Arizona Cardinals vs. Minnesota Vikings preview: Last chance to impress before roster cuts

Arizona Cardinals at Minnesota Vikings

Date, time/site: Saturday at 10 a.m., U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis

TV: NBC/Ch.12, NFL Network. Radio: 98.7 FM/106.7 FM

Series history: Saturday's game will mark Arizona's fifth game at U.S. Bank Stadium (second in preseason) since it opened in 2016. It's the 16th all-time preseason matchup between the Cardinals and Vikings and the first since 2019. It also marks the sixth consecutive preseason matchup between the two teams to take place in Minnesota. The Cardinals are also making their fourth visit to Minnesota in the last six seasons.

What to look for as Arizona Cardinals play Minnesota Vikings

— The Cardinals, after trading for Joshua Dobbs, now have four healthy quarterbacks on the roster. If the presumed leading candidate for the Week 1 starting job, Colt McCoy, doesn't play Saturday, it could be a sure sign that he indeed has earned the job. Beyond that, it's one more look at rookie Clayton Tune and one more chance for David Blough, though his spot could be in jeopardy with the arrival of Dobbs.

Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon said the Cardinals tried to sign Dobbs earlier in the offseason, but Dobbs got a better deal from Cleveland.

“Smart, intelligent, I like how he can play. (Offensive coordinator) Drew (Petzing) and (quarterbacks coach  Israel Woolfork) have a relationship with him. When you sign a quarterback that’s coming in here to compete, like, it’s tough for anybody, let alone a quarterback,” Gannon said. "The comfort that they have with him and that he has with them I think gives him a chance and as far as a teammate, a phenomenal teammate.”

Gannon affirmed that Dobbs will get an honest look from the Cardinals.

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Tune, the team’s fifth-round pick out of Houston, might still be making a play for the starting job while Kyler Murray continues his rehab from a torn ACL last December. But while Tune has done some good things, he hasn't blown open the doors of opportunity to be the starter. It's clear the Cardinals were looking for something else at the position, hence the trade for Dobbs.

"He's grown a lot. He wants to get better every day and you can see that when he comes out here. I'm really excited for him," wide receiver Greg Dortch said of Tune this week at Cardinals practice.

— It's the last preseason game, so it's possible some presumed starters don't play Saturday. Some, but maybe not all. Head coach Jonathan Gannon and team staff planned to use the film from this week's joint practices against the Vikings as evaluation tools in the final days before the roster must be cut to 53 players on the active roster next Tuesday.

That means that players who aren't assured of a roster spot — and after the trades of experienced players drafted high in Isaiah Simmons and Josh Jones on Thursday, that's a long list of players — have Saturday's game to make their final cases to be Arizona Cardinals in Week 1 of the regular season.

"It's gonna be a great opportunity for a lot of guys. We have the game on Saturday. So everything is an evaluation, we're going to take this right up until next week on the deadline to determine who the right guys are," Cardinals General Manager Monti Ossenfort said just before Thursday's practice.

This year, there is one cut from 90 to 53 players. It isn't like years past when there were multiple cutdown dates.

"It's good for the football team that we have all 90 players available for us coming into this last week, and this week here practicing. ... Our pro staff (pro personnel) has done an unbelievable job of grinding through these preseason games," Ossenfort said. "So we'll be ready for Tuesday. It's just, you know, the volume is going to be greater than what it's been, typically when all these players hit at one time."

— With Isaiah Simmons and Josh Jones traded away Thursday, who fills the depth void at safety and offensive tackle? It could be undrafted rookie JuJu Hughes getting an extended look Saturday at safety. Also look for rookie Jon Gaines II to possibly start at center if Hjalte Froholdt, who wasn't with the team from Monday to Thursday while spending time with his newborn child, is deemed not ready to go. Also, this could finally be the week that rookie outside linebacker B.J. Ojulari, the Cardinals' second round draft pick, makes his preseason debut, though it doesn't look like tight end Zach Ertz is ready to play in a game after being limited in practice this week.

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— Being in Minnesota is a homecoming of sorts for several Cardinals coaches who were once part of the Vikings' staff, including head coach Jonathan Gannon, Minnesota native and Cardinals defensive coordinator Nick Rallis, offensive coordinator Drew Petzing and outside linebackers coach Rob Rodriguez. Ossenfort is also a Minnesota native who once worked for the Vikings as a training camp intern.

— The Cardinals will debut their new all-white uniforms on Saturday.

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They said it

"I don't pay too much attention to that, you know, more in my role. When I first got into the league. I wasn't in the spot. So you know, anything can happen. Just working with the guys. Always got to be prepared to play out there."

-Cardinals DL Leki Fotu, on being atop the current depth chart at his position.

"Everyone's the same, doesn't matter where you're drafted, I was drafted first round. Same as an undrafted free agent, we're all the same, we all bleed the same, we can all be cut the same, all be traded the same, all be waived the same. You gotta come out and be able to put your best foot forward every day to earn your spot at the dinner table."

- Cardinals LB Zaven Collins, on if the trade of Simmons sends a message to the rest of the team.

Cardinals transaction

The team signed offensive lineman Cohl Cabral Friday, whose name is familiar to ASU fans. Cabral played in 50 games with 38 starts and was a two-time Sun Devils captain who was second-team All-Pac-12 in 2018. Cabral has been on four teams' practice squads since entering the NFL undrafted in 2020. He most recently played for the Birmingham Stallions of the USFL, where he started 10 games at center earlier this year.

The Cardinals were in need of depth at center, with Froholdt not in practice this week, Pat Elflein injured and only Gaines and Lecitus Smith available.

Arizona Republic reporter Bob McManaman contributed to this report.

Commentary: Isaiah Simmons trade completes stunning fall for former No. 8 pick

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: What to watch: Arizona Cardinals' preseason game vs. Minnesota Vikings