Kliff Kingsbury looking for more big plays out of Cardinals' crowded wide receiver unit

The math was simple. The Cardinals lost one wide receiver in Marquise Brown to a foot injury but added two more. Something had to give.

Somebody was going to lose some playing time with DeAndre Hopkins returning from his six-game suspension and Robbie Anderson coming over in a trade from the Carolina Panthers.

The man on the short end of the stick last week during the Cardinals’ 42-34 victory over the Saints on Thursday Night Football was veteran A.J. Green, who never made it onto the field at State Farm Stadium.

After the game, coach Kliff Kingsbury said the game plan was to get second-year pro Rondale Moore more looks and also have a package of plays for Anderson, so, “It just worked out that way.”

Green, a seven-time Pro Bowl selection during his 10-year run with the Bengals, was coming off a debut season with the Cardinals in which he nearly reached 1,000 receiving yards (848). After a full year in the system and more communication with quarterback Kyler Murray, he was looking forward to having even a big season.

He was averaging just 4.4 targets per game and had only total 10 receptions for 46 yards, until basically getting benched last week. Green is 34 and has dropped some passes, but during training camp receivers coach Shawn Jefferson raved about the veteran and swore he hasn’t lost a step or his ability to catch balls in traffic.

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Green is now being linked to trade rumors involving the Green Bay Packers ahead of next Tuesday’s trade deadline. With Brown still sidelined for about a month, where does Green presently sit on Arizona’s official depth chart in Kingsbury’s mind?

“We’re going to work through this week and see where that personnel group goes,” he said Monday. “I think each week we’re going to try to maximize who does what best in that room, try to find matchups and go from there.

“But it’s going to be a crowded wide receiver room, there’s no doubt. You get Hollywood back hopefully in a few more weeks and we’ll just see where it goes.”

Brown got off to an electric start in his debut season with Arizona, snaring 43 receptions for 485 yards in six games, which at the time ranked fourth and seventh in the league respectively and still leads the team. But a week after he suffered a fractured bone in his foot at Seattle, the Cardinals welcomed back Hopkins and he immediately filled the void.

Hopkins was targeted 14 times against the Saints and responded with 10 catches for 103 yards, in addition to drawing three defensive penalties. Kingsbury deployed him all across the line of scrimmage, including multiple times in the slot position. It was a noticeable change of attack considering Hopkins primarily has lined up on the left side as Murray’s No. 1 “X” wideout.

Interestingly, that’s where Brown predominantly ran most of his routes from to start the year. Until he returns, there’s no telling where the Cardinals will position Hopkins. It might not matter this Sunday on the road against the Vikings, who typically play a zone defense, which he usually exploits.

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Kingsbury has been waiting for the big plays to happen with his offense. Maybe that happens this week.

“The big plays are way down,” he said. “I think that’s an area we’ve got to try and manufacture more of. Getting Hop back is going to help. You saw what he was able to do, but we’ve got to be able to make some bigger plays down the field.”

Getting the 6-foot-3 Anderson and his 4.3 speed more involved in the offense, meanwhile, is intriguing to Murray.

“I’m excited for him,” Murray said Wednesday. “This is his second week, and I can tell he’s more comfortable. He’s talking more and more, he’s more vocal. Obviously, he’s got the ability but we’ve got to build the rapport together and well do that with time. But yes, I’m excited to see him on the field more.”

With Brown sidelined and Green’s lack of targets, expect a bigger role moving forward for Moore, who missed the first three games with a pulled hamstring.

“I do,” Kingsbury said Wednesday when asked if he envisions more opportunities for Moore. “Like I’ve said, with all the wide receivers it’s hard to figure out where each guy goes and trying to draw up plays for everybody, but he’s a dynamic talent and we’ve got to continue to find ways to get the ball in his hands.

The same goes for 5-7 wideout Greg Dortch, who had 20 receptions for 198 yards the first three weeks but has just two catches for 11 yards the past four games.

“Every time he’s out there he tends to make a play,” Kingsbury said. “He’s fearless and keeps getting better and better. It’s a crowded wide receiver room, there’s no doubt, and you’ve got to earn every rep you get, but he’s a guy I think all coaches and players believe in at this point.”

Injury report

Six players did not practice for the Cardinals on Wednesday. They were offensive linemen D.J. Humphries (back), Rodney Hudson (knee) and Max Garcia (shoulder), linebacker Dennis Gardeck (ankle), safety Jalen Thompson (calf) and cornerback Christian Matthew (hamstring)

Listed as limited were offensive lineman Cody Ford (ankle), running back James Conner (ribs) and Darrel Williams (knee), kicker Matt Prater (hip) along with tackle Kelvin Beachum, defensive end J.J. Watt and tight end Zach Ertz, each of whom were given partial rest days.

The Vikings reported no injuries.

Have an opinion on the Arizona Cardinals? Reach McManaman at bob.mcmanaman@arizonarepublic.com and follow him on Twitter @azbobbymac. Listen to him live on Fox Sports 910-AM every Tuesday afternoon at 3:30 on Calling All Sports with Roc and Manuch. 

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Kliff Kingsbury: Cardinals sorting out crowded wide receiver situation