The Cardinals have an abundance of return specialists

The Arizona Cardinals recently released their depth chart, featuring T.J. Logan as their primary kick returner and Christian Kirk as their primary punt returner.

Both Logan and Kirk were dynamic return specialists back in their college days. They both continue to show flashes of that at the professional level.

After them on the depth chart, Pharoh Cooper was listed as their primary backup.

Cooper (5-11, 208lbs) was acquired by the Cardinals through waivers towards the end of last season.

The former fourth-round pick is well-known for his dynamic plays as a return specialist. The 24-year-old made his mark in the NFL after being selected to the Pro Bowl in 2017. He averaged 27.4 yards on 34 kick returns, in addition to his 12.5-yard average on punt returns.

Another player to keep in mind is Damiere Byrd, who returned a 103-yard kick return for a touchdown in 2017 with the Carolina Panthers. He has impressed the Cardinals during camp so far with the display of his 4.28 40 speed.

Let’s keep in mind that T.J. Logan is not guaranteed to make the roster. The Cardinals know Christian Kirk is a dynamic punt return specialist but he is expected to be Kyler Murray’s go-to guy at receiver.

As a result, the kick and punt return jobs are both wide open for the taking. Logan and Byrd both possess top-end speed. Kirk and Cooper have the ideal build for a returner but Kirk will likely see limited reps as a specialist to be the top receiver for the Cardinals.

There are two ways for Byrd and Cooper to make the roster. Either one of them wins one of the returner positions or they prove themselves as a quality backup receiver. As of now, the Cardinals are loaded with depth at the receiver position.

It’ll be interesting to see how this position battle plays out.