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These five players helped themselves in their battle to make the team or solidify/earn a role.
The Arizona Cardinals picked up a 20-17 preseason win over the Kansas City Chiefs Saturday night at State Farm Stadium. They came back from being down 14-3.
As the preseason goes, while the result doesn’t matter as much as the performance of individual players.
Every day is an evaluation and games show what players do under the bright lights.
In the bright lights of Saturday’s game, which players improved their stock?
RB Emari Demercado
Demercado will make the roster and will have a limited role playing on third down and special teams. However, he endears himself to coaches and fans when he makes plays like he did on Saturday, taking a short pass from Jacoby Brissett and turning it into a 43-yard touchdown.
While it isn’t going to earn him more playing time on offense with James Conner and Trey Benson ahead of him, what it does do is give the coaches confidence in his ability to step in should there be an injury.
OLB Jordan Burch
Burch was disruptive but got little credit for it. Twice he had sacks negated by penalties. He was in the backfield causing problems, and if that is something he can do in the regular season, the Cardinals have a foursome of outside linebackers to be reckoned with in him, Josh Sweat, Zaven Collins and Baron Browning.
S Kitan Crawford
Crawford, a seventh-round rookie known for his special teams play, picked off a pass in the end zone. Making plays on defense and not just special teams increases his value. Can he show more upside than Joey Blount? That is the question. After one game, he is proving his worth.
CB Darren Hall
Hall had an interception and almost picked off a second pass. He offers special teams play and is good in the slot. It is going to be tough to make the roster this year, but he certainly helped his case.
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