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Cardinals position group will be tested in Preseason Finale against Raiders

Originally posted on Burn City Sports
By Tanner Tortorella | Last updated Aug 22, 2025 5:06 PM ET

GLENDALE – Ahead of Saturday’s preseason finale against the Las Vegas Raiders, Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon mentioned that the starters situation will be similar to last week. Arizona starters will likely play only one drive at the most, which puts plenty of pressure on the reserves ahead of their final chance to leave a mark on the coaching staff.

One of those positional groups that will need the game to prove themselves is the secondary. The injuries to the experienced cornerbacks has added to the burden on the younger defensive backs. While the top three of Will Johnson, Garrett Williams and Max Melton are all talented, they are young and still need other cornerbacks to step up.

Which Cardinals cornerbacks to keep an eye on against Raiders:

Second-year cornerback Elijah Jones was third in team in tackles in last week’s contest against the Broncos. Jones is 25 years old and 6’1, he didn’t make it on the field for his first season with the team. However, he has been noteworthy in his second preseason, and the injuries have opened the door for him to step into a spot that Williams was in last year as a second-year player.

The cornerback with the most experienced is 27-year-old Jaylon Jones, who is entering his fourth season. After three seasons with the Chicago Bears, where he recorded 85 tackles and four pass deflections, Jones joined the Cardinals roster this past offseason and is easily the defensive back with the most NFL reps. He recorded a 71.7 PFF overall grade in 2024, which is 35th amongst all cornerbacks.

The two cornerbacks will get an increase amount of reps in the preseason finale and should illustrate what they can bring to a secondary in dire need of depth. The Jones-Jones connection could be the start of a dynamic duo in Arizona’s No Fly Zone.

This article first appeared on Burn City Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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