Top Questions Heading Into 2026 Training Camp, Part Two

In the spotlight are MHJ, edge rushers, and first-round D-linemen

Jul 21, 2026 at 12:33 PM

azcardinals.com

(clockwise from top left) Wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., outside linebacker BJ Ojulari, cornerback Will Johnson, and defensive lineman Walter Nolen III.

By the time the Cardinals break training camp at State Farm Stadium on Aug. 11, they will have played in the Hall of Fame game to open the NFL preseason (Aug. 6), watched as their star gets inducted into the Hall of Fame (Larry Fitzgerald's big day is Aug. 8), and will have been on the practice field a total of 16 times heading into a preseason game at Las Vegas on Aug. 13.

The regular season will still be a month away. But coach Mike LaFleur will be well on his way to discovering the answers of some of the biggest questions about his team. Some we addressed Monday. The rest are here:

WHAT DOES MARVIN HARRISON JR. LOOK LIKE THIS SEASON?

I mean, anyone that looked at Jacoby Brissett's picture from the guys who joined him in Florida for workouts can see that Harrison apparently has worked hard to regain all that muscle he lost when he dealt with appendicitis and then foot injuries last season. Then again, that's not the look we are talking about. Harrison had his moments last year -- an excellent second-half against the Seahawks on Rivalries night against the eventual Super Bowl champions, a standout effort against the Cowboys in Dallas -- but he is still seeking that high-level of consistency. Now healthy, he also needs to find his fit with Michael Wilson so they can both thrive, while knowing Trey McBride also looms. Those are LaFleur issues. The coach sees Harrison as the Cardinals' Davante Adams to Wilson's Puka Nacua. Both Rams receivers make consistent impact. MHJ can too.

CAN THE O-LINE JELL AS NEEDED?

There is a new left guard (Isaac Seumalo) and right tackle (Elijah Wilkinson), and the right guard could be new (rookie Chase Bisontis, if he can beat out Isaiah Adams). Left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. is set, looking for a contract extension. Center Hjalte Froholdt has proven to be solid. As usual, the five guys up front hold tremendous sway over what the offense can be. They need to be healthy. But they also need to come together quickly, regardless of who earn the starting nods. It's basic football, the blocking/tackling version, and there isn't much nuance. The Cardinals have Jeremiyah Love in the backfield, they have multiple pass catchers. But the blocking comes first.

WHO RUSHES THE PASSER BESIDES JOSH SWEAT?

Let's start with Sweat, who had a career-best 12 sacks, who will be at camp, and who will remain the Cardinals' main guy off the edge. By definition, he'll lead the pass rush. But in a year in which GM Monti Ossenfort chose to stick with the status quo and look for player development to help, it is crucial that either 2023 second-round pick BJ Ojulari or 2025 third-round pick Jordan Burch (or better yet, both) take a large step forward. Baron Browning is another possibility to help off the edge. It doesn't mean there can't be help from the interior -- more on that in a moment -- but Sweat needs help.

WILL WALTER NOLEN III AND DARIUS ROBINSON BE D-LINE ANCHORS?

The Cardinals spent back-to-back first-round picks on defensive linemen. It is conventionally a smart move; teams need to build their lines, and adding talent to the D-line is good. But those players need to have an impact. Nolen did last year, but he wasn't on the field enough, with calf and knee injuries wrecking his season. It was a shame, because when he did play, he did some wrecking on his own. Robinson was healthy as opposed to his rookie season, but he admittedly didn't do enough and he finds himself under a similar spotlight as fellow 2024 first-rounder Harrison. Both players are needed to play well for this defense to flourish; we'll see quickly in camp whether it's trending that way.

HOW WILL THE SECONDARY SORT ITSELF OUT?

For the first time since 2019, the safety tandem of Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson isn't a thing, with Thompson departing to Dallas as a free agent. Rabbit Taylor-Demerson, the one-time fourth-round pick, has a chance to slot in, but the Cardinals also signed Andrew Wingard to compete. Then again, do the Cardinals look at cornerback to fill out the back end? Will Johnson will be a starter at corner. Beyond that? Denzel Burke played well in the back half of the season and seems to have an inside track, but what about Garrett Williams? Max Melton? Sean Murphy-Bunting? Starling Thomas V? This is what training camp is for -- forming up the depth chart.