Suit up! Cardinals gearing up for 1st padded practice of training camp

GLENDALE — A lot of work has been done four days into Arizona Cardinals training camp. But come Monday, things are getting kicked up a notch with the first padded practice of camp.

And you better believe Cardinals players are champing at the bit.

“I’ve been waiting for so long,” Ojulari said Sunday. “Going through OTAs, it’s been jerseys and shirts. It’s going to feel good to finally get the pads on.”

“No pads is really meant for the offense, so when we get the pads on, we’re going to really see how it goes and actually be able to go 100%.”

The (p)added addition to training camp is a sign that we’re one step closer to the season getting underway.

It’s also a signal that the competition across the board is about to intensify.

While there’s been noticeable growth throughout the roster four days into camp, Monday represents the beginning of a crucial stretch where roles begin to truly get defined.

Evaluations crank up for general manager Monti Ossenfort, too, with the team’s joint practice in Indianapolis and the preseason two other major points of emphasis ahead of the regular season.

“As soon as practice ends, we’ll go back and watch it as a staff together and then I always like to go back and watch it a second time just by myself,” Ossenfort said Sunday.

“I like to bounce around. I get a better feel moving around the field and seeing up close. There are things that sometimes the film can’t capture. I like to hear the coaching points and what the coaches are teaching and things that I may not be versed on.”

But with the addition of pads and the upped physicality on the way to the Cardinals’ training-camp equation also opens up the door for potential injuries, something Arizona has avoided in a big way.

The pads come on for the Arizona Cardinals tomorrow.

More from head coach Jonathan Gannon before Day 4 of camp gets underway:

– Emphasis on today’s practice is “execution, execution, execution.”

– The nutrition and health of the team is a huge collaborative effort. pic.twitter.com/WARRb2almo

—
Tyler Drake (@Tdrake4sports) July
28, 2024

Four days into camp, Arizona has been among the healthiest teams in the NFL. Head coach Jonathan Gannon credits that to Arizona’s performance staff, the tweaks made to the schedule and the accountability each of his players has had throughout the offseason.

“It takes an army to (stay healthy),” Gannon said Sunday. “Everyone has their own avenues that they have to do a really good job making sure we’re on point collectively for the players. That’s what we’re doing throughout the building right now.”

He’ll be the first to knock on wood, though, knowing just how random injuries can be.

If you thought the first few days of camp were intense, buckle up for Monday.

Follow @Tdrake4sports