Pro scouting director Quentin Harris thinks Cardinals have a third weapon

Arizona Cardinals training camp has featured many new faces due to the retirements of head coach Bruce Arians and quarterback Carson Palmer.

Due to roster turnover and other circumstances, more familiar faces have taken on added responsibility for the team.

Director of pro scouting Quentin Harris, who was hired in 2008 and promoted in 2013, now has a direct line of communication with owner Michael Bidwill. In the absence of general manager Steve Keim, who is serving a five-week suspension for pleading guilty to an extreme DUI, Harris and the rest of the front office have made adjustments to how they operate.

Harris stopped by 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station’s Doug & Wolf to discuss how things have been different this year and what new guys have stood out to him:

Q: How is this training camp a little bit different without the general manager?

A: Obviously it stinks not having Steve here, but I will say this: pretty much, we have all been in our role since 2013 when Steve took over. We’ve been running like a well-oiled machine for awhile now with tweaks here and there. I think the biggest difference is the way we communicate, whereas all the different departments would funnel to Steve, who would be the direct line to (president) Michael (Bidwill). Now all the departments are directly communicating with Michael. So we talk with Michael and he gives us the yea or nay on the different issues we have. So I think that’s the biggest difference, the communication. Obviously, not having Steve’s presence around is a difference, but I think it’s more the communication part of things.

Q: What’s the one guy that jumps off the tape when you watch it?

A: I’m biased toward undrafted free agents, because I was an undrafted free agent. But Sherfy (Trent Sherfield) No. 16. The Vandy receiver has jumped out. And another guy in the same position is Brice Butler who was a little slow during OTAs but if you look at the last two days, and I know we don’t have pads on, but if you look at the last two days, he has been our most productive receiver. So it’s good to see the big guy get down the field because that’s something we were wondering about with him being a little banged up, but those two guys are two guys that kind of jump out.

Q: Who will be the third weapon behind Larry Fitzgerald and David Johnson?

A: I would say there’s a young guy, and again, the same position as David Johnson, Chase Edmonds. I think, and I dont know if were going to do it or not, I’m thinking outside, but having those two in the backfield at the same time could be a problem. I think he can be the third weapon that were talking about. Obviously, when Gresh (tight end Jermaine Gresham) comes back he could be a weapon as well but I like what Chase has done.

Q: I was surprised Tre Boston was still out there.

A: I’m still waiting to wake up because it was unbelievable that caliber player was still out there and for us to get him. He was one of our top rated guys in free agency. Obviously, we made a run at him earlier, didn’t work out. I’m excited about it. You’re getting a guy that’s physical, great short area quickness and most of all he’s smart. He can get guys lined up, he knows how to play the game. I’m extremely excited to have those three guys back there, you know Budda (Baker), (Antoine) Bethea, Tre. So we got lucky, I’ll just say that.

Q: Not only did you get your guy, but you clearly never overpaid and never overreacted. That doesn’t happen a lot in this business.

A: As players, we always have a higher opinion of ourselves and he was in a tough situation because he hasn’t been paid a lot over his career and has always been productive. So he was like, look, ‘look at my numbers versus these seven or eight million safetys’ numbers, it’s adding up.’ At the end of the day, the league speaks (Boston signed a one year, $1.5 million guaranteed contract with the Cardinals with another $1.5 million in possible incentives). So you may believe you are a 10 million dollar player but you’re only worth as much as people are willing to pay for you. I think a lot of the times the agents need to do a better job of explaining that to their players, to set the player’s expectations. Fortunately for us, he came off and accepted it.

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