Off-Topic » Too small, too slow. Christian Kirk is well aware of wha

TEM PE Youth D.J. Swearinger Jersey , Ariz. (AP) — t critics said to him going into this year’s NFL draft.They’re right in front of him every day as he leaves home.“I have a blackboard at my house that has it all written up,” he said. “It’s all right where I leave for the door every day.”He hasn’t forgotten that five receivers were drafted ahead of him.“I thought I was the best and I’m out to prove that,” Kirk said.He is off to a good start on a not-so-good team. Halfway through the season, his 31 catches and 410 yards receiving rank second among NFL rookie wide receivers behind only Atlanta’s Calvin Ridley (33 catches, 463 yards). And Kirk has done it on a team that ranks last in the NFL in offense and next-to-last in passing offense.“This guy is the ultimate pro,” coach Steve Wilks said. “You look at rookies coming in really trying to find their way. This guy works hard each and every day, trying to take care of his body, trying to prep himself. I think, really, the opportunities that he has been getting Stitched Marcus Gilbert Jersey , he’s taking advantage of them, meaning the throws, the catches. He’s finishing those plays, which is great.”In his previous game, a week ago Sunday, Kirk broke free in the back of the end zone and caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from fellow rookie Josh Rosen with 34 seconds to play, the winning score in an 18-15 victory over San Francisco.The Cardinals (2-6), who play at Kansas City (8-1) on Sunday, had last weekend off.“I went back this week and actually watched the Washington game (the season opener),” Kirk said, “just seeing where I was at then until now. It’s night and day. So I feel like every week I’m progressing and I still want to do that throughout the season.”Kirk has lots of hometown support. He grew up in suburban Phoenix before choosing Texas A&M over Arizona State in high school.He has developed a close relationship with Rosen Youth Marcus Gilbert Jersey , who took over as starting quarterback in Week 4.“I love Christian,” Rosen said after Wednesday’s practice. “We’re on the same page about everything. We hang out off the field. Football’s a very social game, and I think sometimes we can pick each other up and get each other going whenever we might be sputtering a little bit. Football’s a game of relationships, so it’s good to have a strong one.”Kirk, after a standout career at Texas A&M, was drafted by Arizona in the second round, the 47th player chosen overall. He stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 200 pounds and there were concerns about that and his speed among pro scouts.Not for the Cardinals though, Wilks said.“Not at all,” he said. “It may have been a concern with other teams, but not with us. We felt like he had speed. I know that was a question: ‘He’s just a slot receiver.’ (But) he’s shown he can take the top off.”Rosen, who has his own thoughts about quarterbacks drafted ahead of him Stitched Terrell Suggs Jersey , said people sometimes look for the wrong things when evaluating a player.“I think sometimes you just have to turn on tape and watch guys play,” he said. “(Kansas City’s) Tyreek Hill on the other side is one of the best receivers in football right now, and he’s tiny. He’s unbelievable. I think they’re different kinds of receivers, but just in the sense that I think a lot of guys look at the wrong things. If you turn on Christian’s tape from college, he’s ripping people up and down the field.” Through the offseason for the Arizona Cardinals there has been a singular vision.This was the crux of the hiring of Kliff Kingsbury and then drafting Kyler Murray.The Cardinals were aligning...The Revenge of the Birds podcastArizona Cardinals turn to Jordan Hicks to fix the ailing inside linebacker positionNew,15commentsMDTShare this storyShare this on FacebookShare this on TwitterShareAll sharing optionsShareAll sharing options for:Arizona Cardinals turn to Jordan Hicks to fix the ailing inside linebacker positionTwitterFacebookRedditPocketFlipboardEmailPhoto by Wesley Hitt/Getty ImagesThrough the offseason for the Arizona Cardinals there has been a singular vision.This was the crux of the hiring of Kliff Kingsbury and then drafting Kyler Murray.The Cardinals were aligning their offensive identity with the head coach and quarterback.It was almost imperative after the debacle of 2018.Pairing a young, talented quarterback in Josh Rosen with a coach who has only really had success with two Hall of Fame level, veteran quarterbacks was a recipe for disaster.So, the pairing of Kliff and Kyler makes sense.The struggle, at least for me and my least favorite move of the offseason was watching how they rebuilt the defense.Now, I will say I understand the philosophy of Vance Joseph Black Ricky Seals-Jones Jersey , premium positions need premium talent, that’s where the money should go, and on defense you build from the outside in, meaning pass rusher and corner.The Arizona Cardinals followed that philosophy except when it came to Jordan Hicks.Now, the need for Jordan Hicks and the player are more than worth the salary that they paid, but it’s an interesting way to build after your DC talked about building outside in.Hicks will be the quarterback of the new defense and when healthy is one of the better athletes at the linebacker position in the NFL.He’ll be worth the money, so I don’t want people thinking I dislike the move.Instead, it feels like continuing to chase the inside linebacker position and for the fifth time in seven seasons throwing big assets at it, is a bad way to build.Hicks $34 million could have gone a long way to bringing in more talent.You could have signed Preston Brown and Zach Brown for about $18 million, $7 million in 2019 and used that additional money to go find more help along the offensive line, or gotten in on some higher paid offensive linemen.You could have signed Z Brown and Brandon Marshall for a combined $3 million this year and had even more money available.Hicks should be a nice addition and help a position that has been searching for a fix since 2013 when Karlos Dansby and Daryl Washington were the standard.Since then Washington was suspended from the league Ricky Seals-Jones Jersey 2019 , Kevin Minter flopped, Deone Bucannon flashed and flamed, Dansby came back, Haason Reddick was asked to do something he’s never done before, then to do something else, then something else, and now something else again and now they’ve signed Jordan Hicks.Hicks better be a fixture for all four seasons, with the type of money and investment the Arizona Cardinals have put at inside linebacker.