Brothers in arms: Cardinals' vet J.J. Watt showing the ropes to rookie Cameron Thomas

Vance Joseph says he clearly remembers the first day rookie edge rusher Cameron Thomas walked into the Cardinals’ Tempe training facility after being a third-round draft pick and watching veteran defensive end J.J. Watt go to work in the weight room.

“Wearing his number (99) in college (at San Diego State), it was obvious that he was a hero of Cam’s,” Arizona’s defensive coordinator said of Watt, the NFL’s three-time Defensive Player of the Year. “Cam’s first day on the job, it was funny to watch him just walk around J.J. and stare at him. He wouldn’t say anything, just stare at him.”

As much as he agrees that he’s always been a huge fan of Watt’s, Thomas remembers the encounter just a tad bit differently than Joseph.

“No, that was way overexaggerated,” Thomas said, laughing. “Trust me, I remember it like it was yesterday. The first time I walked in and I saw him (Watt), I was in awe, don’t get me wrong. I walked over there and introduced myself to him. He was lifting, so I didn’t want to distract him.

“Vance was talking to him, and I remember Vance making a comment, but no, I wasn’t like that. But yeah, being able to watch him when I was in high school and being able to be here with him and watch him behind the scenes, watching how he’s gotten to where he’s got, I’m trying to replicate that the best I can.”

If you’re a 6-foot-5, 270-pound pass rusher like Thomas, why wouldn’t you try to emulate and learn everything you can from one of the greatest to ever do it? It’s the same thing Zach Allen, Arizona’s 6-4, 281-pound defensive end, has been doing for the past two years since Watt first arrived.

Allen was having a career year with 47 tackles and 5½ sacks, 10 tackles for loss and eight passes defensed before suffering a hand injury that will force him to miss his second straight game this week when the Cardinals host the Buccaneers on Christmas night.

“You can see how it helped Zach Allen and his development and production this season,” coach Kliff Kingsbury said of Watt’s influence on some of the team’s younger players. “(Thomas) is a dynamic athlete. I think he can put on some weight and really grow into — whether it’s an outside linebacker or one of those five techniques (defensive end) and he has that type of ability.

“But anytime you watch J.J., his practice habits, how cerebral he is when he lines up and knows what play is coming before they even snap it, that’s something all young guys can watch and try to emulate.”

Just don’t try to duplicate Watt’s insane workout routines unless you’re ready for a butt-kicking, Thomas says.

“You should ask Myjai because he took Myjai through it yesterday,” Thomas said last week, referring to the Cardinals’ other rookie outside linebacker, Myjai Sanders. “He looks like he was hurting from it. I came in late, and they already started so I missed out. But I’m sure at some point I’ll give it a try.”

Read more: J.J. Watt's energy, character on display in latest 'Hard Knocks'

Watt has already taken Thomas under his wing in other areas, especially when it comes to relating to what a rookie pass rusher goes through during his first NFL season. HBO and NFL Films captured one of those private moments during a recent episode of “Hard Knocks — In Season with the Arizona Cardinals.”

In one scene, Thomas confides that when he was in high school, it was Watt who inspired him to try to make it in the NFL. In the next scene, cameras show the two players sitting down with Watt offering advice and sharing moments from his days as a rookie with the Texans.

“At the end of the day, remember it’s (expletive) physical,” Watt tells Thomas. “If you’re out of options and you don’t know what to do, run somebody over. You’re a tough guy, that’s what practice is for. If you (mess) up in practice, you get yelled at. I got yelled at all the time.

“I hated football for like the first eight games of my rookie year. I sucked. … I got pulled from a game three times.”

Joseph was there. He was the Texans’ defensive backs coach when Houston selected Watt with the 11^th overall pick in the 2011 draft. Watt’s first month and a half weren’t very good, Joseph recalls.

“He worked his way into being J.J. Watt, but he wasn’t always J.J. Watt,” Joseph said. “He was a guy getting knocked on the ground. He was always on the ground. He was playing too fast at times. But he became a great player in about Week 18 in the playoffs against the Bengals in his rookie year. He made some plays in that game I’ve never seen made by a D-lineman and from there, he became J.J. Watt.

“But his first year was a struggle. He was barely a starter in Houston with us. But it’s a great story about working your way up and how you don’t have to be a finished product as a rookie first-round pick. If you give guys time and you coach ’em up, they can be a Watt in four, five years. He has been a great example for our guys on defense.”

Watt told Thomas something the young player may never forget when he said, “Never talk yourself out of being successful.”

Cardinals notebook: McSorley, in 4th season, to make 1st career start; Baker to Pro Bowl

Thomas, 22, has appeared in all 14 games this season and has two sacks to go along with 11 tackles (two for loss), three quarterback hits and one pass breakup. At 33, Watt, meanwhile, is enjoying a renaissance season. He’s leading the Cardinals with 9½ sacks and 12 tackles for loss.

“I ask him little details about how he does things and then I try to apply it to my game,” Thomas said. “I’ll take what he says and I’ll try it in practice. Every player is their own player, though. Some things work for one player that maybe won’t work for another player. But I’m learning so much all the time from him.”

Watt is set to become an unrestricted free agent and Thomas, for one, doesn’t want to see him sign elsewhere.

“He’s a huge part of this team,” Thomas said. “And not just as a player, but definitely as a person and a leader. He’s a big aspect who’s definitely helped bring this team together.”

More: Seldom-used cornerbacks look back on starting for Cardinals against Denver Broncos

Injury update

Right tackle Kelvin Beachum (knee/ankle) and cornerbacks Byron Murphy Jr. (back) and Antonio Hamilton (back) did not practice for the Cardinals on Thursday, in addition to quarterback Colt McCoy (concussion) and Allen, who already have been ruled out for Sunday’s game.

Wide receiver Marquise Brown (groin) joined the injury list on Thursday and was listed as limited along with receiver Greg Dortch (knee), guard Max Garcia (shoulder), linebackers Markus Golden (ankle) and Ezekiel Tuner (ankle), safety Charles Washington (chest) and cornerbacks Marco Wilson (neck) and Christian Matthew (shoulder).

Seven players did not practice for the Buccaneers: linebackers Genard Avery (abdomen/oblique) and Carl Nassib (pectoral), cornerback Jamel Dean (toe), safeties Keanu Neal (toe) and Antoine Winfield Jr. (ankle), tackle Donovan Smith (foot), nose tackle Vita Vea (calf) and receiver Mike Evans (rest, not injury related).

Quarterback Tom Brady (rest) was limited, as was receiver Julio Jones (knee) and tackles Josh Jones (back) and Tristan Wirfs (ankle).

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Cardinals' J.J. Watt takes rookie Cameron Thomas under wing