A lot has been made about Marvin Harrison Jr.'s offseason body transformation. The first-rounder went from 209 pounds to 220 pounds, adding 11 pounds of muscle.
However, Harrison's weight change wasn't the most drastic on the team. It wasn't even the biggest fluctuation in the wide receiver room.
That distinction belongs to Xavier Weaver, who went from 169 pounds to 185 pounds.
"When I had that (shoulder) surgery, I lost a lot of weight," the wide receiver said. "Knowing that we play in a physical sport with a lot of grown men, I know I had to put on weight. I really had no option, no choice."
That 16-pound difference, similar to Harrison, hasn't impacted Weaver's speed. His quickness was put to the test in the 20-17 preseason victory over the Chiefs on Saturday. During the Cardinals' 79-yard drive to close out the first half, Weaver had a 13-yard catch, drew a 24-yard pass interference call, and then finished with a contested one-yard touchdown reception.
"I feel (defensive backs) panicking sometimes when they got to be in a certain spot," Weaver said. "With the speed that we bring on offense, it definitely brings something different to the defense with different looks and stuff like that, so I definitely see certain people panic to try and get to a certain position."
Deep threats like Weaver can be a matchup nightmare for cornerbacks. Coach Jonathan Gannon, a defensive backs coach by trade, noted secondaries play differently when they are "fearful of a guy running by you and hitting a home run."
It's an element on which the Cardinals have not capitalized for one reason or another since the current regime took over. In 2024, the Cardinals finished in the bottom half of the league in passing explosives with 43 receptions of 20-plus yards.
But for all of the talk surrounding adding another wide receiver who can stretch the field, there's belief Weaver could solve that equation.
"I think camp, he's been a touch up and down, and he showed up," Gannon said postgame. "I have a lot of confidence in him. He's a tough cover. … He's a playmaker and he's just got to make sure that his game stays consistent."
It was a challenge for Weaver to make an impression as a rookie. He went from being a key piece in Deion Sanders' offense at the University of Colorado, hauling in 68 receptions for 908 yards and four touchdowns, to a reserve role for the Cardinals. Weaver was inactive for 15 of the 17 games last season.
But on the cusp of his return to Denver -- the Cardinals practice against the Broncos this week -- Weaver's confidence is a mile high. As his weight has increased, so has his opportunity.
"From going rookie year, undrafted, you get about three snaps. You've got to make something shake," Weaver said. "Now coming in second year, running with the 'twos,' you're getting about five plays back-to-back. You've got to get your wind up. But it's helping me a lot more with the offense than just sitting on the sidelines trying to soak everything up. I'm hands-on now."
