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Back Together Saturday, And Camp Practice Aftermath

Graybeard, a Banjo pick and more from Moore

Saturday was the NFL's Back Together day, given that it was the first weekend after camps opened. The NFL Network fanned out to all 32 teams for live coverage -- Peter Schrager and Kurt Warner made it to State Farm Stadium -- and even though we aren't quite there yet to padded practice, it was a pretty big crowd.

(Quick sidenote that Ron Wolfley always calls Warner "graybeard" ever since his playing days, but now that Kurt has grown it out a bit, it really feels like an apropos nickname -- even if he's slightly younger than me.)

Some thoughts and scenes from the day:

-- I smiled when I heard a fan yell early, "Where's Larry?" (Great question.) Chandler Jones smiled when someone yelled to him, "Show him the money!" But I shook my head when someone encouraged the kicker wearing No. 5 -- that's Matt Prater, everyone -- "C'mon Zane!"

-- Vance Joseph said there would be packages with both Zaven Collins and Jordan Hicks on the field at linebacker and there they were. Still, it was cool to see Hicks be so honest in his press conference after practice about being second-string. Hicks -- like Jones -- is the kind of guy who is going to do his job well despite circumstances, but it's easy to understand why he is frustrated.

-- (That said, the fact Hicks praised Collins' play so far is a good sign, because he has no reason to do that if it wasn't true.)

-- It's early, yes, I know, but it sure looks like Rondale Moore is going to be a player. He hasn't been perfect but he shows up again and again. The way he tracked a high pop fly bomb from Chris Streveler and caught it over his shoulder between two defenders and still wiggled out for what likely would have been YAC was so impressive.

-- The team worked on the running game early, which isn't easy not yet in full pads. It looked like the defense was ahead of the offense early. The passing game with Kyler Murray didn't look particularly sharp. But then Kyler was doing Kyler things, throwing a dart to tight end Maxx Williams and then another nice pass also down the seam to Christian Kirk, and then finished off the 4-for-4 moment with a perfect slant to A.J. Green and another completion to JoJo Ward.

-- Speaking of Williams, we knew he had ankle problems last season but he acknowledged he actually had ankle surgery after Week 1 last year. The Cardinals really need him to stay healthy.

-- The defensive highlight came early when a Murray pass was deflected by Collins and into the hands of safety Chris Banjo (pictured.) That backup safety position is going to be interesting to watch.

The Cardinals are off Sunday, as am I. Back at it Monday.

S Chris Banjo returns an interception during a training camp practice in 2021
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