Max Melton's season didn't go the way anyone expected in Year 2 of his career last year, a heel injury derailing his availability a chunk of the second half of the season and later falling behind others on the depth chart. Between injury and the depth chart, he played just 15 defensive snaps after Week 11.
The former second-round pick has a new defensive backs coach in Zac Etheridge now, and defensive coordinator Nick Rallis said Melton has already shown "huge strides" in his development since the end of the season.
"I think the biggest thing with him is just understanding the stress and the strength of each call, and knowing 'where do I have to win on this, and where can I take a risk?' I've seen a huge growth in terms of understanding," Rallis said.
Melton's progress is a microcosm of what the Cardinals want -- what they need -- in terms of player development. That was one of the things GM Monti Ossenfort said needed to be better when the team moved on from former head coach Jonathan Gannon. Nowhere is that as important as the defense, where added help was limited when it came to free agency and the draft.
Rallis' unit needs big steps forward from previous draft picks like Darius Robinson, Walter Nolen III, Jordan Burch, BJ Ojulari, Cody Simon, Will Johnson, Denzel Burke, Rabbit Taylor-Demerson and of course, Melton.
Such development is already happening in OTAs, Rallis said, but emphasized "these things take time." But because such improvement isn't overnight, it can eat at all the coaches.
At least it should, in Rallis' belief.
"It's got to keep you up at night as a coach," Rallis said. "You have to be obsessed with it. I'm serious. It's real. Sometimes, if it really gets to me, the coaches are going to feel it when I come in, that I'm obsessing about these players."
