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2018 Arizona Cardinals starters, 53-man roster, schedule prediction

The Cardinals will keep Sam Bradford (9), Josh Rosen (3) and Mike Glennon (7). AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin

The Arizona Cardinals cut their roster to 53 on Saturday. Here's a look at the roster:

QUARTERBACK (3): Sam Bradford, Josh Rosen, Mike Glennon

It’s not surprise that Arizona kept Glennon. If something were to happen to Bradford, the Cards would need a veteran backup to the rookie Rosen. Instead of trying to find one on the open market on short notice, they now have one on the roster.

RUNNING BACK (3): David Johnson, Chase Edmonds, T.J. Logan

Johnson will get the very large majority of carries this season so, in reality, Arizona doesn’t need many other running backs. But Edmonds and Logan will be needed to spell Johnson on occasion or to spice things up when offensive coordinator Mike McCoy wants to use two running backs.

FULLBACK (1): Derrick Coleman

Coleman was always going to beat out Eli Penny to be the fullback. It was just a matter of whether Penny was needed as a swing running back/fullback. He wasn’t. Colemen is a model of consistency.

WIDE RECEIVER (5): Larry Fitzgerald, Christian Kirk, Chad Williams, J.J. Nelson, Trent Sherfield

Sherfield won a tight competition to join a wide receiver room that was deep, yet wide open. He beat out Greg Little and Brice Butler to earn a roster spot. That means that Kirk will likely be the No. 2 receiver behind Fitzgerald.

TIGHT END (3): Jermaine Gresham, Ricky Seals-Jones, Gabe Holmes

There weren’t any changes here. By activating Gresham off PUP, it shows he’s ready to take the field giving Arizona a room of big tight ends.

OFFENSIVE LINE (10): D.J. Humphries, Mike Iupati, Mason Cole, Justin Pugh, Andre Smith, John Wetzel, Evan Boehm, Will Holden, Daniel Munyer, Korey Cunningham

Korey Cunningham is in over Vinston Painter. Cunnigham’s athleticism helped him stand out and was attractive to coaches because of what it allows then to do with him in terms of versatility.

DEFENSIVE LINE (9): Chandler Jones, Robert Nkemdiche, Markus Golden, Corey Peters, Olsen Pierre, Rodney Gunter, Benson Mayowa, Jacquies Smith, Vontarrius Dora

Both Smith and Dora stood out during preseason games, giving Arizona more depth on an already deep line. They could have a chance to show their value early in the season with injuries to Nkemdiche, Peters and Pierre. Golden was activated off PUP, as well, reuniting one of the NFL’s best pass-rushing duos.

LINEBACKER (5): Josh Bynes, Deone Bucannon, Haason Reddick, Gerald Hodges, Dennis Gardeck

If the Cardinals play nickel often this year, they’ll only play two linebackers at a time, giving more depth to a room of five and not making a sixth necessary.

SECONDARY (11): Patrick Peterson, Jamar Taylor, Budda Baker, Antoine Bethea, Tre Boston, Bene Benwikere, Rudy Ford, Brandon Williams, Zeke Turner, A.J. Howard, Deatrick Nichols

If there’s one position Wilks likes – or loves – it’s the secondary. Arizona has 11 defensive backs on the roster, giving a handful of rookies in Turner, Howard and Nichols a shot. Williams hasn’t impressed during the offseason but he’s a continual work in progress.

SPECIALISTS (3): K Phil Dawson, P Andy Lee, LS Aaron Brewer

The only job in jeopardy was Dawson’s but he outplayed Matt McCrane, keeping Arizona’s specialists together for a second-straight year.