Cardinals DB Byron Murphy ready for any role in rookie season

Arizona Cardinals rookie defensive back Byron Murphy is looking to contribute to the team in any way as the season approaches.

He was drafted out of Washington as the first pick in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft had four interceptions and 58 total tackles during his senior year.

Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson was recently named by NFL.com as the league’s No. 1 cornerback.

However, Arizona won’t be seeing Peterson after he received a six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s performance enhancing drug policy.

That leaves the Cardinals with offseason additions in cornerback Robert Alford and veteran Tarmaine Brock as possible replacements in Peterson’s absence.

Murphy is also an option, and even as a rookie, he could be expected to do a quite a bit, especially in the first six games of the season.

He joined 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station’s Bickley and Marotta to discuss his role in his first year and how comfortable he is one week into training camp.

As far as where he will play, Murphy said he is ready for wherever the Cardinals put him.

“Coming in learning the playbook, you kinda get more comfortable as you go and time goes,” Murphy said. “Obviously when I switch positions from inside to outside just making sure I’m always going 100% just preparing myself [for] wherever position I’m going to play to just be ready and be prepared.”

When asked about the Cardinals expecting Murphy to be involved a lot in his rookie season, he wants to be ready for any role the team gives him.

“Exceptions are always going to be high, as a team, as a unit, as a group, it’s always going to be high, the standard is always going to be set,” Murphy said. “Even if I’m not going to be a starter, just prepare myself like I’m going to be a starter. Whatever my role is, just go 100%.”

Arizona signed veteran Pro-Bowl outside linebacker Terrell Suggs and safety DJ Swearinger this offseason.

Murphy said those additions are helping the team and himself in training camp.

“At practice, it all starts with intensity I feel like and when they bring the juice it kinda falls on everybody else,” he said. “Obviously playing with guys that have experience, you get to learn from them, you get to watch techniques, you get to watch anything, when they’re on the field, just watch whatever they’re doing to help your game out.”

Going against the likes of Larry Fitzgerald and Christian Kirk in practice has also helped push Murphy in camp.

“It’s helping me grow a lot, coming in every day you get a chance to go against the best and compete against the best every day,” Murphy said. “Just going against [Fitzgerald], it puts a chip on my shoulder and makes me go harder because he’s getting me better.”

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