8 Storylines to Watch as Cardinals Begin Training Camp

The Arizona Cardinals take the field today - here's what to watch for.

Arizona Cardinals teammates congratulate quarterback Kyler Murray (1) on his touchdown run against the Atlanta Falcons at State Farm Stadium. / Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY

ARIZONA -- Football is in the air.

The Arizona Cardinals are set to take the field at State Farm Stadium here shortly as training camp gets underway, and the team couldn't have more buzz around them.

That's odd to say for Jonathan Gannon's squad coming off a 4-13 campaign, though talent added throughout the offseason on top of a healthy Kyler Murray has fans ready to return to the nest.

Plenty of intrigue. Plenty of interest. Plenty of storylines to digest as camp begins once again:

---

Storylines to Watch as Cards Camp Begins

Nov 12, 2023; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) makes 2023 debut against the Atlanta Falcons at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-Arizona Republic / Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY

A healthy Kyler Murray - The Cardinals will go as far as Kyler Murray takes them. That's not breaking news, though the quarterback now has had a full offseason to get healthy and digest Drew Petzing's offense. This will be his first camp on the field with Gannon - we'll see what early returns we get from QB1 in the desert.

And his potential favorite target - No. 4 overall pick Marvin Harrison Jr. will take the field for the first time as a Cardinal in front of fans, and the Red Sea is sure to see some highlight reel plays from the Ohio State product. We've heard teammates and coaches rave about him, now it's time to see it with our own eyes.

Big bois - The Cardinals' offensive line took part in a game of musical chairs through the offseason, as Paris Johnson Jr. flipped to left tackle while Jonah Williams was signed on a two-year, $15 million deal in free agency to fill that void. Hjalte Froholdt and Will Hernandez retain their respective spots at center and right guard while left guard is up for grabs - the name to watch is Evan Brown there.

Plenty of mouths to feed - The Cardinals also did some shuffling along the receiving corps, where names such as Rondale Moore and Marquise Brown departed. Arizona brought in MHJ and Zay Jones to bolster a group that already had Michael Wilson and Greg Dortch. Harrison's role as WR1 is essentially established, but how the dominoes fall after will be fun to watch.

Arizona Cardinals linebacker Kyzir White (7) high-fives linebacker Owen Pappoe (44) during organized team activities in Tempe on May 20, 2024. / Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY

Defensive QB returns, too - Kyzir White was lost to injured reserve last season after tearing his biceps, which left a massive hole in terms of on-field play and leadership responsibilities. Now, White is back in business and has a new running mate next to him in Mack Wilson. Another year in Nick Rallis' system should boost continuity.

The other first-round pick - Darius Robinson is a rare instance of a first-round pick not getting much screen time thanks to Marv, though the No. 27 overall pick still has plenty of expectations to help transform the squad. Robinson joins free agent newcomers in Justin Jones and Bilal Nichols as guys who look to dominate Arizona's trenches.

Youthful secondary - The Cardinals have six cornerbacks who have one year's worth of experience or less heading into camp. With Sean Murphy-Bunting as the lone veteran leader, who will jump out of the crib and emerge as a starting piece for this Arizona defense? Plenty of names are possible contenders in what will be a very open battle for roles and roster spots.

Contract szn? - James Conner and Budda Baker enter the final year of their respective contracts. Both have been present through everything previously and aren't expected to hold out. With plenty of cap space to make things happen, it'll be interesting to see if either star earns a new deal through camp.

Other Camp Related Content

Mailbag: Cardinals Camp is Here

Six Players to Watch in Training Camp

Cardinals Make First Roster Move of Camp