epidural so we may have to do another one.”

Does the injury to Bynes set him back or was he in good standing?

“No, it sets him back. He flashed and like most guys you get off the street they think they’re in shape but they’re not in football shape.”

What’s wrong with Philip Wheeler?

“Foot. It’s getting close; probably another week.”

Any of those young undrafted wide receivers doing enough to stick around?

“Carlton (Agudosi) was looking good before he got hurt. (Krishawn) Hogan does some good things and some bad things. The best guy has been little ‘Smoke’. He’s been wide-ass open, we just haven’t hit him.”

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