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Cardinals rookie minicamp begin with only 13 players

Originally posted on Burn City Sports
By Tanner Tortorella | Last updated May 9, 2025 4:38 PM ET

GLENDALE – Rookie minicamps around the league vary in size. Teams can have enough draft picks and undrafted free agents to run 11-on-11 and typical drills. However, for the Arizona Cardinals’ sake, it barely has enough players for one side of the ball.

Arizona begins its rookie minicamp on Friday with 13 players, seven draft picks, and six undrafted free agents. Last year, the franchise had 15 rookies at the Tempe training facility. The three-day event is more of an introduction to the organization instead of a strict workout, and head coach Jonathan Gannon is ready to lead the rookies into their new home.

Gannon on what Cardinals rookies can learn at minicamp:

“There is not one right or wrong way to do it. We have a couple things we want to get out of it. I’ve been a part of a lot of different ways it’s been done.

“I have an understanding they are in the building for the first time and a new city for the first time. Lot of cortisol. Their cortisol levels are high right now so I’m really not trying to kill them. I want them to acclimate with how we do things. They are going to jump in with the vets and I don’t want them to stick out, not knowing what to do.”

The rookies will do basic individual drills and participate in meetings about Gannon and the team’s ideology. They’ll do the same on Saturday and Sunday until the new work begins Phase Two of minicamps with voluntary workouts for veterans. Monday will be the first opportunity for the newest Cardinals players to experience an NFL-type of practice and go against the league’s best.

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

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