At practice on Thursday, Simi Fehoko looked at who he was sitting next to on the bench. It was Reggie Virgil, Harrison Wallace III, and Devin Duvernay sitting together.
A few weeks ago, that combination would have been the scout team wide receivers.
On Sunday against Myles Garrett, Aaron Donald, and the Rams, those are the Cardinals' top receivers.
"Who would have thought?" Fehoko said, shrugging his shoulders with a grin. "It's crazy to see."
It isn't a knock on the players the Cardinals will have out wide for Carson Beck's debut. It is the reality of the room after losing Michael Wilson for the season. Two weeks earlier Jalen Brooks had emergency wrist surgery and a week after that, Kendrick Bourne's season ended because of a fractured tibia.
"We've added some great guys with Zay Jones, but I've never been a part of a room like this," Fehoko said. "Obviously injuries are part of the NFL, but to one specific position, it's the first time I've been a part of something like this."
Fehoko said it's been a tough week considering Wilson, who was his college teammate, is like a brother to him.
Mike LaFleur began the year saying the veterans in the room, particularly Bourne and Wilson, were going to need to set an example for the other receivers. With them sidelined, how much can their leadership still make an impact?
"Mike (Wilson) was one of those that helped me a lot with how to consistently be a pro and how to approach things," Virgil said. "I got to keep what he's been teaching me alive and make sure I keep understanding the game and growing and learning as I go."
Collectively, the trio of Fehoko, Virgil, and Duvernay has eight catches for 93 yards. Wallace, who doesn't have a reception, earned his first offensive snaps last weekend. Jones and/or recently acquired Phillip Dorsett II could be practice squad elevations.
These are players mostly known for their special teams and were signed to the 53-man roster to support the offense and be involved on scout team.
Duvernay was known as the 2021 All-Pro returner who made the Pro Bowl in 2021 and 2022. Before his first reception for the Cardinals in Week 8, the last time Duvernay caught a pass was in Week 14 last year for the Bears.
"I'm looking forward to getting out there and being able to showcase my receiver skills, and I've always been ready and I'm ready for this moment," Duvernay said. "I prepare like I'm one play away, and that's the harsh reality of the game because injuries happen. But I'm excited for the opportunity and look forward to playing a lot more this season."
As much as there will be change within the receiver room, the biggest difference is at quarterback. After working the entire season as the scout team quarterback, Beck will be the starter going forward.
But there's familiarity in the huddle since Fehoko, Virgil, and Duvernay were the receivers Beck threw to during camp practices and the preseason. Fehoko said "having those banked reps in the preseason, obviously scout team, it's huge for us to now go into a real game that counts and matters."
Now, they'll do so in a live setting with the Rams as the opponent in an NFC West meeting. It may look like a different team, but in LaFleur's mind, it's an opportunity for guys to step up.
"The one thing I know about this group, all 53-plus, is they play hard and they play for each other," LaFleur said. "The standard is the standard. You put on the jersey (and) we're rocking and we're ready to roll. You can't tell any of these guys in a three-and-a-half-hour window that they can't get it done because they believe it."
