As Season Approaches, Cardinals' Defense Must Jell Quickly

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Joseph said he will spend much of training camp focusing on fundamentals and making sure the team is well-conditioned.


"We have to do our best to make the practices as safe but as physical as we can make them, without losing our key players doing that," Joseph said. "Everyone is doing the same thing. It's going to be fair Week 1. They can't simulate our team speed or our defense, either. And they can't tackle to the ground constantly, having a game in 30 days. So it's going to be fair. It might not be great tackling Week 1, but our focus is having our guys in great shape to get multiple hats to the football."


Kennard had an offseason worth of virtual meetings with the coaching staff but only recently took the field with his teammates. The seven-year veteran is doing everything he can to flatten the learning curve.


"I've been very focused on getting in the playbook, watching a lot of film, visualizing as much as I can, so when the real bullets start flying and you're practicing, the game can be slowed down a little bit," Kennard said.


While the newcomers have an uphill battle, the returning players finally get the same defensive coordinator two seasons in a row for the first time since 2017. Safety Budda Baker played under James Bettcher as a rookie and Al Holcomb in his second season, and believes the continuity with Joseph's scheme could help him reach another level after a Pro Bowl campaign in 2019.


"I've been in the league for three years, been in three different defenses and played three different positions," Baker said. "It's definitely hard to get some familiarity, and this year is definitely that year where I'm excited to have that familiarity. I'm focused on taking that next step to being an even greater football player."


Joseph readily acknowledges that this year's defense is more talented than last year's group, which finished last in the NFL in total defense, and is appreciative of General Manager Steve Keim for beefing up the unit.


But a unique offseason still leaves plenty of question marks with Week 1 rapidly approaching.


"It looks better on paper," Joseph said, "but we have to go out and prove it."

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