The first five spots on the Cardinals roster at wide receiver appear set including DeAndre Hopkins, who will miss the first six games of the season under league suspension.
The other four are Marquise Brown, AJ Green, Rondale Moore and Antoine Wesley. There’s no room for many more, but there will be at least one more for those first six games.
Competing are a few players with similar size and skills: Greg Dortch (5-7, 175), Andy Isabella (5-9, 188) and the recently added Victor Bolden Jr. (5-8, 178).
There were reports early in the offseason that the Cardinals had granted Isabella permission to seek a trade. That didn’t materialize, so the former second-round pick is in camp trying to compete for a roster spot or at least be noticed by other teams during preseason games.
Kingsbury said, “That fifth, six spot can be really competitive. And so just keep doing what he’s doing. He’s always done things right. We just happened to draft some really good players or trade for some really good players and have Hall of Fame players here. So it’s been tough for him to really show what he can do, but I’m excited to see his progress. It’s Year 4 in the system and he’ll know it inside out so he can go play fast.”
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Last year, Dortch signed on Aug. 3 and all he did was make plays in practice. He was cut in the roster reduction to 53, added to the practice squad the next day and stayed there until being signed to the active roster on Dec. 25. He played five games, including two as a practice-squad elevation, and started two .
Kingsbury has noted the progress he’s made since last season, saying, “He’s gotten better and better. He was definitely our scout-team MVP last year. I mean, every time we went to practice, he’s making play after play after play. And I think his knowledge of the system this year is much better. And he continues to make big plays out there and everybody on the field offensively, defensively, special teams has faith in him seeing what he did last year. It doesn’t get bigger than in Dallas. He starts the game, makes a couple big plays and helps us win that one. So he’s really come a long way.”
Bolden was signed July 22 after playing for the USFL’s Pittsburgh Maulers. He and Dortch can contribute on kick returns, especially if the decision is made to use Moore less because of his increased role of him on the offense.
Kingsbury said he liked what Bolden was able to do in the USFL and he has experience in the NFL.
“I have made a bunch of plays for them inside and outside. And I’ve seen a bunch of guys get signed from that league,” Kingsbury said. “I was a guy who bounced around a bunch of different leagues. I think anytime you continue to play, it’s a great thing for the sport.
“We got some guys like that. Rondale (5-7, 181), Greg Dortch, the quick-twitch kind of jitterbug role. So we’ll get him acclimated into our system and then see where it goes.”
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