–The Cardinals on Wednesday claimed third-year wide receiver Pharoh Cooper off waivers from the Rams. He was an All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection last season as a return specialist after appearing in all 16 games and finishing with 932 kickoff return yards (27.4 average) and 399 punt return yards (12.5). His 1,331 combined return yards in 2017 led the league.
“They’re getting a great competitor, a tough football player,” Rams head coach Sean McVay said. “He has great instinct when the ball is in his hands. He’s a hard worker. We think the world of him here. Really, it wasn’t anything that Pharoh didn’t do. It was more a result of just a numbers deal where two of our three running backs on the active roster were banged up, and we had to create a spot. That’s really a big added bonus, and I wish him nothing but the best.”
–“With Le’Veon Bell being out this year, I don’t want to be disrespectful to anybody, but I’d say he is definitely the best running back in the league. He’s fast, strong and can do everything, inside, outside. We definitely have our hands full. We’ve got to try and do a good job of keeping him down in yards and keeping him out of the end zone.” – Cardinals defensive tackle Corey Peters on Rams running back Todd Gurley II, who leads the league in touchdowns (21) and ranks second in rushing with 1,251 yards.
–Cornerback Patrick Peterson was the only Cardinals player named to the Pro Bowl. It’s the eighth straight selection for Peterson, besting the franchise mark of teammate Latte Fitzgerald, who was named to the Pro Bowl seven consecutive years.
“Those individual accolades will continue to happen if I continue to do the things I need to do on the football field,” Peterson said last month. “That’s not going to stop. Obviously, I want those Pro Bowl votes to keep adding up, but I don’t want to play in those games anymore. I want to be in the (NFC) Championship Game and the Super Bowl.”
–Three Cardinals were picked as Pro Bowl alternates. They were wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, safety Budda Baker and defensive end Chandler Jones. Punter Andy Lee was excluded despite leading the league with a 48.5-yard average.
–Right tackle Joe Barksdale, an eight-year veteran recently acquired off waivers from the Chargers, is giving the Cardinals reason to believe he might be their starting right tackle next season.
“The one thing that I see with Joe is his communication,” head coach Steve Wilks said. “Not just during the play, but on the sideline, constantly talking to players, whether it’s the quarterback, Josh (Rosen), whether it’s Larry (Fitzgerald), whether it’s other offensive linemen. A guy that has been in this system before, understands the ins and outs. He’s been doing a great job in a short period of time just trying to be a mentor.”
BY THE NUMBERS: 16 – Cardinals players that have been placed on injured reserve. That number includes six offensive linemen, four of whom entered the season as starters: left tackle D.J. Humphries (knee), center A.Q. Shipley (knee), left guard Mike Iupati (knee) and right guard Justin Pugh (knee).
