Arizona Cardinals ahead of schedule in learning new system, says Bruce Arians

After Monday's OTAs, one local reporter asked Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians about the learning curve the players have been going through, as they have been learning a new system both offensively and defensively. Arians is pleased with what he has seen, but doesn't put too much stock into OTAs and practicing in shorts.

"I think this group is way beyond where I thought they would," said Arians about the progress of the team. He noted that they had installed about 95 percent of everything on both sides of the ball.

However, despite the progress he has seen so far, he takes it with a grain of salt, considering the types of workouts and drills they have been doing.

"It's still the hitting part of it that's the game," he explained. "All this stuff in shorts is nice and it's needed, but until the physical contact starts, you really don't know who can apply what they have learned.

"Some guys rise to the occasion. Some guys fall. That's what usually makes them cut and it makes it easy for the coaches to make decisions. So we'll find all that out in training camp."

Translation: Nobody is winning their roster spot in OTAs. It will be a small portion of what is considered when making roster and depth chart decisions.

This is where players moving up to the first field like receiver Kerry Taylor, or linebacker Colin Parker, is only nice to know stuff right now. Yes, the depth changing from time to time, but a much larger weight (almost all of it) will be based on what happens in pads in training camp.

Training camp is going to be fun. I get the feeling that he is going to make the players work a little more than they had to with Ken Whisenhunt.

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