Cardinals’ Kliff Kingsbury attacking preseason differently than years prior

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Preseason, when football is back, but not quite there just yet.

For head coach Kliff Kingsbury, he’s experienced a different preseason setting every year since he first took over the Arizona Cardinals in 2019.

He saw four exhibitions his first season, followed by zero in 2020. Now, the head coach embarks on a shortened preseason schedule after the league added another regular season game to the docket this year.

So what has Kingsbury taken away from his preseason experiences with Arizona two days out from facing the Dallas Cowboys at State Farm Stadium?

“For me more so, you wanna give them plays they understand, can execute at a high level, play fast, be aggressive and really just see the best version of themselves,” the head coach said Wednesday.

“The first year we were really trying to keep it all tucked in to hide the offense. Like I said, it was a mistake, so this year we’ll be a little bit more open and play our game to an extent.”

But unlike 2019, the Cardinals will get an early look at a regular season opponent in the Cowboys, meaning the playbook will likely be shorter for Arizona’s first preseason game.

“I won’t roll out much all preseason, honestly,” Kingsbury said. “But we’ll make sure guys have a chance to be successful and play with an attacking mentality, but we’re not gonna show a whole bunch of offense.”

KeeSean Johnson understanding Cards’ system more and more

In the week leading up to the first preseason game of the year for Arizona, Cardinals wide receiver KeeSean Johnson is doing all the right things.

Stacking good practices one atop of the other, the wide receiver has shown just how comfortable he is within the offense.

KeeSean Johnson continues an upped week of training camp. pic.twitter.com/YlspOFdNcb

— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) August 11, 2021

Kingsbury has seen Johnson’s growth in the offense and the trust his signal-callers have in the third-year pro, especially with injuries and COVID protocols thinning out the wide receivers room throughout camp.

“Understanding the system, overall knowledge of the system whether we’re inside, outside, what each play is trying to accomplish,” Kingsbury said when asked about where Johnson has improved the most.

“I think before when he was outside he probably knew his route and that was it and now he knows the concept of what we’re trying to do. It’s really helped him getting open.”

KeeSean Johnson on his connection with Kyler Murray and the other QBs on the roster: pic.twitter.com/sVy2xjPRir

— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) August 11, 2021

With fellow third-year wide receiver Andy Isabella in COVID protocols for a second time this camp and starters not expected to play much more than a series if that, Johnson will have an ample opportunity to show his improvement in the system on Friday.

Malcolm Butler not looking to replace Patrick Peterson

The Cardinals secondary looks a bit different than it did last season.

A big reason for that is the departure of cornerback Patrick Peterson, who spent the previous 10 seasons in a Cardinals uniform.

But while Peterson is now a member of the Minnesota Vikings, there’s still a No. 21 jersey running around the secondary this training camp in offseason addition Malcolm Butler.

Some may see that as Butler replacing the eight-time Pro Bowler, but that’s not the case for the first-year Cardinal.

CB Malcolm Butler on wearing No. 21 in Arizona: pic.twitter.com/1V33KnaWfa

— Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) August 11, 2021

“First of all I got a lot of respect for Patrick Peterson, I looked up to him as a player,” Butler said Wednesday. “When I first got here I wanted to change my number back to No. 7, but I overheard Byron Murphy talking about he wanting it, so I just stuck with the 21, you know.

“Got permission from the head man of the team and he said it was OK. That’s no disrespect to Patrick Peterson, I’m not trying to replace him, I’m Malcolm Butler.”

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