Jonathan Cooper continues to improve, wait for his opportunity

TEMPE, Ariz. — A lot of people saw the 24 yards Arizona’s running backs gained on 19 carries Sunday against the St. Louis Rams and were left wondering where Jonathan Cooper, the team’s first-round pick in 2013, was.

After the game, Cardinals coach Bruce Arians said the team struggled because “we got our asses whipped,” adding they simply couldn’t block people.

But when asked if there was any chance that Cooper, a guard with a reputation for being an excellent run blocker would start the following week, he said, “none.”

And again, people wondered why, with the speculation centering on the coaching staff not wanting to mess with continuity, as all five linemen have started every game this season. While there is something to be said for that — any lineman will tell you how important cohesion is to their job — Arians said that it wasn’t the central issue.

“Both of the best players are on the field,” he said. “If he (Cooper) was one of the best players, it’d be different. He hasn’t shown that he’s one of the best players. He’s gotten a lot better than he was, and I think he has a great future as long as he continues to improve the way he’s improving.”

According to ProFootballFocus.com, Paul Fanaika and Ted Larsen rank 63rd and 72nd, respectively, among all of the NFL’s guards.

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