Arizona Cardinals patient in search for kick returner
By Josh Sanchez
The Arizona Cardinals head in to training camp without a single player on the roster that returned a kick for the team a season ago. William Powell, LaRod Stephens-Howling and Early Doucet are all gone from the roster, so the search for a new kick returner is on.
Star cornerback Patrick Peterson along with fellow defensive backs Tyrann Mathieu and Javier Arenas are the leading candidates to earn the job.
However, they will have to prove their worth in the return game and earn the job, because head coach Bruce Arians has said that he plans to take his time finding the new specialist.
“It’s way too early to name them,” Arians said. “The first thing is to find five, six who can catch it and see how they run with it. We have enough talent to have an explosive guy back there.”
Peterson has been dynamic in the past, Arenas has experience in the return game with the Kansas City Chiefs and Mathieu was a dynamic playmaker during his time at LSU. Whichever direction the Cardinals go, they have plenty of solid options.
Unfortunately for whoever wins the job, they won’t have the opportunity to be recognized for their performance this season thanks to the changes to the Pro Bowl.