5 takeaways from Arizona Cardinals' first week of training camp

The Arizona Cardinals are a week into training camp and already, some trends are emerging.

There is, of course, a limit to how much can be gleaned from these practices. They haven’t yet practiced with pads, and training camp is more about development than assessments.

Still, it’s live reps of football. The preseason opener, at home against the Kansas City Chiefs, is two weeks away. The Cardinals’ brass is making decisions every day, and we’re getting a glimpse into what those decisions look like.

So as the schedule flips to the second week of camp, here are five takeaways from Week 1:

Marvin Harrison Jr. really does look more comfortable

Much has been made about Harrison’s added muscle mass, and he did confirm last week that he plans to play this season at 220 pounds, up from 209 as a rookie. But more important than Harrison’s size is his comfort level in the offense.

As a rookie, he acknowledged being overwhelmed by the speed of the game at times. That was evident on the field, especially early in the year. Harrison had consistent miscommunications with Kyler Murray and occasionally looked a step slow in his route-running — even as he finished with a respectable 885 receiving yards.

In camp this year, he already looks quicker and more decisive. One play stands out. Harrison got safety Jalen Thompson to bite on a stutter step, then exploded past him downfield for a big reception. That’s the type of move he didn’t make often enough as a rookie.

“(I’m) not as nervous and fidgety,” Harrison said. “A lot more relaxed, calm. It’s allowed me to go out there and just be free.”

Darius Robinson has a major role to play

Robinson’s career got off to a difficult start as a rookie. He suffered a calf injury in August, didn’t return until Week 13, and wasn’t particularly effective when he was on the field. Then, in the offseason, the Cardinals added three new starting-caliber defensive linemen, creating major competition for snaps.

Entering camp, that posed an open question: What would Robinson’s role be?

Through four practices, it seems as if he’ll be a crucial contributor. His snaps have exclusively been with the starting defense, and he’s aligned all over the defensive line, whether that be on the interior or outside. He’s also been one of the standouts of camp with his consistent ability to get to the quarterback. It’s been a promising week.

Trey Benson could cut into James Conner’s workload

Last year during training camp, Conner saw the vast majority of first-team reps, as Benson struggled to adjust to the NFL level. He looked, in other words, like every bit of a workhorse back. And when the season began, that was the reality. In his 15 healthy games, Conner took 69.9% of the Cardinals’ running back carries (so excluding rushes by other position groups).

This year could be different. It’s still early, but Benson has taken a significant portion of the first-team snaps. Perhaps the Cardinals are just letting the 30-year-old Conner preserve his legs, but it’s a trend worth watching as the pads go on.

Benson, meanwhile, has spoken extensively about his increased comfort in the offense.

“It’s completely different,” Benson said. “I feel like this year, it’s completely slowed down for me. Last year, I was just a rookie, and I wanted to be perfect. This year, it’s all coming together.”

Mack Wilson set for crucial job on defense

With Kyzir White gone, the Cardinals have inserted Wilson as their starting middle linebacker.

Wilson, who excelled as the weakside linebacker last year after signing in free agency, now has two new responsibilities. He has a new physical position on the field, operating in the middle of the defense. And he is the Cardinals’ defensive signal caller, meaning he communicates playcalls to the rest of the defense.

It’s a particularly important role if the Cardinals use more single-linebacker looks, which has been the case early in training camp. Either way, Wilson will almost certainly see an increased snap share after playing 70.2% of defensive snaps last year.

Cardinals are confident in thin offensive line

The Cardinals did little to improve their offensive line over the offseason. They lost Will Hernandez and Trystan Colon to free agency, and their only additions were depth pieces — sixth-round pick Hayden Conner and cheap free agents like Royce Newman and Jake Curhan.

That puts a heavy burden on Isaiah Adams, a third-rounder who made five starts as a rookie. He’s now the starting right guard. It also creates questions as to who will step up if an injury occurs, especially on the interior.

General manager Monti Ossenfort, though, isn’t bothered by that depth chart.

“We have a good group that’s played a lot of ball,” Ossenfort said. “Isaiah Adams got in there late in the season and got some really good experience. … And then behind them, there’s a good competition of guys to sort out. … We’re very happy with that group.”

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Five takeaways from Arizona Cardinals' first week of training camp