u/Mental_Funny_5885

Excerpt:

If there's a player who knows anything about bad football teams flipping a switch, it's new safety Andrew Wingard.

Wingard, who signed this offseason as a free agent, played seven years with the Jacksonville Jaguars. In his first three years (2019-21) with the Jaguars, Jacksonville won a combined ten games. Last season, the Jaguars won the division with a 13-4 record.

After watching Coen (a Sean McVay coaching tree disciple) turn things around in Duval, Wingard will be one of many chess pieces hoping to help another McVay product in LaFleur replicate the same success.

"I am," Wingard told reporters when asked if he's seeing shades of similar building blocks.

“In the locker room, it just takes ball players, and that's all you can focus on. I've loved every second of it since I've stepped in this building and in this locker room. I haven't seen a single ego. There's no divas. It's like all these guys are such good guys and good people, and that was one of our things in Jacksonville that got us over the top.”

Excerpt:

7. Cardinals RB Jeremiyah Love
Jeremiyah Love, RB, Cardinals (ankle): Love is dealing with a high ankle sprain but the Cardinals are hopeful he'll be ready for Week 1 (we've been hearing a lot of that throughout training camp). High ankle sprains can be tricky and we never want to invest into a lower-body injury for a running back before the season even starts. Fortunately, Love has almost a month to get right before Arizona's opener on Sept. 13. Monitor Love but be cautious if you're spending high draft capital on the rookie.

Excerpt:

During the period open for reporters, Cardinals players in Trey Benson, Sean Murphy-Bunting, Elijah Higgins and Baron Browning were spotted on the field.

Benson has been absent in recent practices as he works back from meniscus surgery.

Murphy-Bunting is set to be the team's starting nickel corner while Garrett Williams makes his recovery from the PUP list.

Higgins is the backup tight end. With the Cardinals set for heavy 12 and 13 personnel, should be featured often.

Browning isn't a starter but is the Cardinals' top rotational pass rusher behind Josh Sweat and Zaven Collins. He figures to be included alongside Jordan Burch on obvious passing downs, mostly replacing Collins in those instances.

Excerpt:

Is there a chip on Harrison's shoulder, especially after the wide receiver posted a photo with the caption "knew I needed love but I think I value the hate more"?

"Chip? Sure, you could probably say that," Harrison said. "We live in a world that you're going to see everything and that's just how it is. But I think that's just the world that we live in and it's something you have to embrace and do your best to not let it get to you mentally. Just go out there and just play football.”
"You know you can play. For me it's just focusing on my process Monday through Saturdays for Sundays."

On Thursday after he snared the touchdown, the cameras caught a gigantic smile on Harrison's face. Wilson has seen a lot more of that from his teammate.

"He's a happy person, but regardless of result, I've really liked how his process has been the same whether he's caught five balls or no balls or one ball in practice, like, he's smiling," Wilson said. "It's good to see him smiling and having fun playing football because at the end of the day, football is a fun sport."

Excerpt:

Saquon Barkley saw four preseason touches as a rookie in 2018. He played one game.

Same with Josh Jacobs the year prior. Again, just one game played.

Bijan Robinson in 2023 saw five carries and a reception in one game of work.

Jahmyr Gibbs saw eight touches (seven carries and one catch) in his lone preseason appearance in 2023.

2025 first-rounder Ashton Jeanty saw 13 touches (11 carries and one catch) in three preseason games last year.

Love is coming off 14 touches (11 carries and three catches) for 72 yards in his preseason debut.

Christian McCaffrey’s workload in 2017 was 17 carries and three catches (five targets) across three exhibition games for the Carolina Panthers.

The NFC West has appeared in the Super Bowl 11 times in the past 25 years, with 3 wins and 8 losses. The 3 Super Bowl wins came after having an intra-divisional match up in the NFCCG with another NFC West team, with 8 Super Bowl losses if beating a non-NFC West team in the NFCCG.

Here is the chronological list of every NFC West Super Bowl run over the past 25 years:

• 2001 St. Louis Rams (Lost Super Bowl XXXVI to the New England Patriots)
  • NFC Championship Matchup: Defeated the Philadelphia Eagles (29–24)
• 2005 Seattle Seahawks (Lost Super Bowl XL to the Pittsburgh Steelers)
  • NFC Championship Matchup: Defeated the Carolina Panthers (34–14)
• 2008 Arizona Cardinals (Lost Super Bowl XLIII to the Pittsburgh Steelers)
  • NFC Championship Matchup: Defeated the Philadelphia Eagles (32–25)
• 2012 San Francisco 49ers (Lost Super Bowl XLVII to the Baltimore Ravens)
  • NFC Championship Matchup: Defeated the Atlanta Falcons (28–24)
• 2013 Seattle Seahawks (Won Super Bowl XLVIII against the Denver Broncos)
  • NFC Championship Matchup: Defeated the San Francisco 49ers (23–17)
• 2014 Seattle Seahawks (Lost Super Bowl XLIX against the New England Patriots)
  • NFC Championship Matchup: Defeated the Green Bay Packers (28–22 in OT)
• 2018 Los Angeles Rams (Lost Super Bowl LIII against the New England Patriots)
  • NFC Championship Matchup: Defeated the New Orleans Saints (26–23)
• 2019 San Francisco 49ers (Lost Super Bowl LIV against the Kansas City Chiefs)
  • NFC Championship Matchup: Defeated the Green Bay Packers (37–20)
• 2021 Los Angeles Rams (Won Super Bowl LVI against the Cincinnati Bengals)
  • NFC Championship Matchup: Defeated the San Francisco 49ers (20–17)
• 2023 San Francisco 49ers (Lost Super Bowl LVIII against the Kansas City Chiefs)
  • NFC Championship Matchup: Defeated the Detroit Lions (34–31)
• 2025 Seattle Seahawks (Won Super Bowl LX against the New England Patriots)
  • NFC Championship Matchup: Defeated the Los Angeles Rams (31–27)

Should the NFC West be praying that they draw another NFC West opponent in the NFCCG this year?

Excerpt:

Gillikin had back surgery and missed the final 12 games of the season. It marked the second time in his career that a back issue derailed a season, but this time, it required a procedure.

"It was a more complicated situation than that," Gillikin said. "This was really my first significant back injury in my career, but I had a good surgeon in L.A. and took care of the issue and it's not an issue anymore."

Because the Cardinals offense has been pretty efficient during the first two preseason games, Gillikin hasn't been called on much. His three punts have averaged 52.7 yards and two have landed inside the 20. In the Hall of Fame game, Gillikin pinned the Panthers at the 3-yard line.

Camp bodies.

Excerpt:

Tre Stewart is five foot ten and weighs 192 pounds. The 23-year-old from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, was drafted by the Orlando Storm in the 2026 UFL Draft. In 2026, he had 28 carries for 108 yards and four catches for 27 yards in five games.

Baylor Cupp is six foot six and weighs 243 pounds. The 26-year-old from Brock, Texas, signed with the Dallas Renegades on March 3, 2026. In 2026, he made eight catches for 73 yards in nine games.

Sucks for him. Excited to see what he can do next year. Now let’s put on our big boy pants and play football.

Excerpt:

“He is progressing. It was cool to see him suited up. He was in his jersey the other day because he wanted to feel that,” LaFleur said Saturday. “I’m not going to give you a timeline on it because we don’t know that timeline yet. Like I’ve said multiple times, he’s played enough in this league and he’s earned the right to know when he is going to be able to return.”

“It’s not return to play, it’s return to performance. Anyone can get back out there, but if they don’t feel like they can perform at the level that they’re capable of, why put them out there? Particularly a vet like him who’s done it at such a high clip for so many years. I know he’s eager to get back and in due time I think we’ll see him.”

While the veteran didn’t participate in team activities during the open portion of Saturday’s practice, Conner was again seen getting work in on an individual basis.