Cards’ Floyd encouraged after first minicamp workout
May 11, 2012, 8:07 PM | Updated: 9:53 pm
The Arizona Cardinals got their initial look at highly-touted first-round draft pick Michael Floyd at the inaugural rookie minicamp Friday.
The Cardinals drafted the Notre Dame wideout 13th overall at April’s NFL draft and his selection garnered praise from franchise receiver Larry Fitzgerald, among other members of the team.
This is the first rookies only minicamp held under Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt, and the team’s newest wide receiver took center stage.
“I am really excited and I am glad to be here. Blessed that I get this opportunity to play for the Arizona Cardinals and I am just working every single day,” Floyd told members of the media after practice. “The first practice went well for me, little tweaks here and there, but I watched them in the film room and I am making adjustments off of that.”
Some of those adjustments might adhere to the Cardinals’ playbook and familiarizing himself with playing a different scheme. Still, Floyd isn’t a stranger to the offense the Cardinals run, which made the first practice less daunting.
“It’s not bad,” Floyd stated. “It’s kind of similar to my first two seasons at Notre Dame, a coach [Charlie Weis] offense. It’s very similar in some aspects but some a little different, but I am adjusting to it. I am good to go.”
Floyd did express a desire to get into better playing shape before the season starts.
“I feel pretty good but I can, for sure, cut weight and I think that’ll be an adjustment for me that I need to do to make sure I’ll be able to keep my stamina and my endurance up,” Floyd said.
One key member of the Cardinals coaching staff who could help Floyd achieve his fitness goals is strength and conditioning coach Jon Lott.
“I’ve seen him here on the visit. He’s an energetic guy and that’s what I really liked,” Floyd said. “But I heard that he can get a little tough and that’s what I need.”
Floyd seems ready and willing to do the work necessary to take his game to the next level. The young wideout recognizes the competition in the NFL is fierce and if he wants to compete with the best, he’ll have to practice that much harder.
“You’re in the NFL now. You know everyone is good,” Floyd said. “Week in and week out, in the future you’re playing against some of the best in the world. I just got to make sure that I am up on my game and I am doing everything I can to be the best player I can be.”
Floyd also cites the speed and quickness in the league as an area he’ll need to improve upon in order to be able to go toe-to-toe with the game’s elite.
“It’s a lot faster now,” Floyd stated. “You got to pick up on things a lot quicker or you get left behind. So right now I am just going to make sure I go in the film room, see what I did wrong, see what I did right and just make corrections.”
But don’t expect any nerves on the field from Floyd during rookie camp, who feels at ease playing among his equals.
“A lot of the guys out there are new,” Floyd explained. “I think the butterflies possibly will come when the [veterans] get here and I feel like they’ll be pushing you a lot harder than where I am now but that’s how I’d like it to be so I can be the best player I can be.”
