The Arizona Cardinals have added their starting right tackle to their injury report for Week 3 on Thursday. They already had offensive linemen Christian Jones and Jonah Williams on injured reserve.

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With a hamstring issue, Kelvin Beachum, who replaced Williams as the starter in the Cardinals’ Week 2 victory over the Los Angeles Rams (1-1) 41-10, was limited in practice on Thursday.

For personal reasons, rookie outside linebacker Xavier Thomas, who saw action in 21 snaps against the Rams, did not practice. Defensive lineman Dante Stills, who appeared on Wednesday’s injury report with a shoulder ailment, was also restricted in practice. For the second day in a row, wide receiver Xavier Weaver (oblique) and offensive guard Will Hernandez both participated fully.

Arizona’s entire Thursday report is as follows:

OLB Xavier Thomas, DNP, NIR-Personal
OL Restricted: Kelvin Beachum (Hamstring)
DL Dante Stills – Limited in the Shoulder
OL Full Wide Receiver Will Hernandez (Ankle) Xavier Weaver (Indirect) – Complete
Losing Beachum would be devastating for the Cardinals, who already have a difficult challenge ahead of them against the outstanding defensive end Aidan Hutchinson of the Detroit Lions, who recorded five sacks in Week 2. In the event that Beachum is unable to play on Sunday, Jackson Barton will probably take his place.

Although linebacker Alex Anzalone and guard Graham Glasgow were listed as limited on Thursday’s practice report rather than non-participants on Wednesday, the Lions (1-1) still had the same players on their injury report as on Wednesday. Safety Kerby Joseph, who was limited yesterday, participated fully in practice.

CB Terrion Arnold – DNP (Illness)
S Ifeatu Melifonwu – DNP (Ankle)
Hamstring CB Ennis Rakestraw – DNP
G The Knee of Graham Glasgow – Limited
LB Alex Anzalone – Limited (Concussion)
Restricted WR Isaiah Williams (Abdomen)
S Kerby Joseph – Complete
DE Marcus Davenport – Complete
WR Complete Amon-Ra St. Brown (Quadricep)

Two factors make the Cardinals a threat to win the NFC West following the Rams’ devastation.

For the previous few seasons, the Arizona Cardinals have been among the worst football teams. On the plus side, Arizona’s 4-12 record in 2023 secured them the #4 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Using this valuable draft capital, the team selected Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr.

Harrison Jr. and quarterback Kyler Murray are two more offensive building blocks for the Cardinals. The group anticipates that these two players will build the groundwork for an explosive offense that will aid in the team’s turnaround.

With a stunning 30-point victory over Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams, the Cardinals are well on their way to turning things around and heading in the right direction.

Let’s examine why the Cardinals have a chance to surprise everyone in the football world this season.

Kyler Murray, the quarterback, is developing into a true superstar.

Prodigious dual-threat quarterback Kyler Murray appears to have reached a new level of performance thus far in the season. He’s getting better at defending the ball and deciding when to go for the big play and when to accept what the opposition provides him.

With remarkable arm talent, he is among the league’s greatest passers and is capable of almost every throw on an NFL field. Murray can fire bombs throughout the field and, when needed, apply velocity to the ball thanks to the cannon on his right shoulder.

The fact that he is still honing his precision worries defenses because it shows no signs of stopping. He has, meanwhile, previously displayed brief hints of his capacity to stack passes between defenders. Murray, like a number of the most promising young quarterbacks in the league, has a baseball background. Because of this experience, he’s become an expert at making off-platform throws that confuse defenses and open doors for other quarterbacks.

Marvin Harrison Jr. of the Cardinals is quickly rising to the top of the wide receiver class.

Harrison Jr. has only appeared in two professional games, but already he has the potential to be one of the NFL’s top receivers. He was held catchless in his debut game, and his career had a rough start. However, he still had a chance to win the game and establish himself.

Murray failed to spot Harrison Jr. when he was wide open in the end zone to score the game-winning touchdown. That soon changed in Week 2, as Murray made a concerted effort to find the teenage sensation early on. In just the first quarter, the former Buckeye had over 100 receiving yards and two touchdowns.

Harrison Jr. possesses all the physical qualities necessary to be among the league’s top pass catchers. Standing at six feet four, he weighs 230 pounds of pure muscle. The former Ohio State Buckeyes standout is extremely quick and skilled at running routes. He can accelerate quickly or stop abruptly, and he can enter and exit his breaks with ease. Harrison Jr. can get open by separating himself from the defense because to this skill set.

He does, however, go beyond the definition of openness and become open in other respects as well. This is because Harrison Jr. is one of those athletes who, even when he’s not, is always willing to play. This is due to his exceptional physique, strength, agility, and height, which gives him the advantage in practically all jump ball scenarios.

Murray may simply toss it up and let Harrison to go over the top to secure the catch at the high point if the opponent is shorter. Harrison Jr. can also beat a less powerful defender at the catch point and outmuscle him to steal the ball. Throughout his undergraduate career, he has also demonstrated a penchant for acrobatic circus receptions, and there is little reason to doubt his potential to continue producing plays of this caliber at the greatest level.

Harrison Jr. is really deadly following the catch. He breaks tackles with strength and physicality, and he can outpace anyone in the open field with his quickness.

In Week 2, his speed was evident. He was able to get behind the defense for one of his scores, but he had to wait for the ball to come in. Maserati Marv was able to put on the afterburners and outpace the defender to the end zone after making the reception. He displayed some of his signature athleticism to get his feet down in the end zone for his other touchdown, but that was only the beginning of his incredible repertoire of spectacular catches.

The adage “Like Father, Like Son” is true, but Marvelous Marv will only get better as he gets NFL experience; in fact, he has the ability to surpass his father. Arizona has a bright future, and if the Cardinals win the NFC West this season, they could make their grand entrance on the biggest stage already.