Josh Weinfuss, ESPN Staff Writer 7y

Budda Baker enters Cardinals camp with lost time to make up

TEMPE, Ariz. -- One thing Arizona Cardinals coach Bruce Arians has shown during his first four seasons as Arizona's head coach is that he's not shy about playing rookies if he believes they're ready and can contribute.

Arians has also proven he's not shy about telling the whole world when a rookie doesn't live up to expectations. For this year's rookie class, both drafted and undrafted, there are plenty of opportunities for them to get on the field.

Though Arians likes to say rookies aren't ready to play until Thanksgiving, here are five who could use training camp as a way to make a mark in Week 1. They report to training camp this weekend at University of Phoenix Stadium:

S Budda Baker: The Cardinals' second-round pick has the most to gain -- or lose -- during camp among the rookies. He missed all of OTAs and minicamp because NFL rules prevent rookies who attend colleges that use the quarters system (such as Baker's University of Washington) from reporting for their new jobs until the school's graduation day. Though he had daily phone calls with secondary coach Nick Rapone and had every practice uploaded to his tablet, Baker hasn't played a practice down in Arizona's defense or alongside new teammates. There will undoubtedly be a learning curve for Baker, but he can impress quickly if he can pick up the scheme from the moment he steps foot in Glendale.

WR Carlton Agudosi: He's one of the most intriguing rookies in this year's class. He stands 6-foot-6 and has the type of long legs that can get him through the second level of a defense in the blink of an eye -- perfect for the type of downfield scheme Arians likes to run. But Agudosi will be fighting for a job seemingly every day as Arizona boasts a group of wide receivers 12-men deep -- all of whom Arians can see playing for an NFL team. There might be a spot available on the 53-man roster for Agudosi, but he'll have to be nearly flawless every practice and prove he can make plays -- especially along the boundary -- that the Cardinals need.

LB Haason Reddick: Being a first-round pick comes with a certain level of interest and expectations, but Reddick's first NFL training camp will be more important any other rookie's because he needs to prove he can make a smooth transition to inside linebacker after a career of rushing the passer off the edge as a defensive end. He's only been playing inside linebacker since late January, but the adjustment looks seamless. If he can continue playing at that level once the team can start hitting on Monday, then the Cardinals' investment in Reddick will look even better.

TE Ricky Seals-Jones: If there's one position where a rookie can squeeze himself into a roster spot, it's at tight end. Two spots are locked in (Jermaine Gresham and Troy Niklas). Ifeanyi Momah should make the roster with a good camp. That leaves one, maybe two opportunities for Seals-Jones, a converted wide receiver who played his college football at Texas A&M. He certainly has the pedigree: His cousin is Hall of Fame running back Eric Dickerson. Seals-Jones fits the mold for a Cardinals' tight end at 6-foot-5 and 243 pounds, and if he can enjoy blocking as much as Arians wants his tight ends to block, he might find himself on the roster come September.

CB Sojourn Shelton: There's a reason the Cardinals reportedly gave Shelton a $25,000 signing bonus to play for them as an undrafted free agent: They believed he could compete for a spot -- either starting or as a backup -- in an already slim cornerback room. The starting job will be a battle between Justin Bethel and Brandon Williams, but Shelton could make a case to be a backup or nickel corner by outplaying fellow rookie Rudy Ford. If Shelton can prove he's capable of being an NFL cornerback, he might not find a spot this season, but he could be part of the Cards' long-term plans should Bethel move on after this season.

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