Cal Football: Linebacker Evan Weaver Eager to Show What He Can Do in Year 2 in the NFL
There are two significant dates on Evan Weaver’s calendar:
July 27, which is the start of his second NFL training camp with the Arizona Cardinals.
And Aug. 13, which is when he hopes to make his professional debut on the field in the team's opening exhibition game against the Dallas Cowboys.
“I’m itching to get back on the football field,” Weaver said. “Not just see all the guys but be able to go out there and play. Just do what I do best, and that’s play football.
"I actually haven’t been able to sleep the last few days because I’ve been thinking about it so much."
A consensus All-America linebacker and the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year at Cal in 2019 when he led the nation in tackles, Weaver was a sixth-round draft pick of the Cardinals in 2020.
Making an impact as a rookie was never going to be easy for Weaver. But the COVID-19 pandemic made things tougher still. All preseason games are wiped out last year and offseason activity, including mini-camps, was curtailed.
When training camp ended, Weaver was placed on the Cardinals’ practice squad for the 2020 season. He hasn’t played in an actual game since Cal beat Illinois 35-20 way back on Dec. 30, 2019. That was 556 days ago.
“I feel great about this (training camp),” Weaver said. “I had a really good mini-camp. I can’t wait get back out there and show in full pads and games that I can play.”
Last year was difficult for Weaver.
“Any competitor, obviously, hates being cut, being put on the practice squad. If you’re comfortable with that I don’t think you’re in the right business.” he said.
"The moment you stop believing is the moment you stop really caring. And that’s really something I don’t think I’m very good at — stop believing in myself and stop caring.”
This is a storyline all too familiar to Weaver, who said he’s always had to prove himself to doubters.
“Sadly, nothing’s been too easy for me within sports and football especially. It’s a place I’ve been before,” Weaver said. “As much as I hate being there, one of these days hopefully I won’t have to be in this spot.
“Right now, just taking it one day at a time and trying to improve every day and make sure I can prove to people that what I say is what I can do. Hopefully this preseason I’ll be able to do that.”
Evan Weaver
Photo courtesy of the Arizona Cardinals
Weaver said he spent the offseason working on his lateral quickness and studying the playbook so the Cardinals coaching staff has confidence that understands every nuance of the defensive scheme.
Last year, with little face-to-face opportunity before training camp, Weaver admits he wasn’t as fully comfortable with the playbook as he needed to be.
“It was definitely a lot more difficult not having any in-person walk-throughs, meetings, that kind of stuff,” he said. “It was definitely different but I was able by training camp to know most of it. Didn’t know enough of it.
“This year, make sure I know everything . . . just so there’s no questions at all. That way I can play a lot faster when I get the chance and be able to go out there and play ball.”
Even so, the challenge is significant. The Cardinals have young, talented players at inside linebacker, including Isaiah Simmons, whom they drafted in the first round out of Clemson a year ago, and Zaven Collins, their first-round pick out of Tulsa this year.
This excerpt previewing the team’s inside linebacker position from the Cardinals’ website provides some context:
LOCKS: Isaiah Simmons, Zaven Collins, Tanner Vallejo, Ezekiel Turner. The Cardinals made a bold decision this offseason, anointing Collins, their first-round pick, the starting middle linebacker before he hit the field for a single practice. He will team with last year's first-rounder, Simmons, as the “trees” in the middle of the defense. Vallejo was re-signed to be Simmons' backup, and could get a chunk of playing time if Simmons moves around like he did last season. Turner is a lock for the team because he's a special teams ace, and will aim to get some playing time on defense.
WORK TO DO: Jordan Hicks, Terrance Smith, Evan Weaver, Jamal Carter, Donald Rutledge. Hicks is unquestionably one of the team's most talented inside linebackers, but his future with the team is fuzzy. The Cardinals reportedly gave him permission to seek a trade, and Hicks was not at mandatory minicamp in June. His $2 million base salary is guaranteed, so it's possible Hicks remains on the team as a backup if another destination is not worked out. Smith, Weaver, Carter and Rutledge will look to latch on as depth pieces at inside linebacker. They will likely need to show some special teams prowess to make it feasible.
Weaver is eager to show he can contribute on special teams, and said that during mini-camp in June, his coaches complimented him on the fruits of his offseason work, in particular his ability to stay low, be flexible and change directions.
“They really weren’t expecting that, I don’t think. It’s really good to show that I can actually do what they told name to do. Hopefully just keep that train rolling through training camp and we’ll see what happens.”
Weaver said he hasn’t felt this healthy since grade school and believes some time on the field in preseason games — where he believes his value will show better than during practice — will be critical.
“I think everybody knows I’m not going to be one of those guys that’s going to stand out in practice just athletically and physically,” he said. “So I really have to be able to go out there and play football and do what I do best. Just make plays and command people around me.”
Weaver said nothing that happened in his first year as an NFL player dented his belief that he belongs in the league.
“I still have a lot of self-confidence,” he said. “Preseason last year didn’t help me at all, but it’s all a learning experience. I have more to prove this year, especially with (the team) bringing in new guys. I need to be able to show that I can pay football.”
Cover photo of Evan Weaver by Rob Schumacher, USA Today
Follow Jeff Faraudo of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jefffaraudo
