Arizona Cardinals open ‘Camp Cupcake’ with championship aspirations

GLENDALE, Ariz. — The anticipation and excitement for the start of Arizona Cardinals training camp has been building for nearly seven months, ever since head coach Bruce Arians led his players off the field in Carolina.

The disappointment in losing to the Panthers in the Wild Card round of the playoffs on Jan. 3 only fueled the team’s eagerness for this season.

“We have no doubt in our mind that we’re contenders,” defensive end Calais Campbell said. “When you know a team can be as good as I think we can be you’re going to be anxious, you’re going to be excited to get on the field and excited to play football again, so I couldn’t wait to get back. I’m happy to be here. Camp is never really that fun. It’s just the way it is, but I’ve actually been very excited to get back to work because I know how good we can be.”

Training camp began Friday with the annual run test, where the players’ conditioning was assessed with either 40- (for the linemen) or 50-yard (for everyone else) sprints inside University of Phoenix Stadium.

It’s the third straight year the Cardinals have held camp at their home stadium.

“Camp Cupcake,” Arians joked. “I hate to use the word ‘camp’ when we come here. I mean one practice, one walk-through and stay in a hotel. It’s fun, though. I’ve been anxious to get back. Ever since last season ended I wanted to get this one started.”

Every player passed the run test, which Arians ended early.

“Very, very pleased with the conditioning of the group,” he said.

Without a doubt the biggest question facing Arians and the Cardinals is the health of quarterback Carson Palmer, who missed 11 games last season, including the final eight after tearing the ACL in his left knee.

Arians said Palmer is “totally cleared… and he’ll get all his normal reps” both in practice and preseason.

By all accounts, Palmer is ready to resume his position as starter and leader.

“His arm is a lot stronger,” said wide receiver Michael Floyd, who worked out with Palmer in Southern California leading up to camp. “He’s ready, and I think we’re ready too.”

The expectations are high for the 2015 Cardinals.

Despite 21 players missing more than 100 combined games due to injury a year ago, the Cardinals tied the franchise record for wins in a season with 11.

Add the 10 victories in 2013, and the Cardinals enjoyed their best two-year run since the mid ‘70s.

“This time of the year everybody is out to achieve a championship and this is day one of that,” linebacker Lorenzo Alexander said. “I’m looking forward to competing with these guys. We’ve got a lot of talent on this team, and it’s going to be a fun process to go through these next four weeks.”

The Cardinals, though, know a sustained playoff run would be easier with home field advantage, which means winning the division, something they haven’t done since 2009.

It’s been the Seattle Seahawks who have won the NFC West each of the past two seasons.

“Well, if we have all of our starters — the last time we played them with all of our starters, we beat them,” Arians said, referring to the 17-10 win on Dec. 22, 2013 in Seattle. “You can’t count on having them all and they can’t count on all theirs. We’ve both got a lot of games to play before we get to each other and hopefully it’s still for what we hope we both play for and that’s the (NFC) West Championship.”

Going into his third season as head coach, Arians has never been one to manage expectations.

“One,” he said. “Put a ring on our finger. Nothing else is going to be successful or acceptable.”

Related

Which Diamondbacks are finalists for Gold Glove Awards?Mock my world: Worst plays in sports historyCardinals fans deserve better, and they are demanding itBrent Brennan donates 1,000 tickets to Arizona’s homecoming gameSam Vecenie’s first 2027 NBA mock draft sees 3 Wildcats selected in the top 10Rams’ Alaric Jackson suspended for game against Cardinals