Cardinals OC Nathaniel Hackett Pumps the Brakes on the Jeremiyah Love Hype Train

The Arizona Cardinals shook up the NFL Draft when they selected running back Jeremiyah Love with the third overall pick this April. 

The Notre Dame star wasn’t necessarily the Cardinals biggest need, but with no trade partners, Arizona opted to go with the best player available. And while his draft slot brings high expectations, it seems as though he may not be as ready to come in and dominate as fans had hoped. 

Cardinals offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett spoke about the rookie and the running back room in general, and clearly wasn’t ready to crown Love as the starter. 

Nathaniel Hackett Pours Cold Water on the Jeremiyah Love Hype

“Right now, it’s a great room. I’m really excited about it,” he said. “Excited for James [Conner] to get out there and show what he’s got. All the guys, right now, we’re just trying to work on that operation. We’re trying to make sure we’re crisp, we’re clean, and we’ve got a great play style.” 

Hackett also seemed to imply that he might take a running back by committee approach this season as they bring Love along. 

“He’s definitely a rookie, and as we’ve talked about, he’ll keep growing every single day. I’m very excited for him,” Hackett said of Love. “All those guys, not just him. I’m very excited about this room. There are a lot of guys that have a lot of carries, a lot of experience. Guys that can do multiple things. You don’t have guys that are just kind of specific in one thing that they do. They can catch, they can block, they can run different schemes. So, I think that’s really exciting. I’ve been lucky to be around some good running backs, and it’s about these guys right now. I’m excited to see what they can do.”

The Cardinals selected Love despite employing an already talented group with Conner and newly signed free-agent Tyler Allgeier. While this backfield will belong to Love eventually, his rookie season may see a significant split with his teammates based on Hackett’s comments. 

Cardinals Quarterback Drama Continues into Training Camp

Meanwhile at quarterback, Jacoby Brissett is in the midst of a contract dispute with the Cardinals, and has been a limited participant at training camp. After finishing last season as the starter, he’s now looking to get paid like one. When asked about the progress the two sides are making, head coach Mike LaFleur offered a positive update.

“It’s been productive between us and his team, so it’s still ongoing. But I’d say the word productive,” said LaFleur. 

“Yeah, he’s here. He’s under contract, and it’s the first day of practice,” he added. 

In the meantime, veteran Gardner Minshew has been taking first-team reps in the first few practices of training camp. Rookie Carson Beck is also in the mix to see some playing time this season if Brissett and the Cardinals can’t come to a resolution. The Cardinals will play the Carolina Panthers on August 6th in the Hall of Fame game. 

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