The Arizona Cardinals made final cuts to get to the requisite 53 players on the roster on Tuesday. They actually left the roster at 52 with two players also on the COVID list.
A few players initially have made the team who are surprises.
They can’t get too excited because there are still transactions to be made. Offensive lineman Justin Pugh and cornerback Robert Alford are sure to come off the COVID reserve soon. When both return, one player will have to be cut as of now.
There could also be waiver claims, trades and free agent signings after players have cleared waivers.
Who are the players who are at least mild surprises for the roster?
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QB Chris Streveler
Patrick Breen-The Republic
Perhaps this isn’t a complete surprise. Kliff Kingsbury is very high on his second-year quarterback. But the signing of Colt McCoy seemed to make him unnecessary and keeping a third quarterback on the 53-man roster seemed like a luxury they couldn’t afford with talented players at other positions. That said, as we are still in the pandemic, having three quarterbacks on the roster who know the system is valuable and perhaps the Cardinals did not want to expose Streveler to waivers, believing he could end up getting claimed.
WR Antoine Wesley
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Wesley stood out in camp. His length is intriguing because if it an element they don’t have outside of A.J. Green. However, him making the roster over KeeSean Johnson was a surprise, for sure. Wesley shouldn’t get too comfortable, though.
Harrison Barden-USA TODAY Sports
It isn’t a surprise that Dogbe made the final roster in terms of talent and play in practice, in camp and in the preseason. I said he was a guy to watch all the way back in minicamp. However, with the signing of Corey Peters, there were six spots locked in on the defensive line. Would they have room for seven? He made the roster initially last year, only to get cut and spend the year on the practice squad. That might happen again.
CB Luq Barcoo
(AP Photo/David Berding)
Barcoo was only recently added. We don’t know much about him. The Cardinals claimed him off waivers, had something procedural happen that caused them to release him and then re-signed him after clearing waivers. He is long and speedy. But with the Cardinals’ current situation at cornerback, one would think they would have gone with someone with more experience.
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