SEATTLE -- Here are five quick observations on the Cardinals.

Camp Classic Moment

Veteran Cardinals probably miss old Morton Hall on the south end of the Northern Arizona campus. The rumor was that the building was so old, oldtimers said the place was haunted. The vets made sure the legend continued. Often, they made ghost noises in the building, hoping to scare some of the younger players. Once the Vince Tobin-era began, though, players moved to a newer building on the other side of campus that didn't have that history. That took away an edge the vets had on rookies. What's left is that veteran players can tease the rookies about the thin air in Flagstaff. A few years ago, one rookie complained he couldn't sleep because of the thin air. A veteran asked him if he opened the window. Good thought, the player, said, not thinking that an open window would not change the altitude. — John Clayton

1. Second-year halfback Thomas Jones has corrected his tendency to dance into holes that plagued him last year. With Michael Pittman suspended for the opener, Jones, who gained a disappointing 373 yards as a rookie, will be the starter and should be ready for a 1,000-yard season. He does need work on pass-blocking, though, if he doesn't want to get Jake Plummer destroyed by linebacker blitzes.

2. Wide receiver David Boston, who hit the weight room hard this offseason, should have a monster season. He's bulked up to around 220 pounds and hasn't lost a step of speed.

3. Rookie defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch, who is being called Stone Cold by his teammates because he looks like Steve Austin with his shaved head, is the real deal. He's a hustler in the mold of Grant Wistrom and others. Coach Dave McGinnis installed him as a starter the first day of practice, and his work ethic is the model for a young defense.

4. The young defensive line is a work in progress. Don't be surprised at some point in the season that the Cardinals start three rookies -- Vanden Bosch and defensive tackles Mario Fatafehi and Marcus Bell. Veterans Russell Davis and Mao Tosi are currently the starters, and McGinnis plans to do a lot of rotations, particularly at defensive tackle.

5. Leonard Davis looks overpowering at right guard. With the 370-pound Davis and the 365-pound Anthony Clement, the Cardinals will do most of their running to the right side of the field. To counter, teams may run-blitz with their linebackers to use defensive quickness to beat the Cardinals' offensive line bulk.

John Clayton is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.