Arizona Cardinals 2 battles at ILB
At inside linebacker, there are two notable battles — one for a starting job and one for the final roster spot.
The Arizona Cardinals have two position battles progressing in their preseason. One is for a starting role, while the other is for the last spot on the roster at inside linebacker (ILB). Mack Wilson secures his position as the starting ILB, taking charge of relaying defensive play calls to the team members. He returns to this role after recovering from a rib injury that kept him out of the final nine games of the season.
On the other hand, Jack Gibbens and second-year linebacker Cody Simon are vying for this position. However, the outcome may not be definitive, with head coach Mike LaFleur stating the starting choice could hinge on a week-to-week basis. LaFleur compares the decision to a basketball team's starting five, emphasizing that the choice can depend on factors such as length or shooting lineup, contingent on the team's needs.
Despite the uncertainty, both Gibbens and Simon are guaranteed roster spots alongside Wilson. For the ILB position, four players will be retained, with Owen Pappoe and Karson Sharar battling for the last spot. Pappoe, a fourth-year player, focuses primarily on special teams, while Sharar is a rookie drafted in the sixth round. Pappoe's impressive athleticism is complemented by Sharar's promising potential. The teams will face a challenging decision when condensing their rosters to 53 players.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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