Latest news with #WillJohnson
USA Today
18 hours ago
- Sport
- USA Today
5 things we know from photos from Arizona Cardinals OTAs
5 things we know from photos from Arizona Cardinals OTAs We don't get to see what the Cardinals do in OTAs, but photos reveal some things. The Arizona Cardinals finished one week of OTAs this past week. Because their real work in practice is not open to report on, we are left to glean what we can about what is happening on the field. What are some things that we can learn from photos the team released on the team site and on social media. What we can learn from photos of Cardinals OTAs More Michael Wilson in the slot: In this photo, we see what the Cardinals did more late in the season. Zay Jones played outside and Wilson moved inside to the slot. Nick Leverett getting work at guard: Leverett was getting first-team reps at left guard, as you can see in this photo. With Hjalte Froholdt not at OTAs, at on the first day, Evan Brown likely got center reps, as we can guess was the case in this photo where he is holding the ball. Sincere Haynesworth getting center reps: In this post on X in the first photo, we see Haynesworth getting reps at center. Haynesworth signed a futures deal with the team after the season was over. He spent the season on the practice squads of the New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints. Will Johnson not always on first team: In this post where Trey McBride makes a catch, we see that the cornerback trio is Max Melton, Garrett Williams and Star Thomas. Rookie Will Johnson was not working with the first team, at least not in that rep. Isaiah Adams seeing reps at both guard positions: In this video of Marvin Harrison Jr. making a catch, you get a glimpse of Adams, who started five games at right guard at the end of the season. In the second video of this post, Adams is playing left guard. Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Arizona Cardinals' Josh Sweat, Will Johnson named among 100 most important players in 2025
Arizona Cardinals' Josh Sweat, Will Johnson named among 100 most important players in 2025 CBS Sports includes Josh Sweat and Will Johnson in their list of the 100 most important players in the NFL in 2025. The Arizona Cardinals have a number of players they will be counting on in 2025. They added a number of players defensively, both veterans and rookies. According to CBS Sports, two new defensive additions, one veteran and one rookie, are among the 100 most important players in the NFL in 2025. Pass rusher Josh Sweat and cornerback Will Johnson come in at Nos. 40 and 41. After having one of the poorest pass rushes in the NFL, the Cardinals signed Josh Sweat in free agency as part of a defensive overhaul, reuniting him with Jonathan Gannon. They also drafted Walter Nolen 16th overall, and the good parts of his film are as good as anyone's. But the rookie who might have a bigger immediate impact is Will Johnson. Viewed as a blue-chip talent (CB1 in the CBS Sports prospect rankings), Johnson fell to the second round due to medical concerns, but he is a major upgrade if healthy. Sweat will be expected to lead the outside rush for the Cardinals. His two best seasons in the NFL were when Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon was the defensive coordinator for the Philadelphia Eagles. Johnson will now have the opportunity to make an immediate impact as veteran cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting's season ended with a knee injury and landed him on the non-football injury reserve. Johnson could be the Cardinals' CB1 starting in Week 1. If both are as advertised, the Arizona defense will be much-improved, and an improved defense paired with an efficient offense, which is what Arizona's unit was a year ago, the Cardinals should be contenders in a tight NFC West. Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts.
Reuters
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Cardinals put CB Sean Murphy-Bunting on non-football injury list
May 22 - The Arizona Cardinals placed cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting on the reserve/non-football injury list on Thursday, a move that will apparently end his 2025 season. Neither the Cardinals nor Murphy-Bunting's representatives have detailed what occurred. A team can place players on the NFI list for injuries unrelated to football or injuries that didn't occur during NFL games and practices. Murphy-Bunting started 15 of 15 games played for the Cardinals last season and matched his career high of three interceptions. He had 52 tackles and two forced fumbles. Murphy-Bunting, who turns 28 next month, has played 82 games (65 starts) over six seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2019-22), Tennessee Titans (2023) and Cardinals. He has 11 interceptions, returning one for a touchdown in 2019, along with 297 tackles, 34 passes defensed and eight forced fumbles. He was a second-round pick by Tampa Bay in the 2019 draft. Arizona selected promising cornerback Will Johnson of Michigan in the second round of the 2025 draft. Johnson was considered a possible Top 10 pick prior to the 2024 season but slid down draft boards due to a knee issue. --Field Level Media
USA Today
20-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Opinion: Michigan football's 2025 win total underrated at 8.5 with favorable schedule
Opinion: Michigan football's 2025 win total underrated at 8.5 with favorable schedule When most college football teams finish their season strong, the media and fans start to build hype, noting that they've figured things out and are poised for big things the following year. While that has happened for Michigan football, it's quite rare. Yes, in 2023, the Wolverines were considered among a group of teams that could win the national championship, but it really wasn't the favorite until it actually won the whole shebang. But otherwise, the idea is that while other teams always should be better in a new season, Michigan will always be the same or even get worse. The maize and blue have a win total over-under set by BetMGM at 8.5 games in anticipation of the 2025 season. It's not an immodest number, but it's rather low given multiple factors. And yet, many in the college football media are expecting the Wolverines to fall below the 8.5 mark. The momentum from the end of 2024 From late November onward, nearly everything regarding the maize and blue has been positive. It started midweek in Week 13 when the Wolverines flipped No. 1 overall recruit and five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood from LSU. Later in the week, Michigan had the only blowout win it had all season, trouncing Northwestern. But what came after that was most impressive. Despite being a three-score underdog to Ohio State on the road, and being without two of its star players in cornerback Will Johnson and tight end Colston Loveland (the latter being pretty much the whole offense), the Wolverines went to Columbus and prevailed against the eventual national champions, winning 13-10, the fourth-straight victory over the rival Buckeyes. Then, despite every single eventual NFL draft pick (as well as those signed as undrafted free agents) opting out, Michigan played an almost full-strength Alabama team in the ReliaQuest Bowl, took control early, and never let go, beating the Crimson Tide, 19-13. These games didn't feature any offensive fireworks, but the defense showed that it figured out how to carry the team. And in the ReliaQuest Bowl, the Wolverines had nine players start who will be starters or key rotational players on this upcoming team. When you look at other teams who have finished similarly -- like Penn State in 2016 and 2017 (though the Nittany Lions lost both of those bowl games) -- the media and fans tend to hype them up, noting that they're on the verge of breaking out. Yet, despite having won a national championship just 17 months ago, the same consideration isn't given to Michigan. 2024 wasn't a blip on the radar; it's just who the Wolverines are, in the eyes of many. Mitigating factors for the good There are multiple things that play in Michigan's favor entering 2025. First, the schedule doesn't feature most of the top Big Ten teams. There's no Penn State, Oregon, or Indiana. Of the teams that the Wolverines lost to last year, only one (Washington) appears on the schedule. Yes, there are road trips to Oklahoma and Nebraska and USC in alternating weeks, and while the Sooners weren't much different last year than the maize and blue (they even beat Alabama) none of the three are considered world beaters. Could any of them take a big step forward? Sure. But Oklahoma hasn't quite been the same since Lincoln Riley left for USC, Lincoln Riley himself hasn't been the same since he left for USC, and Nebraska made its first bowl game in eons just this last year. Of course, Ohio State remains at the back-end of the schedule, but even the worst Michigan team (outside of 2020) in the past decade still managed to beat the Buckeyes. To look at the schedule and assume there are four or more losses is to assume that Michigan will regress and lose to any team with a pulse, essentially. But there are reasons to suspect that the Wolverines are on the rise. The defense showed that even without Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant, and Will Johnson that it could dominate. And it did so without much offensive prowess. It returns the whole coaching staff on that side of the ball for the first time in -- well, it's hard to remember, as there's always been at least one coaching change on defense in the past decade. So there's stability there. On the other side, the offense changed what it needed to change. It brought in Chip Lindsey to coordinate, it got Underwood and Mikey Keene at quarterback, and also got two transfer receivers in Donaven McCulley and Anthony Simpson. Even just a modicum of improvement should work wonders, considering the pass game was the fourth-worst in the country and worst in terms of yards per attempt last year. The offensive line, barring significant regression, should at least be status quo (with a better passing game), if not better. Additionally, Michigan ranks No. 29 in returning production -- among the most in the Big Ten, and we saw in 2023 (and on the wrong end in 2024) that experience matters. Early season prediction Now, could Michigan end up falling under the set 8.5 wins? Absolutely -- anything can happen in college football. But, like we said, that would require the Wolverines losing to any team within striking distance, talent-wise. And we've learned late in 2024 that the coaching is working. The maize and blue will be the most talented team that most opponents on the schedule will see. The big obstacle for the Wolverines is that there are no two home games in a row, and if Underwood is to start, will he make any catastrophic freshman mistakes? If he does, the defense should mitigate some of that. Here are the teams on the schedule in tiers: Elite Ohio State (yet Michigan beat an elite Buckeye team last year) Even talent at Oklahoma at USC Close, but less talent at Nebraska Should win Losing would be a debacle New Mexico Central Michigan Purdue at Northwestern at Maryland There are, at least, five baked-in wins, if not eight. To reach 9-3, Michigan would just have to beat one team that has close talent, even if it's on the road. Yes, in the past, the Wolverines were a poor road team, but that hasn't been the case this decade. To fall to 8-4 or, heaven forbid, 7-5, Michigan would have to lose to every team that could beat it and then some. It could happen -- injuries, poor play on the field, and poor coaching all happen in college football. But it's more likely that, after a down year, Michigan will rise back up to be at least within College Football Playoff contention than it will become an also-ran. It's recruiting too well, has a solid track record, good coaches, and a schedule that doesn't exactly feature a murderer's row of opponents this season. Given last year's late-season momentum and the players that the Wolverines have brought in, it stands to reason that this team could go anywhere between 9-3 and 11-1 -- or better if everything goes just right.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Arizona Cardinals 2nd-round pick Will Johnson getting used to many Ohio State connections
In college football, the Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan Wolverines are one of the biggest rivalries in the nation. The Arizona Cardinals have a lot of Ohio State connections on their roster, but they also drafted former Michigan cornerback Will Johnson in the second round. The former Wolverine is adjusting to so many Buckeyes as allies and teammates. Among the former Buckeyes are tackle Paris Johnson, receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., linebacker Baron Browning, fifth-round rookie cornerback Denzel Burke and undrafted rookie tackle Josh Fryar. Advertisement Speaking to reporters on Thursday ahead of rookie minicamp, Johnson joked about it. "Fresh off the plane, I'm like, 'man, there are too many of y'all (Buckeyes) over here. They've got to get me out of here,'" he said. "But, nah, it's cool." It's nothing new. Johnson said that he had been in Arizona at Exos. He "got really close" with Burke, now his teammate after being rivals. Former Ohio State receiver Emeka Egbuka trained with him as well. Egbuka was drafted in the first round by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He also went golfing with Harrison and Burke. Advertisement "They kind of eased me into it, so I'm good now," Johnson said. "It's no bad blood." That's how it should be, at least until the college football season begins this fall and the two teams face off and compete in the Big Ten. Then we can expect some trash talk and likely wagers. Get more Cardinals and NFL coverage from Cards Wire's Jess Root and others by listening to the latest on the Rise Up, See Red podcast. Subscribe on Spotify, YouTube or Apple podcasts. This article originally appeared on Cards Wire: Will Johnson adjusting as rivals are teammates on Arizona Cardinals
