SB Nation - Dan Kreider

Arizona Cardinals vs. San Francisco 49ers: Injury Report

Hawkwind — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:25:54 -0000

Arizona Cardinals running back Jason Wright (31) missed practice on Wednesday with an undisclosed illness. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

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The Arizona Cardinals released their first injury report of the week yesterday and it's still remarkable how healthy this team is this late in the season. Will Davis, who's already been ruled out, and Jason Wright (illness) are the only players who missed practice entirely. Alan Branch (ankle), Ben Graham (groin), Tim Hightower (thumb), Kenny Iwebema (thumb), Dan Kreider (thigh), Neil Rackers (groin), and Stephen Spach (knee) were all limited but no one's injuries are considered serious. Mike Gandy, who missed last week's win over the Vikings, is still listed on the report but he fully participated in practice and will be active for the game on Monday, although Ken Whisenhunt has not made a decision about who will start at left tackle yet. It's also noteable that neither Kurt Warner or Karlos Dansby, who been nursing injuries to both shoulders, are listed on the injury report.

Joe Staley, who has missed the previous five games, has returned to practice and is on track to retun to action this Monday but cornerback Nate Clements has already been ruled out. Considering how well Clements normally plays Larry Fitzgerald, that might be a huge injury for the 49ers. Issaac Bruce and Takeo Spikes also missed practice.

Grading the Offense: Cardinals vs Rams

Andrew602 — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:15:58 -0000

More photos » by Jeff Roberson - AP

Larry Fitzgerald's performance on Sunday sums up his season at this point - good amount of catches, not a lot of yards, but most importantly, a touchdown.

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To say the Cardinals offense put up a dominant effort against the 1-9 Rams would be a stretch. They did however, show sings of brilliancy in the first half. When Matt Leinart took over for the injured Kurt Warner, the offense faltered in the second half and failed to register any points. What we already know is Ken Whisenhunt essentially went conservative for Leinart, making his primary job to manage the game. What Leinart did is exactly that, going 10-14 on the day for 74 yards and no turnovers.

Quarterbacks: Both quarterbacks split time equally and you could call it a tale of two games. In the first two quarters, Kurt Warner slung 15 passes for 203 yards and led the Cardinals to 21 points. His footwork in the pocket and timing made the game look like it was going to be a route until a blow to the head forced him out of the game. Matt Leinart took over before the half and wasn't able to increase the Cardinals lead. The most important pass of the day came on a 3rd down late in the fourth quarter. Leinart was almost sacked before buying time and throwing the 1st down pass to Early Doucet. Leinart will likely get more practice time with the 1st team offense should Warner not be able to play against the Titans next week.

Running backs: For the third game in a row, Beanie Wells and Tim Hightower were able to put together dominant rushing performances, eclipsing 180 yards two of the times. They put their nickname "wear and tear" to use, as Hightower wore out the Rams offense with a 50 yard run, and Beanie came in the game to continue ripping the defense. The running game especially benefited Warner, because after they were able to break off chunks of yardage, Warner was able to find the receivers.

Wide receivers: Nobody had an outstanding performance and a lot of that can fall on the vanilla play-calling in the second half. Anquan Boldin had his 2nd consecutive 100 yard receiving game, also catching a touchdown. Larry Fitzgerald quietly put together another solid game, and now is first in the league with 9 receiving touchdowns. Both running backs each had 2 catches while Early Doucet and Ben Patrick both caught passes of 20 yards or more.

Offensive line: Aside from the two sacks allowed, the Cardinals offensive line has gradually improved in the last month and greatly since the first game of the season. They also blocked for 183 rushing yards, the largest amount of the year, and gave Warner and Leinart plenty of time in the pocket. If you don't count Dan Kreider as part of the offensive line, then the Cardinals line only accounted for 1 penalty, which was a false start on Levi Brown.

My Offensive Grade: B

If I graded one half at a time I'd give them an A in the first half and a D in the second half. Matt Leinart wasn't great but the play-calling didn't help and Leinart didn't turn the ball over. How do you think the offense did and what was your grade?

Poll

How would you grade the Cardinals offensive effort on Sunday?

A

23 votes

B

115 votes

C

49 votes

D

0 votes

F

2 votes

189 votes | Poll has closed

Saturday Sim: Cardinals - Seahawks

Andrew602 — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 23:06:08 -0000

Last week, the Saturday Sim featured a close battle between the Cardinals and Texans, with the Cardinals barely edging out the Texans in the last minutes of the game. That did happen. In fact, the Cardinals and Texans game couldn't have been any closer. This week, the Cardinals simulation has them traveling to Seattle to take on the Seahawks. The game wasn't as close but you'll see why in a moment. It should also be mentioned that the conditions were rainy during the game.

If you aren't familiar with this segment, it should be pretty self explanatory by now. We simulate a game between the Cardinals and their opponent on the Madden video game. The quarters are 8 minutes each and the difficulty is all pro. The penalties are also turned up higher for a realistic feel. Madden's ratings and rosters are accurate, but we in no means believe this will be the actual outcome. It's just for fun.

First Quarter:

- The Cardinals receive the ball, in which Breaston returns it to the 30 yard line. On Warner's second pass, he's pick off by Josh Wilson, giving the Seahawks good field position. However, the Seahawks struggle running the ball early and are forced to settle for a field goal. Seahawks lead 3-0.
- The Cardinals begin their second drive passing the ball. Larry Fitzgerad and Anquan Boldin are at the end of a couple big first downs. Halfway down the field, Warner throws the ball to Dan Kreider, who fumbles trying to gain extra yardage. End of first quarter. Hawks lead 3-0.

Second Quarter:

- The second quarter begins with Matt Hasselbeck throwing a pick to Karlos Dansby. This drive, the Cardinals continue to throw the ball, with their running game being stifled by the Seahawks defense. Already having good field position, Warner completes a big pass to Tim Higtower, who takes the ball to the 16. After a face mask on the Seahawks, Dan Kreider redeems himself and punches the ball into the end zone. Cardinals lead 7-3.

- Feeling the momentum starting to switch, the Seahawks start their next drive airing it out. Hasselbeck completes several big passes to T.J. Houshmandzadeh, but is picked off yet again, by Gerald Hayes. Only trying to take time off the clock, the Cardinals hand off the ball to Hightower, who breaks several tackles to the outside, and takes the ball 75 yards for a Cardinals touchdown! Cardinals lead 14-3.

- On the Seahawks next drive, they are forced to play the hurry up again, with 2 minutes left in the game. While under pressure, Hasselbeck throws a pick again, this time to Karlos Dansby, his second of the half. The Cardinals run the ball but get a three and out, and punt the ball back to the Seahawks. Hasselbeck drives the Seahawks into field goal range with less then a minute left. Olindo Mare kicks a 48 yard field goal as time expires. Cardinals lead 14-6.

Third Quarter:

The third quarter turns into a defensive battle. The Seahawks look good running the ball, but can't convert for a first down. The Cardinals are able to put together a few first downs, but must settle for a field goal attempt that is missed by Neil Rackers. On the next three drives for both teams, they can't convert third downs. Both teams get 3, three and outs each. End of third quarter. Cardinals lead 14-6.

Fourth Quarter:

- The fourth quarter begins with the Seahawks having possesion of the ball. Hasselbeck looks better then he did in the first three quarters. He and Houshmandzadeh are on the same page this drive, completing several big first down passes. They drive to the 5 yard line, where Owen Schmittcatches a five yard touchdown. The Seahawks look to tie the game with a two point conversion. Deion Branch catches it over the middle, tying the game 14-14.

- The Cardinals look focused on their next drive, with Warner looking very accurate. He's using all of this targets, completing passes to Fitzgerald, Boldin, Steve Breaston, Jerheme Urban, and Hightower. At their own 45 yard line, Warner throws an outside pass to Boldin, who breaks a tackle and runs for a 55 yard touchdown. Cardinals lead 21-14.

- The Seahawks start their next drive with a balanced attack, both running and passing effectively. Hasselbeck steps back to throw, when he is hit as he passes by Calais Campbell, putting the ball in the air. Chike Okeaforgets the interception. After a few bigs gains by Hightower, Kurt Warner throws a pass to Fitzgerald, who dives into the end zone for a 10 yard score. Cardinals lead 28-14.

- With four minutes remaining, the Seahawks are still attempting to run despite being down by 14. They encounter a 4th and 4, where they decide to punt the ball away. The Cardinals get a three and out, and punt the ball back to the Seahawks. With poor protection on their last drive, the Seahawks run into a fourth down again. This time they go for it, but Hasselbeck is hit while he throws an incomplete pass. With less then two minutes remaining, the Cardinals run out the clock, while the Seahawks don't bother to use any timeouts. End of game. Cardinals win 28-14.

Final Stats

	Cardinals	Seahawks
Total Yards	363	293
Rush	124	47
Pass	239	246
First Downs	13	16
TO	2	4
3rd Down	3-8	3-9
Pen-Yards	3-35	3-21
TOP	18:32	13:28

Quarterback	Comp/Att(%)	Yards	TD	INT
Warner	18/25(72%)	239	2	1
Hasselbeck	24/38(63%)	246	1	4

Running Back	Att	Yards	Avg	TD
Hightower	16	115	7.1	1
Wells	2	10	5.0	0
Jones	17	43	2.5	0
James	1	4	4.0	0

Wide Receivers	Catches	Yards	TD	Avg
Fitzgerald	3	26	1	8.6
Boldin	4	94	1	23.5
Breaston	4	44	0	11.0
Houshmandzadeh	7	68	0	9.7
Burleson	4	40	0	10.0
Branch	4	51	0	12.7

Final Thought -While the overall outcome of this game would be nice, it's not likely. The Seahawks are more accustomed to playing in the rain and it may be the Cardinals that struggle to not turn the ball over. I also don't think that Matt Hasselbeck will throw four picks in this game. It's going to be a competitive game, and the Cardinals will need a successful running game to win. What are your thoughts on the simulation?

The Saturday Sim: Cardinals - Texans

Andrew602 — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 18:29:00 -0000

In our most recent Saturday Sim(week 1) we saw a blowout by the Cardinals, which was obviously not the case. After failing to sim successfully the last two games, I had to get back to the drawing board. The Cardinals seemed to blowout every team they played on Madden. After tweaking the settings and increasing the game time to 8 minutes, I think I may have found a good way to sim the games. So today, the Cardinals took on the Texans in a simulated game to the death...ok not really but it was much closer/exciting this time. Let's take a look.

First Quarter:

The Cardinals win the toss and elect to receive. Breaston is returning kicks and brings the ball to the 29 yard line. On the very first play of the game, Warner is picked off by Eugene Wilson and is hit hard in the process. Not a great start but it could happen if the protection isn't there. Having good field position, the Texans march to the goal line where Matt Shaub throws a touchdown to Andre Johnson. 0 - 7 Texans.

On the Cardinals next drive, Warner and Co. bounce back and march up the field easily, completing pass after pass. Unfortunately, the Cardinals offense buckles in the red zone and are forced to settle for a field goal. 3 - 7 Texans.

On the Texans next drive, Shaub is picked off by Gerald Hayes and the first quarter is over. 3 - 7 Texans.

2nd Quarter:

The Cardinals begin the 2nd quarter choosing to pass more frequently then to run the ball. With good field position from the interception, the Cardinals capitalize by throwing a 1 yard touchdown to Steve Breaston, rather then run it in. 10 - 7 Cardinals.

The Texans immediately open their next drive running the ball successfully. Slaton has holes that you or I could run through, and he leads them down the field, only to receive a touchdown. 10 - 14 Texans.

The Cardinals answer right back on their next drive, completing several big passes to Jerheme Urban. Urban seems to be the only receiver open, and the Cardinals are taking advantage of that. He catches three, key 3rd and longs. In the red zone, Warner throws a touchdown to Jason Wright, similar to the one in Jacksonville. 17 - 14 Cardinals.

The Texans drive with little time left in the half, hoping to rack up a field goal. In good field position, Shaub is sacked by Calais Campbell, forcing a long field goal attempt that is missed. End of half. 17 - 14 Cardinals.

3rd Quarter

In the third quarter, both defenses finally show up, and the first punt is done by the Texans. The Cardinals rack up big yardage in the third quarter, and complete some key first downs. Unfortunately, they aren't able to keep their drives going, and are also forced to punt. After some misfortunes throughout the quarter, the Texans are able to put a successful drive together, and end the quarter in the red zone.

4th Quarter

The quarter begins with Matt Shaub throwing a beauty to Owen Daniels in the end zone, giving the Texans the lead. 17 - 21 Texans.

Breaston takes the on-suing kick off to the 39 yard line, giving the Cardinals good field position to start. The Cardinals hardly run, which puts them in a 3rd and long situation. Warner completes a huge pass to Anquan Boldin, keeping the drive alive. Two plays later and Kurt Warner throws a touchdown to a wide open Dan Kreider in the end zone. 24 - 21 Cardinals.

On the Texans next drive, they continue to successfully run the ball, even converting a 4th and 2. With a goaline situation, Matt Shaub looks to throw a touchdown, only to be picked off by Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who then returns the ball 102 yards for a touchdown!! 31 - 21 Cardinals.

With less then two minutes remaining, the Texans show great hurry up, not using any timeouts. The Texans drive it successfully to the red zone, where Matt Shaub finds tight end James Casey for a touchdown. 31 - 28 Cardinals.

With less then 1 minute remaining, the Texans try the onside kick, which is no good. After a few penalties, the Cardinals run out the clock and win the game!! Cardinals win 31 - 28.

Stats:

Team Stats	Cardinals	Texans
Total Yards	300	392
Turnovers	1	2
Penalties	3(29)	3(35)
3rd Down	1-4	5-8
T.O.P	10:10	21:50

Passing	Comp	Yards	TD	INT
K. Warner	21/31	266	3	1
M. Shaub	25/33	300	3	2

Rushing	Carries	Yards	TD
T. Hightower	9	31	0
S. Slaton	17	94	1

Receiving	Catches	Yards	TD
L. Fitzgerald	3	75	0
A. Boldin	5	66	0
J. Urban	7	89	0
A. Johnson	2	24	1
O. Daniels	11	107	1
A. Davis	2	51	0

Final thought: While I'd like to see a better rushing game, I'd be happy with this result. The defense stepped up and generated turnovers and the offense could pass at ease. We may see a shootout on Sunday, and if we do, let's hope the Cardinals can come out on top. Thoughts?

53 Man Roster Predictions After the Arizona Cardinals Shutout Loss to the Broncos

Hawkwind — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:49:49 -0000

by David Zalubowski - AP

Arizona Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt will have harder time cutting 22 players today than he did finding an offensive play that would work this preseason. (AP Photo/ David Zalubowski)

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Truth be told we won't dwell on another lackluster effort in the preseason. The Arizona Cardinals finished the preseason without a win but that doesn't even begin to tell the story of how ugly the past three and a half weeks have been. To give you a quick taste of how the past four games have gone, the Cardinals have been outscored 71-16 in the first half, Cardinals' quarterbacks have combined to throw twice as many interceptions as touchdowns (9 to 4) and the Cardinals' defenders have forced just one turnover. In conclusion this Cardinals team has looked like the one that played in December of 2008 instead of the team that took the field in January of 2009. Just for the record, historically teams that finish the preseason winless, also struggle in the regular season. Going back to 1989, 35 teams have finished the preseason without a win and 31 of those teams failed to make the playoff. To make matters worse, 21 of them finished with a losing record.

But we said we weren't going to dwell so we're moving on to the news that should come down today. Tomorrow is the deadline to cut down the rosters to 53 players, but most expect Ken Whisenhunt to break the news in an afternoon press conference. With that in mind, here's ROTB's last shot at nailing down the 53 man roster.

QB (3): Kurt Warner, Matt Leinart, Brian St. Pierre - Tyler Palko played his way out of any shot of making the roster with a poor performance last night. BSP hasn't shown much this preseason but Whiz is familiar enough with his abilities for him to stick.
RB (4): Tim Hightower, Chris Wells, Jason Wright, LaRod Stephens-Howling - No one did much to either help or hurt their case for a roster spot last night.
FB (1): Dan Kreider - After the recent discussion about Kreider vs. Tim Castille, I kept a close eye on both players last night. To be honest neither did much to impress me and at this point I think Whiz would chose a veteran that he's familiar with over a younger player.
WR (6): Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Steve Breaston, Jerheme Urban, Early Doucet and Sean Morey - I, like most Cardinals fans I suspect, have been pulling for Lance Long but he's played a great deal in the past two preseason games and he hasn't done much with his opportunity (2 catches for 21 yards). I think it's fair to say that he's not ready and I'd be wiling to risk cutting him. The Chiefs may or may not claim him before we can stash him on the practice squad but he can't help this team right now.

TE (3): Stephen Spach, Anthony Becht and Dominique Byrd - Truth to be told, I still don't know what we have at this position but I'm confident that Leonard Pope will be cut. He was the last tight end to take the field last night and that says enough about his future. I went back and forth on Byrd but his versatility in the H-back role won me over. The interesting thing about this spot is who gets released after week four when Ben Patrick comes back.

OL (9): Mike Gandy, Reggie Wells, Lyle Sendlein, Deuce Lutui, Levi Brown, Herman Johnson, Brandon Keith and Elton Brown and Melvin Fowler - It's overkill keeping so many offensive lineman and I went back and forth on Elton Brown but his ability to play LT made the difference. Oliver Ross is a possibility but he just didn't impress me during the preseason. Elton Brown wasn't all that impressive either but at least this coaching staff has seen him step in at LT and play decently.

DL (6): Darnell Dockett, Calais Campbell, Bryan Robinson, Kenny Iwebema, Gabe Watson and Alan Branch - No real surprises here. Branch hasn't done much to warrant a spot but neither has anyone behind him. At least he can line up at DE now as well as DT, although his effectiveness remains about the same. Keilen Dykes doesn't make the cut but hopefully they can keep him on the practice squad thanks to another leg injury that cost him nearly the entire preseason.
LB (8): Karlos Dansby, Gerald Hayes, Clark Haggans, Chike Okeafor, Will Davis, Victor Hobson, Reggie Walker and Ali Highsmith - Bertrand Berry is the surprise cut on the roster after pulling a disappearing act during the preseason that would make David Copperfield jealous. Considering that the backups consist of two rookies, one sophomore UDFA and a guy that was signed off the streets before the regular season finale last year, I fully expect the Cardinals to scour the waiver wire for a veteran linebacker (inside or out).
CB (5): Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Bryant McFadden, Ralph Brown, Greg Toler and Michael Adams - I don't know what to make of this unit but these are the top five guys. DRC has struggled mightily the past two games, McFadden can't even get on the field and Brown is looking awful old and slow. Toler and Adams are two guys that we should all hope spend much more time on special teams than the regular defense.
S (5): Adrian Wilson, Antrel Rolle, Rashad Johnson, Aaron Francisco and Matt Ware - Basically this is the same unit as last year, plus a third round pick. Francisco is still Francisco although Ware has caught my eye several times this preseason.
Specialists (3): Neil Rackers, Ben Graham and Mike Leach - No surprises.

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To be honest, when I first wrote all this down I ended up with 54 players and after scouring the two deep I ended up cutting a veteran, Bertrand Berry. I'm not sure why but I keep getting the feeling that some of the veterans who've been around this team throughout all of the bad times cause some apathy in the locker room sometimes that lead to performances like we've seen the past couple of weeks. Berry's absence over the course of OTA's and his indifferent excuse once training camp started is just a microcosm of how this team has played over the course of the preseason. Maybe it's a knee jerk reaction on my part for thinking that someone's head has to roll but so be it. Thoughts? Who makes your 53?

Arizona Cardinals Fight For 53: Examining the Bubble Players by Position

Hawkwind — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 17:52:26 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

3 months ago: Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson, right, picks up an eight-yard gain as Arizona Cardinals cornerback Ralph Brown pulls him down during the first half of an NFL preseason football game Friday, Aug. 28, 2009. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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It's simply the nature of the NFL that 22 players who currently call themselves Arizona Cardinals, will be unemployed by the end of this coming weekend. The bad news will be given to hundreds of players across the NFL within the next week and many will be left hoping for a place on some team's practice squad or maybe the newly formed UFL. Before anyone has to worry about their new football home though, the bubble players will have one last shot to impress the coaching staff this Thursday when the Cardinals travel to Denver to take on the Broncos. Here's a quick list at the battles at various positions.

Kreider vs. Castille: With four running backs expected to make the final roster, thanks to LaRod Stephens-Howling's impressive play over the past month, the Cardinals are expected to carry just one fullback. That leaves three guys, Dan Kreider, Tim Castille and Reagan Maui'a, fighting for one spot, although truth be told it's really just a battle between Krieder and Castille. No one has really established themselves and each guy brings something different to the table. Krieder is hands down the better blocker and he's a "Whiz-guy" but Castille's versatility out of the backfield and prowess on special teams gives him a shot.

Long versus the Unknown: The only real question for the Cardinals to answer at wide receiver is how many they want to carry. Assuming that Early Doucet's recent rib injury won't effect his roster status, the teams top six wide outs are virtually set in stone (Fitz, Q, Breaston, Urban, Doucet and Morey). That leaves fan favorite Lance Long fighting for a spot that simply might not be there, but the team has carried seven wide receivers before. The injury risk of a couple of those guys and Long's ability to contribute on special teams leaves the door open. At this point Orea Jones, who's been impressive during the preseason, is simply showcasing himself to other teams or hoping for a practice squad job.

Brown vs. Ross: The offensive line is sort of the in the same predicament as the wide receiver spot considering that they've got quite a few semi-capable bodies but not enough roster spots for everyone. What we know is that Gandy, Wells, Sendlein, Lutui, Levi Brown, Keith and Johnson are all locks make the final 53. If you're counting that's seven bodies and most squads carry eight or nine (although the Cards have kept ten before). That leaves two or maybe three spots up for grabs. One of the spots will undoubtedly be filled by a center and that battle seems to have boiled down to Ben Claxton versus Melvin Fowler. Fowler has a huge edge in experience and would seem to be the front runner but don't count out Claxton's familiarity with the offense. Assuming that the backup center spot is filled by one of these two (but not both), that leaves eight guys with Elton Brown, Trevor Canfield, Carlton Medder and Oliver Ross on the outside looking with one or two spots to fill. Of these remaining four, I'd have to say the top two are Brown and Ross and they'd be battling for the final spot or could be the final two in, if the team decides to keep 10 offensive lineman.

Unknown at Tight End: As we stated yesterday the only thing we really know about the tight end spot is that we really don't know anything. The best bet right now is that Ben Patrick is essentially assured of the roster spot to start the season but that's only because he won't count against the 53 until his four game suspension is over. With that in mind, we'll set him aside and just look at the remainder. The Cardinals in the past have carried as few as two tight ends and as many as four so it's possible that Stephen Spach, Leonard Pope, Anthony Becht and Dominique Byrd could all make the opening day roster, but that's probably a stretch considering how little the tight end is used in the passing game. Our best bet is that three with make the opening day 53 (not counting Patrick remember) with either Pope or Byrd getting cut.

Branch vs. Dykes: This much we know on the defensive line, Darnell Dockett, Calais Campbell, Bryan Robinson, Kenny Iwebema and Gabe Watson are all locks, even though Watson looked terrible against the Packers. It's tough to look at the Caridnals historically to see how many defensive lineman they kept because the 3-4 defense requires less lineman and more linebackers, but we can be sure that Keilen Dykes, Alan Branch, Alex Field, Rodney Leisle are all at the very least on the bubble. I don't think there would be any debate to say that Dykes and Branch are the best of those four but it could come down to whether the Cardinals want to keep six or seven defensive lineman. If they chose to go with six DL, I think Branch would be the choice considering that Dykes has had serious problems stay healthy over the past two training camps. His inability to stay on the field probably means that the Cards could stash him on the practice squad for an eventful call up when someone gets hurt.

Linebackers Help: Outside of the starters at linebacker, Dansby, Hayes, Haggans and Okeafor, I'm not sure that anyone is assured of a roster spot. Bertrand Berry would seem like a lock but he's done a complete disappearing act so far during the preseason. Victor Hobson, Will Davis and perhaps even Reggie Walker would seem like the next closest thing to locks. Hobson has experience in a 3-4 and can play inside and out while Davis and Walker have been impressive over the past couple of games. There's also Ali Highsmith who's failed to produce the same kind of buzz that he did last year. Chase Bullock and David Holloway round out the rest of the roster but neither of them have done much to warrant a roster spot. If the Cards had to decide today, I'm thinking that they'd keep the starters plus Berry, Hobson, Davis and Walker although this could be one position that gets an upgrade once other teams make their cuts.

Ware vs. Adams: There will be some tough decisions made in the secondary where it would seem that Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Bryant McFadden, Adrian Wilson, Antrel Rolle, Rashad Johnson and Ralph Brown are all locks to make the squad. Brown has struggled in the preseason but so has the depth behind him so it's highly doubtful that his spot is in jeopardy. With six locks that leaves Aaron Francisco, Greg Toler, Matt Ware, Michael Adams, Jameel Dowling and Wilrey Fontenot fighting for what will probably end up being eight or nine spots. Francisco and Toler are certainly the front-runners of the bubble group so the real battle comes down to Ware versus Adams. It's possible that the team could keep all ten members of the secondary, they've done it before, but nine is a more manageable number. Ware has much more experience with the regular defense and is probably the more talented player but Adams' standout performances on special teams give him a shot.

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Thoughts? Who wins these battles and who makes your final 53?

Arizona Cardinals versus the Pittsburgh Steelers: Examining the Initial Depth Chart

Hawkwind — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:41:06 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

Arizona Cardinals' Bill Davis, left, talks with Darnell Dockett during morning practice at Cardinals training camp Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2009, in Flagstaff, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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The first preseason game of the year doesn't mean very much to the football world outside of a select few of crazed fans who have been salivating over the thought of real football for going on six months. One of the things that the first preseason game of the year does provide though is the first look at an 'official' depth chart and the Arizona Cardinals put out their first chart yesterday. Now word to the wise, Whisenhunt doesn't like to tweak the chart prior to the first game so he basically inserts each rookie's name at the bottom and leaves most of the rest unchanged. Thanks to a change in defensive philosophy though (or at least a continued shift towards a 3-4), there are some changes on the defensive side of the ball. With a quick look at how this current roster plays out on paper, here's a quick analysis of the depth chart.

Offense

QB -- Kurt Warner, Matt Leinart, Brian St. Pierre, Tyler Palko

RB -- Tim Hightower, Chris Wells, Jason Wright, LaRod Stephens-Howling, Chris Vincent

FB -- Dan Kreider, Tim Castille, Reagan Maui'a

WR -- Larry Fitzgerald, Jerheme Urban, Sean Morey, Onrea Jones, Ed Gant

WR -- Anquan Boldin. Steve Breaston, Early Doucet, Lance Long, Michael Ray Garvin

TE -- Leonard Pope, Ben Patrick, Stephen Spach, Anthony Becht, Dominique Byrd

LT -- Mike Gandy, Elliot Vallejo, Brandon Pearce

LG -- Reggie Wells, Elton Brown, Carlton Medder

C -- Lyle Sendlein, Ben Claxton, Melvin Fowler

RG -- Deuce Lutui, Brandon Keith, Trevor Canfield

RT -- Levi Brown, Oliver Ross, Herman Johnson

Overall there aren't really any surprises on the offensive side of the ball, unless you didn't think Pope would be listed atop the tight end spot. There has been some shake-up on the offensive line with the injury to Vallejo though with Oliver Ross swinging over to left tackle and Brandon Keith taking snaps at right tackle.

Defense

DE -- Calais Campbell, Kenny Iwebema, Alex Field

NT -- Bryan Robinson, Gabe Watson, Alan Branch

DT -- Darnell Dockett, Keilen Dykes, Rodney Leisle

ROLB -- Chike Okeafor, Bertrand Berry, Will Davis

ILB -- Karlos Dansby, Victor Hobson, Pago Togafau

ILB -- Gerald Hayes, Ali Highsmith, Reggie Walker

LOLB -- Clark Haggans, Cody Brown, Chase Bullock

RCB -- Bryant McFadden, Ralph Brown, Wilrey Fontenot, Jameel Dowling

LCB -- Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Michael Adams, Greg Toler

SS -- Adrian Wilson, Aaron Francisco, Keith Lewis

FS -- Antrel Rolle, Matt Ware, Dennis Keyes, Rashad Johnson

The interesting thing about the defensive chart is how they chose to describe their defensive line (yes that's not a typo). They've chosen to list only one defensive end, a nose tackle and a defensive tackle for some unknown reason. This is nothing more than a conspiracy theory on my part but if the organization cares at all about "NINE-O" (Dockett) making the Pro Bowl, it would make sense to list him as a tackle instead of an end. There aren't any major surprises at linebacker but it's interesting to see that Hobson is listed on the inside and Bullock is listed on the outside (after he worked primarily on the inside during OTA's). In the secondary, I wouldn't get worried about Toler and Rashad Johnson being listed at the bottom of the depth chart. As we said above, this is the "Whiz way" of handling rookies and we'll see how the chart get's tweaked as the preseason plays out.

Specialists

KR -- Steve Breaston, Michael Ray Garvin, LaRod Stephens-Howling

PR -- Steve Breaston, Antrel Rolle, Michael Ray Garvin

K -- Neil Rackers

P -- Ben Graham

LS -- Mike Leach

H -- Ben Graham, Sean Morey

There aren't really any suprises in the specialist department either. Garvin is clearly a return specialist and if he ends up on the final squad it'll be because he won the kick and/or punt return job.

Arizona Cardinals Sign Defensive End Alex Field and More Training Camp Coverage

Hawkwind — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 14:00:59 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

The new, slim and trim Tim Hightower runs with the ball during running back drills training camp. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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Despite an easy light-hearted day at practice yesterday the Arizona Cardinals front office was busy making moves. Defensive end Jason Banks was sent to the injured reserve list ending his season (torn meniscus) and they signed undrafted rookie Alex Field, also a defensive end. Field (6-6, 267) was originally signed by the Giants but was cut before their training camp started. He started for one season at Virginia and managed 48 tackles and five sacks after spending most of his career backing up Chris Long. As for the other injured defensive end, Keilen Dykes, we've seen one report that he could be out up to four weeks. That would put him out through the rest of training camp and he'd be able to return about a week before the season opener against the Niners, although he hopes to return sooner.

In other injury news the small injuries are starting to pile up and the list of 'walking wounded' now includes two defensive ends (Keilen Dykes and Jason Banks), a couple of tight ends (Anthony Becht and Stephen Spach), a couple of receivers (Early Doucet and Sean Morey), a running back (Beanie Wells) , an outside linebacker (Chike Okeafor) and a fullback (Dan Kreider).

As for the actual practice yesterday, there isn't much to report. It was basically a glorified walk through with the guys not even wearing helmets. They will have two practices today and another one tomorrow morning before finally getting a day off on Sunday. When they come back on Monday it'll officially be a game week with the preseason opener on the horizon (at Pittsburgh on Thursday).

Arizona Cardinals Training Camp Coverage: Dockett, Dansby and the Defense Dominate

Hawkwind — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:14:26 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

Arizona Cardinals' Herman Johnson (67), Alan Branch (78), Chris Vincent (30) and Tyler Palko run plays during evening practice at the Cardinals' training camp Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2009, in Flagstaff, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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Yesterday's evening practice is always one of the highlights of training camp because the team moves to Lumberjack Stadium and it's under the lights. These practices are always the most physical sessions during camp and full 11-on-11 goal line drill is a fan favorite for that very reason. Last night was certainly no exception as the final portion of practice consisted of seven plays in which the offense started at the three yard line or closer and attempted to punch one in for six. Of the seven plays, the offense ran six running plays and one pass, but managed just a single touchdown (a sweep by Jason Wright). Even the lone touchdown was up for debate but Ken Whisenhunt over ruled the defense.

The downer of the night is that injuries are starting to pile up as two more players were added to an already crowded sidelines. Defensive end Jason Banks missed part of the morning practice and the entire evening practice with a bad knee and another defensive end Keilen Dykes not only missed the evening practice, but also wasn't working out on the sidelines with the other 'walking wounded.' We should know more about the injury today (Whiz didn't meet with the media after practice) but some are hinting that it could be a significant injury. New defensive coordinator Bill Davis has been praising Dykes all off season and many expected Dykes to not only make the roster but become a solid member of the defensive line rotation so losing him would hurt.

Other random observations from yesterday:

We haven't mentioned Darnell Dockett (he wants to be called "NINE-0" now) but he's having a great camp and several reports are saying that he's in the best shape of his life. He's been unblockable at times during one-on-one drills with the offensive line and he made a nice play during last night's goal line session when he shot into the backfield and blew up a Tim Hightower run.
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie continues to impress and just about every practice report includes some mention of him making a nice interception or breaking up a deep pass. His partner in crime, Bryant McFadden also returned to practice yesterday.
After three straight press conferences talking about his hip, Kurt Warner was visibly unhappy about addressing the status of his rehabbing hip again yesterday. He has spent extra time stretching before practice but he still lists himself at 85%.
We heard over the summer that one of Chris Miller's (QB coach) goals was to improve Matt Leinart's footwork and so far the results have been favorable. Leinart's passes have had much more zip on them than in year's past and it's also made him a more accurate passer. Several reports list Leinart as having the best camp of his young career and that he's shown improvement in every area, including standing in the pocket against a pass rush.
With all of the hoopla over Chris Wells, we have mentioned Tim Hightower very much but his trimmed down physique has made him more explosive. His top end speed won't ever be 'home run worthy' but his short area quickness has noticably improved.
Rookie guard/centre Ben Claxton made his first notable appearance of camp when he got into a near altercation with several defenders but the scrum was broken up quickly.
For an injury update, Beanie is expected to return to practice next week and is (at least for now) expected to play in the preseason opener against the Steelers. Early Doucet however is not expected to return as quickly and is not expected to suit up. There hasn't been much reported on Chike Okeafor's back issue but he was out of practice again yesterday so we'll try and get some information on him. The other two guys Anthony Becht and Dan Kreider both have hamstring issues but niether is expected to be serious.

Arizona Cardinals Training Camp Coverage: Boldin Saga Continues and Fullbacks Audition

Hawkwind — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 13:11:52 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

Arizona Cardinals' Mike Gandy yells for teammates who were playing hard during a blocking drill during afternoon practice at training camp Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2009, in Flagstaff, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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After making three roster moves the Arizona Cardinals spent part of yesterday's down time working out two fullbacks in hopes of filling the team's open roster spot. Neither player was recognizable but I'm sure we'll hear of a signing by weeks end, if one of them impressed the staff. Ken Whisehunt did say that he expects a fullback to fill the vacant role. As far as reports from yesterday's practice, here are the highlights:

LaRod Stephens-Howling is starting to turn some heads with his all around play. He's elusive in the open field and very hard to locate in a crowd.
Bertrand Berry has been impressive in one on one drills and he's shown at times why most consider him to be the team's best pass rusher.
Stephen Spach participated in the 11-on-11 drills yesterday but spent other parts of practice rehabbing his injured knee. He might be ahead of schedule but it's still premature to say that he's game ready or close to 100%.
As far as the injury report from yesterday, Beanie Wells (ankle), Dan Kreider (hamstring), Chike Okeafor (back), Anthony Becht (hamstring), and Bryant McFadden (ankle) all missed the entire practice. Becht was the only late addition to this list but his gimpy hamstring isn't expected to be anything serious. McFadden sprained his ankle on a spectacular pass breakup turned interception against Fitz but his ankle is considered less serious than Wells.

Boldin opens up about tradewinds - Anquan Boldin opens up about the trade opportunties that the Cardinals turned down or didn't act on, at least in his opinion.

Honestly, I know of 15 teams. This is a league where everyone communicates. So you have players everywhere -- guys that I work out with in Florida, guys that I'm friends with -- and they talk to their GMs, and they relay messages back and forth. So, I know of 15 teams that were willing to do exactly what it took to get me and make a trade happen. But the Cardinals were never specific about what they wanted. They only said if the right deal came along. But what is the right deal if you've never said it? But I never thought once that I'd be traded and I wasn't disappointed that it didn't happen.

Cardinals upgrade depth on offensive line - Sando has some great info on the newest Cardinal, Dexter Fowler, including a scouting report from Scouts Inc. Fowler is six-year veteran who has been a very steady performer in the middle of the Bills' offensive line. He has above-average size and strength, but wins with quickness, technique, intelligence and toughness. Fowler does a great job to snap and step quickly while taking proper angles to gain leverage. He has good hand use and foot agility to stay connected. He can slam and chip well to the second level or scoop offset-defenders with great quickness and technique. He doesn't have great power to get movement on the larger defensive tackles in the league and can be walked back some when one-on-one verse bull rushers.

Five with J-5: Tim Hightower - Check out this interview with Tim Hightower.....as taste you ask....

JV - Edgerrin James helped you with the process last year, now you have a rookie in Beanie Wells coming in. I know you have just one year under your belt, but how much of a mentor can you be for him?

TH - Whatever it takes, whatever it takes for us to get back where we need to be, that's what I'm going to do. Edge did a great job, he could have kept to himself last year and been all about himself but he didn't; he took me under his wing and taught me everything he knew and I'm eternally grateful for that. I'm going to do the same thing and hopefully I can help him as much as I can, bring him along, and make his transition a lot easier and when it's time for someone to come up to him, he'll do the same thing.

Five with J-5: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie - An interview with ROTB favorite DRC.....another taste???....

JV - What started to click for you during the season that you were able to end it on such a high note and make a solid contribution to the teams run?

DRC- I think it was the time and preparation that I put into everything, coming in I really wasn't big on film and learning, you know I was just solely relying on my athletic ability. I saw early on it wasn't just about athletic ability you got to have a mental game to go along with it if you want to be good or great, so I started to understand that and get that and that's what I really wanted to do.

Patrick thankful team stands by him - Ben Patrick hoped to spend training camp and the preseason building upon an impressive performance late last season, which included scoring a touchdown in the Super Bowl. Instead, it was announced in June that Patrick would be suspended the first four games of the season for taking a substance banned under the league's policy on performance-enhancing drugs. "I've never been in trouble in my life, ever," Patrick said. "To make an honest mistake, which I take full responsibility for, to be punished so harshly was tough. But rules are rules."

Cards' Campbell up to challenge - At 6-feet-8 inches, filling a big pair of shoes has never been a problem for defensive end Calais Campbell, at least in a literal sense. Yet, ask many Cardinals coaches and players about Campbell's potential starting role this season, and the metaphor pops up consistently. "He's got some big shoes to fill," defensive coordinator Bill Davis said. "He's going to have to fill some big shoes right now," inside linebacker Karlos Dansby said. The Cardinals didn't make many personnel changes on defense in the off-season but they did allow starting right end Antonio Smith to leave for Houston via free agency. The Cardinals planned for the departure a year earlier, drafting Campbell in the second round out of Miami and Kenny Iwebema in the fourth out of Iowa.