The Arizona Cardinals will officially begin 2019 training camp on Wednesday, when the veterans report, take their physical and complete the conditioning test.
This is a year of change and a year of questions. What are the biggest questions facing the Cardinals in camp?
What will the offense look like?
The offense has been kept under wraps since Kliff Kingsbury was hired. He has not been forthcoming about what it will look like. Players have only given basic descriptions. Will it look like a college offense, like the ones Kingsbury coached at Houston, Texas A&M and Texas Tech? How fast will it be? Will they really be in the shotgun all the time? Will they really play with three and four receivers spread out all the time?
The secret will be out once the open practices begin.
Who will start at center?
Mason Cole played every snap in 2018 because A.Q. Shipley tore his ACL in training camp. Shipley returns now. Will he end up being the starter? Will Cole continue to start? After all, Cole has started every game in the pros, in college and in high school. That streak could be coming to a close.
How much will Kyler Murray play in the preseason?
The No. 1 pick in the draft obviously needs game reps as every rookie does. However, he enters the league in a unique situation where he is playing in an offense he already knows. So it is possible that his play in the preseason is limited, saving him for the regular season and keeping him more of a secret for the Detroit Lions.
Which rookies will stand out?
Murray will play. He will start at QB. That’s a given, but a number of other draft picks will have opportunities to make an impact in 2019. Second-round pick Byron Murphy will likely be a starter in the slot. They drafted three receivers and at least one should get playing time. Zach Allen and Michael Dogbe will have a chance to play in the defensive line rotation. We will see which ones are just guys and which ones make an impact.
Will Zane Gonzalez be enough?
Gonzalez was solid for the Cardinals as their kicker down the stretch in 2018. However, in two seasons in the NFL, he has not exactly proven himself. Despite that, the Cardinals do not have any other kicker on the roster, showing confidence that the former Arizona State standout will be the guy. The problem is if he’s not.
Who will return kicks and punts?
The Cardinals have a number of players who can return punts and kicks. However, no one is certain because they are primarily back-of-the-roster players at their position. T.J. Logan, Pharoh Cooper, Damiere Byrd and D.J. Foster have all returned kicks. Christian Kirk might not be the guy to return punts if he is expected to have a large role in the offense. Rookie Andy Isabella returned a little in college.
Will there be a ‘Keim Time’ signing?
It seems every season the Cardinals add a veteran player who makes an impact before or at the start of training camp. They have an open roster spot after the release of Damon Harrison. Will Keim bring someone in?
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