sitionThe Revenge of the Birds podcastCardinals 53-man roster predictionNew Christian Kirk Womens Jersey ,16commentsTough decisions to make at the wide receiver position Cardinals 53-man roster predictionPhoto by Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesThe Arizona Cardinals drafted 11 players in the 2019 draft, in addition to signing 12 undrafted free agents. Their 2019 class is ranked the best on NFL.com and now, on paper, the Cardinals have one of the most-improved rosters in the NFL.It is possible that at the conclusion of the preseason, the Cardinals could potentially cut some of their later-round draft picks. Maybe they have a gem in one of their undrafted free agents. The Cardinals could add a few more veteran players to the roster during the offseason, as they did with the signing of Maxx Williams last week.With that said, here is my prediction on the Cardinals 53-man roster:bold = starter, * = rookie, italics = free agent additionQB (2): Kyler Murray*, Brett HundleyWith Josh Rosen shipped to Miami, Kyler Murray will be the day one starter. Hundley is the only quarterback on the roster with regular season experience but I could see the team adding another veteran later in the offseason. I’m very intrigued with undrafted free agent QB Drew Anderson, a player that displayed some dual-threat capabilities at Murray State. Him and Charles Kanoff will likely battle for a spot on the practice squad. RB (4): David Johnson, Chase Edmonds, D.J. Foster, T.J. LoganIt doesn’t look like the Cardinals will keep a fullback on the roster, after letting Derrick Coleman walk in free agency. That creates an opening, for a total of four running backs to make the roster. David Johnson is the obvious starter. Undrafted free agent Xavier Turner rushed for 1,469 yards and 22 touchdowns last season at Tarleton State, so he’ll be in the mix as well. Logan’s value as a return specialist should be enough to make him the fourth running back on the depth chart.WR (7): Larry Fitzgerald, Christian Kirk, Andy Isabella*, Hakeem Butler*, Kevin White KeeSean Johnson*, Trent SherfieldKingsbury will likely use his receivers in all sorts of ways, playing them on the outside and inside. The Cardinals revamped their wide receiver corps in a big way, adding three receivers through the draft. Isabella and Butler should have big roles on the offense this season, despite being rookies. Last year’s undrafted rookie Trent Sherfield made his mark on special teams and was one of Josh Rosen’s favorite targets when Kirk went down with an injury. Kevin White and Pharoh Cooper are veteran receivers that the Cardinals would like to keep. I truly believe this team has a good chance at keeping seven receivers on their roster.TE (3): Charles Clay, Ricky Seals-Jones, Maxx WilliamsI expect the Cardinals to keep only three tight ends on the final roster. Clay and Seals-Jones are locks to make the roster for now. The Cardinals recently signed Maxx Williams to a one-year deal Youth Christian Kirk Jersey , making it a little more difficult for Caleb Wilson, their seventh-round pick, to make the roster. Williams was a good blocker and a solid pass catcher in his career but just needs to stay healthy. They will be competing with Darrell Daniels, Drew Belcher, and Jerome Washington for the final tight end spot. OL (9): D.J. Humphries, Justin Pugh, Mason Cole, J.R. Sweezy, Marcus Gilbert, A.Q. Shipley, Korey Cunningham, Max Garcia, Lamont Gaillard*The starters are set. Shipley and Gaillard might have to battle it out for a roster spot, but I expect both to make the cut. Cunningham is now the primary swing tackle, after John Wetzel signed with the Atlanta Falcons. Max Garcia started 41 games in four seasons. His experience with offensive line coach Sean Kugler and significant starting experience could edge out Colby Gossett for a roster spot. I expect the Cardinals to bring back Gossett on their practice squad. Seventh-round pick Joshua Miles has all the physical tools to succeed but his lack of instincts is evident in his play. He’ll have a chance to make the roster, with the likelihood of landing on a practice squad.DL (7): Darius Philon, Corey Peters, Rodney Gunter, Zach Allen*, Michael Dogbe*, Vincent Valentine, Cameron Malveaux, Robert Nkemdiche (PUP)Free-agent acquisition Darius Philon continues to improve every season and is expected to be a starter. He is solid as a pass rusher but even better against the run. Corey Peters is the captain of the defensive line. Rodney Gunter played as a nose tackle in a 3-4 in the past but is expected to be the other starting defensive tackle. It’s not every day we see a defensive end like rookie Zach Allen make 100 tackles in a single season. He’ll be a starter sooner rather than later for the Cardinals. Nkemdiche is expected to return mid-season and will likely remain on PUP. Seventh-round pick Michael Dogbe will be a key rotational player on the defensive line until Nkemdiche returns. Vincent Valentine is the only other nose tackle with starting experience on the roster. OLB (4): Chandler Jones, Terrell Suggs, Brooks Reed, Vontarrius DoraJones should be very happy that he will see less double teams this season with future Hall of Famer Terrell Suggs playing opposite of him. If you thought the Cardinals’ pass rush in 2018 was good, it should be even better this season. Reed had his best games playing as a 3-4 outside linebacker and will likely be in rotation with Suggs to keep them both fresh. Last year’s preseason sensation Vontarrius Dora will battle with undrafted rookie James Folston Jr for a roster spot. Don’t be surprised if the Cardinals bring in Shane Ray, who is currently a free agent, to compete for spot on the back end of the roster.ILB (5): Jordan Hicks Christian Kirk Men Jersey , Haason Reddick, Tanner Vallejo, Zeke Turner, Dennis GardeckAfter Hicks and Reddick, no other inside linebacker on the roster has significant starting experience. A potential Josh Bynes return should not be ruled out. Last year’s two undrafted linebackers to make the team Zeke Turner and Dennis Gardeck are two special teams players that the Cardinals really like. CB (5): Patrick Peterson, Robert Alford, Byron Murphy*, Tramaine Brock, Josh ShawPeterson, Alford, and Murphy are a dangerous trio of cornerbacks. Murphy reminds me of a bigger Tyrann Mathieu, and we all know the success he has had. Brock’s experience playing for Vance Joseph along with his extensive NFL experience are two factors that will make him beat out David Amerson for a spot on the roster. Josh Shaw’s versatility to play both cornerback and safety, along with special teams, should finally put an end to Brandon Williams time with the Cardinals, who’s struggled since being a third-round pick in 2016.S (4): Budda Baker, D.J. Swearinger, Deionte Thompson*, Rudy FordBaker moves back to his natural position as a safety, after playing primarily in the slot last season. Swearinger is a tone-setter and a player that brings a lot of energy to a defense. Fifth-round pick Deionte Thompson is a rookie to watch, being one of the better safeties in college football last season that saw his draft stock drop due to injury and speed concerns. ST (3): Zane Gonzalez, Andy Lee, Aaron BrewerThe special teams unit is pretty much set. The Cardinals recently added punter Ryan Winslow but he shouldn’t be a threat to take Andy Lee’s job. TEMPE, Ariz. — He has a close connection with Aaron Rodgers and wants a “Star Trek mind-meld” with his new offensive coordinator Mike McCoy. He’s still ticked that three quarterbacks were drafted ahead of him.Josh Rosen was introduced at a news conference Friday at Arizona Cardinals headquarters.It’s heady stuff, he acknowledged, being anointed a team’s franchise quarterback of the future.“It’s pretty daunting,” Rosen said. “The biggest thing is knowing that I have careers on my back. I have families, I have kids, and if I don’t play well and I don’t pan out, people have to get new jobs. People get fired and things happen Color Rush Christian Kirk Jersey , so you’ve got a lot on your shoulders.”The biggest misperception he’d like to clear up, he said, is that he lacks sufficient love for the game.“Throughout the scouting process, you had to come up with answers to try and convince people you love the game and stuff,” he said. “I’m lucky now. I got picked. I can just show people. I can just come to work each day and show people over time. I don’t have to answer. I can actually just produce the proof in the pudding.”The UCLA star somehow slipped to 10th in the draft. The Cardinals traded up five spots to get him at the quite reasonable price of Arizona’s No. 15 pick in the first round as well as a third- and fifth-round selection. He said Thursday night that he didn’t know and didn’t care why he slipped and was the fourth quarterback chosen.“I was a little emotional last night,” Rosen said. “I would actually say that I’m not as angry that there were nine guys (chosen) ahead of me, just the three quarterbacks. That’s kind of what gets to me. So, there were three big mistakes ahead of me.”But he said he now sees it as a lucky break.“This is an unbelievable team that I think is really, really primed and set to do some incredible things in the future,” Rosen said, “and I think I just, very simply, lucked out.”He will wear his usual No. 3, the same as his predecessor, the now-retired Carson Palmer.Rosen will start out as backup to Sam Bradford and maybe Mike Glennon. It will be his first experience as a reserve.“My goals for the year are to accomplish whatever coach McCoy sets out for me as a quarterback,” he said. “Whatever he wants me to do, it’s team first. … I’m going to compete my butt off every single day, but then again, I’m not going to be the guy that comes in and thinks he’s the man from Day 1. It’s a long process, and you’ve got to earn it.”Rosen said he’s learning a lot from Rodgers.The two got to know each other because they’re represented by the same agency. Rodgers is executive producer of a video that featured rookies under contract to the agency preparing for the draft.“It was really cool when he came down and mentored me a little bit,” Rosen said. “The relationship actually went a lot further than I thought it would initially. I thought we were just kind of going to hang out for the cameras a little bit and talk and try to make it look more than it was. But he has reached out to me a lot. He has been awesome.”As Rosen explained it, “I think the best word to describe him, and what I try to emulate is, he’s a `dude.’ He’s just the dude. When he’s walking around the building or whatever he’s doing, you just know he’s that guy. When he steps into the huddle at a critical moment in a late-game (situation) at the end of the year, you know that he’s stepping into that huddle and he’s telling his guys he’s going to go down and score a touchdown and that they’re all going to believe him, because he’s that dude.”Rosen wants to be that dude, too.