Marcel Shipp was surprised by his release, even though he’s been losing carries in practice.

The recipient of some of those carries, running back Tim Hightower might have more of a presence in the backfield as the season wears on.

Anquan Boldin will miss the team’s preseason opener Thursday against New Orleans with a disgruntled attitude hamstring injury.

Al Johnson and Dionte Johnson, and maybe Early Doucet, will miss the game as well.

Matt Leinart on growing up:  “You mature as a player, you mature as a person and everybody goes through things. For me, personally, I’ve been through a lot in the last couple years on and off the football field that have helped me grow as a person and as a player and be more responsible and accountable as a father, as a teammate, as a son, all those things.”

Gabe Watson and Monty Beisel are expected off the PUP list by the end of the preseason.

Receiver Lance Long started two games and caught just 14 passes as a senior at Mississippi State, but is impressing in camp so much that offensive coordinator Todd Haley refers to him as “Wayne Chrebet 2.”

Meanwhile, Larry Fitzgerald’s diverse skill set make it obvious why he’s the team’s top receiver.

Rookie right tackle Brandon Keith, a seventh-rounder, looks to have solidified a backup job, and coaches see him as a potential starter on either side in the future.

Clark Haggans has brought the knowledge of how to win to the desert from Pittsburgh: “The better everybody gets individually, the better we become as a team and that’s so important. We can take these 80 guys out here and they can get better at every practice. And collectively, that one step everybody step, it multiplies 80 steps and we’re going to be that much better as a team.”

Matt Leinart wants to find a rhythm in the preseason, something he didn’t get enough snaps to do last year.

Leonard Pope is making some tough catches lately.