Rookie WR Impressing Cardinals

Arizona Cardinals rookie receiver Xavier Weaver has impressed - and will get plenty of run through training camp.

Arizona Cardinals receiver Xavier Weaver (30) catches a pass during training camp at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on July 25, 2024. / Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

ARIZONA -- Don't look now, but Arizona Cardinals rookie receiver Xavier Weaver is poised to make noise this preseason.

Signing with Arizona as an undrafted free agent this offseason, Weaver faces an uphill battle to make a roster that is top-heavy with receiver talent.

During his final season at Colorado, Weaver recorded 68 receptions, 908 receiving yards, and six total touchdowns before entering the league.

He won't replicate those numbers in 2024, though Weaver is impressing his coaching staff:

"Really good ball skills. He's got burst, explosiveness. He plays big. He shows up every practice, makes a bunch of plays. So I do think he's very natural at tracking the ball back there - like it's not hard for him at all," Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon told reporters.

"I would give you a long dissertation on ball skills right now, but I'd get made fun of so I won't give it to you guys ... But like if you throw up a balloon - see I'm going to do it anyhow - if you throw up your balloon to a toddler, the ones that look up at the balloon and kind of adjust their body and then catch it [then] you throw up a balloon and the ones that can kind of just do this [turns body slightly] catch it - Ball skills, right? Hand-eye coordination, Weaver can do that."

As a rookie, sometimes your best bet at making the final roster comes on special teams.

Coach Jeff Rodgers told reporters last week Weaver has continued to make plays and will get opportunities through the three-game preseason.

"You know, there's some competitive situations - Xaver keeps putting himself in the mix. We'll see if he can make a run at this thing. We're gonna give them opportunities in the preseason," said Rodgers.

Whether that's as a gunner or return man remains to be seen - though it's clear Weaver can make some noise over the next few weeks.

He'll certainly have the chance to.