PHX Reporter

Undrafted in 2023, the Lions were the first team to give Starling Thomas V a chance.

That lasted through the preseason; Detroit cut him, and the rest of Thomas' career -- in Arizona, after the Cardinals claimed the cornerback -- began.

As the Lions visit State Farm Stadium on Sunday, Thomas is grateful his first team gave him an opportunity, but he's looking forward to "showing what they missed out on."

"(I want) to prove myself right," Thomas said. "Prove the Cardinals right and just prove everybody that believed in me right."

The Cardinals cornerback room is young, comprised of mostly first and second-year players. Thomas, Max Melton, Garrett Williams, and Kei'Trel Clark are all seeing action early in the season. Sean Murphy-Bunting is the leader in that room, a unit that coach Jonathan Gannon describes as "extremely intelligent."

"They do have to be smart, and I like where they're at technique at the point of attack," Gannon said. "We haven't busted a coverage through two games, and we play some different things."

The Cardinals haven't played the Lions since 2021, so outside of Jared Goff's time in the NFC West with the Rams, this matchup presents a level of unfamiliarity. A receiving corps led by star Amon-Ra St. Brown and the blazing Jameson Williams will test the Cardinals secondary.

"I guarded most of those guys before, so I got a feel on how to guard them or what type of plays will work against them," Thomas said. "Then seeing certain route concepts, that'll be great because I've already seen some of them before."

Perhaps more importantly, the corners have already earned respect from veteran safeties Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson.

"Usually in the season it's like, 'alright, corners, this is what happens,'" Baker said. "Corners are kind of in their own world. But the offseason definitely helped letting them understand what the concepts mean, where the help should be, shouldn't be. The communication with us has gotten a whole lot better, so it's definitely exciting to be able to just line up, see the formation, and let me make my call out to the corners."

Aside from receivers St. Brown and Williams, Lions running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery and tight end Sam LaPorta present further challenges.

"They got guys that can get the ball and make plays," Thomas said. "So you have to have great eyes and attack the ball carrier and swarm to it... Flying around making plays... We expect to win every week."

Lions coach Dan Campbell said his staff saw Thomas as a raw player coming out of UAB with potential as a special teamer while he learned cornerback skills. He likely would've been on Detroit's practice squad had Arizona not claimed him.

"You see what they're doing with him out there which I'm not surprised with at all," Campbell said. "He's certainly a better player than when he left here; that's what you see."

Over 12 months since being cut by Detroit, Thomas emerged from borderline practice squad player to starter. Sunday's game will mark his 10th start in 15 games.

Gannon expressed confidence in Thomas' readiness: "He's playing good football right now," Gannon said. "I'm glad we have him."