The decision has been made. It is as most expected, but there was some uncertainty late in the preseason. Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury named veteran A.Q. Shipley as the team’s starting center on Friday, according to AZCardinals.com’s Kyler Odegard.
Shipley had been battling second-year pro Mason Cole in the offseason.
Shipley regains the starting job after missing all of 2018 with a torn ACL.
Cole will be the main backup at center and guard, Kingsbury said.
Cole started every game last season and played every snap. He and Shipley both split first-team snaps as recently as last week in the team’s third preseason game.
Shipley was considered the favorite for some time. In fact, since the offseason began, Shipley’s locker in Tempe has been right in the middle of the starting linemen. flanked by guards Justin Pugh and J.R. Sweezy, who have D.J. Humphries and Marcus Gilbert on their other side.
Shipley enters his ninth year in the NFL. Cole will have to wait his turn, but with the history of injuries on the line, it is quite possible he will get to start at some point.
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.
