SB Nation - David Holloway

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 News: Boldin Hurt, Vallejo Cut and David Holloway Returns

Hawkwind — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 13:53:12 -0000

The Arizona Cardinals had a busy day for a Wednesday towards the end of August. With their third preseason game on the horizon and starters expected to play most of, if not all of, the first half, the Cardinals face the daunting task of trying to play key players without getting them injured. One guy that they won't have to worry about this Friday is Anquan Boldin, who tweaked a hamstring in practice on Tuesday. Despite a late night MRI that revealed the injury wasn't serious, Boldin will not suit up against the Packers. With another couple of weeks before the games really start counting, the Cardinals will be cautious with Boldin and allow him to be 100% when the Niners come to town on September 13th. That wasn't the team's only news yesterday though...

After working out a DE/OLB a couple of days ago the Cardinals decided to bring back a familar face, David Holloway. Holloway was an undrafted free agent out of Maryland in 2007 and spent nearly the entire season of his rookie year on the practice squad (activated for last game but didn't play). He was cut by the Cardinals last August when they signed another linebacker, Brandon Moore. He's undersized (6'2 230) but athletic (4.72 forty, 32 bench reps) and, despite the change to a 3-4 defense, he still will have some familiarity with the system so his learning curve won't be as drastic as a complete outsider. He should get considerable playing time in the final preseason game.
To make room for Holloway the team cut ROTB-favorite Elliot Vallejo. Vallejo dislocated his knee cap a couple of weeks ago and was going to have a hard time being ready by the season opener. Vallejo, a promising young player, was slated to be the primary backup at left tackle this season and a future starter. It's very likely that he'll be signed by another team even before he's fully recovered (keep an eye on the Chiefs), but I'm sure that the Cardinals would resign him if he's still on the market.
The final note to this roster move leaves the team with 79 players, one under the minimum and Cody Brown has not been placed on injured reserve yet. Once that move is made, the team will only have to cut three players before the September 1st deadline.

Brian St. Pierredid return to practice yesterday, on a limited basis, but Whisenhunt said that he'd be reevaluated before Friday nights game.
One final note about Friday's game centers around the wide receiver spot. With Boldin and Breaston already ruled out, this game could be a huge chance for guys like Early Doucet, Lance Long Sean Morey and even Orea Jones. With eleven wide receivers on the roster right now, there have to be a handful of guys who already know that their best case scenario is to showcase themselves for other teams and with Q, Breaston and Garvin on the shelf, it is very likely a now or never scenario for some of the youngsters. This might also be our only chance to see Doucet or Long get extended play time against a starting defense.

Cleveland Browns Training Camp 2009: Inside Linebacker Preview (Maiava or Bell?)

Chris Pokorny — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 05:21:24 -0000

After covering the quarterbacks, running backs, fullbacks, defensive linemen, offensive linemen, wide receivers, and tight ends, it's time for the defense to start getting some more attention as we approach training camp. Although the order of this training camp preview was done randomly, it's fitting that the linebackers and the secondary will be covered over the next two weeks, as they will yield some of the most interesting and competitive training camp battles.

This week is officially titled "Hard Hits and Klutch Kicks"; the linebackers will be discussed until Thursday, and then the special teams unit will be the topic of discussion heading into the weekend. Today, specifically, is dedicated to the players competing for a spot as an inside linebacker.

Also, if you didn't catch it last week, don't forget to look back at Part 1 of rufio's explanation of the 46 defense as it pertains to the Cleveland Browns.

1. D'QWELL JACKSON - STARTING INSIDE LINEBACKER

D'Qwell Jackson (#52)
Height: 6-0
Weight: 240
College: Maryland
Experience: 4 years
Stats: 154 tackles in 2008

It didn't take long for head coach Eric Mangini to announce D'Qwell Jackson as a favorite of his. Earlier in the offseason, reports were indicating that Mangini would consider listening to a trade for anybody on the roster except for two players: Joe Thomas, and then Jackson.

I can't tell if I've been blind or if Mangini is trying to set it in stone that he wants Jackson to step up as the new leader of the defense with Andra Davis gone, but Jackson has not played like the type of player that you put on an "untouchable list". When you think of the top AFC linebackers the past several years, Jackson fails to come close to his counterparts on the Baltimore Ravens or the Pittsburgh Steelers. Overall, Jackson has been a good, but not great, player. He doesn't have that dominant presence of meeting a running back head on at the line of scrimmage for no gain all by himself. He also wasn't making tackles six yards down the field as often as Davis was.

It's not saying much, but last year, Jackson was our best linebacker. He looks like a decent linebacker for a 3-4 system, but not the Ray Lewis that sets the tone defensively. Perhaps that will change with the new regime, different schemes, and a higher level of responsibility this season. Jackson's job is as safe as you can get; he won't have anyone fighting for his job.

Job Security: A+
Player Quality: B
Final Roster Odds: 100%

2. ERIC BARTON - STARTING INSIDE LINEBACKER

Eric Barton (#50)
Height: 6-2
Weight: 245
College: Maryland
Experience: 11 years
Stats: 119 tackles in 2008

They might not be from the same era, but Eric Barton has something from the past in common with Jackson -- they both played at Maryland. Now, they'll both have something in common -- being a starting linebacker for the Browns.

Barton has been an established, well-respected linebacker in the league for awhile with the New York Jets and should be considered an immediate upgrade over Andra Davis. Barton isn't among the elite linebackers either, but he is a better tackler than Davis and also does not appear to be running like a turtle on every play that isn't in the snow.

The most important thing about the Browns adding Barton is his intelligence factor. Mangini has praised Barton for his intelligence and his ability to call signals. While I don't believe it has been confirmed, that should mean that Barton, who will be partially familiar with the defensive system to be put into place, will be wearing the headset in his helmet this season. Last year, Davis and Leon Williams shared that responsibility.

Overall, it was disappointing that the Browns couldn't add a Pro Bowl caliber player to the inside linebacker position. Nonetheless, while inside linebacker might not be a strength for the Browns this season, the addition of Barton prevents it from being too much of a weakness.

Job Security: A-
Player Quality: B-
Final Roster Odds: 100%

3. KALUKA MAIAVA - BACKUP INSIDE LINEBACKER

Kaluka Maiava (#56)
Height: 5-11
Weight: 229
College: USC
Experience: Rookie
Note: 4th round pick

This is where things get thin really fast, although Leon Williams could play on the inside still (for training camp, he will be in the OLB preview).

In one corner, you have 2009 fourth-round rookie draft pick Kaluka Maiava from USC. In the other corner, you have 2008 fourth-round rookie draft pick Beau Bell from UNLV. Thanks again to Romeo Crennel's poor utilization of young players, Bell does not have the experience factor on his side, making this almost like a rookie on rookie competition.

If you're looking for a reason why Maiava could be a steal, then here it is: he was USC's "unknown" in a way, because he was overshadowed by the likes of Clay Matthews, Rey Maualuga, and Brian Cushing, who were all starters and were all taken on Day 1. He is used to coming in as a rotational player and is known for his toughness, but the fact that he wasn't a starter behind a trio of future NFL starting linebackers leads to the question -- if Maiava could've been given a starting opportunity instead, would he have played just as well?

Maiava is also the nephew of actor and former WWE wrestler The Rock (aka Dwayne Johnson).

Final Roster Odds: 98%

4. BEAU BELL - BACKUP INSIDE LINEBACKER

Beau Bell (#58)
Height: 6-1
Weight: 250
College: UNLV
Experience: 2 years
Note: 4th round pick in '08

Ok, so let's try to evaluate Beau Bell on all of the plays he registered tackles on last season. Hmmm...maybe that's not a good idea, since there were only three of them. And, while I can't recall for certain, I believe some of those came on special teams; I don't know if we ever even saw him in the linebacker rotation during the regular season.

Bell did have nagging knee problems throughout the season, but I don't buy that as an excuse for not playing him. Here's a quote from Crennel late last season that should have brought out the monkey-scratcher:

[Crennel] added that rookie linebacker Beau Bell has been making good progress, "but just finding the chance to get him up and active is an issue."

In response to that, DBN member Roger Dorn conveyed what most of the fans were thinking:

Another moment of brilliance from Romeo. Our linebackers might be the worst in the league and Crennel acts like Bell is being blocked? Either tell us that Bell is worse than our bad linebackers straight up or give him a chance to play.

The fans have not given up on Bell yet, and I think many of us are still very intrigued by the potential he showed in college. I put him behind Maiava though because he was Mangini's choice, and thus has a potential leg up in terms of favoritism. With our lack of depth at ILB, even if Bell doesn't shine, he should stick on the roster as a special teams contributor, where he forced a fumble last season on a hit that seemed harder than Andra Davis ever delivered.

Another option is that Bell could still fit on a practice squad, but before that, another team would probably snatch him up.

Player Quality: TBD
Final Roster Odds: 70%

5. BO RUUD - BACKUP INSIDE LINEBACKER

Bo Ruud (#43)
Height: 6-3
Weight: 235
College: Nebraska
Experience: 2 years
Note: Former 6th rounder

Bo Ruud was drafted by the New England Patriots in the 6th round of the 2008 draft, but missed most of the season with an ankle injury. If you're familiar with Tampa Bay Buccaneers ILB Barrett Ruud, Bo is his brother. If [Bo] Rudd ended up anything like his brother, fans would be ecstatic.

When Ruud was drafted by the Patriots, their team website had a nice article that mentioned Ruud's desire to look at film:

"I'm kind of obsessed about it," Ruud said shortly after the Patriots took him in the sixth round (197 overall). "I will tell people there is not one linebacker in the country that spends more time watching film than me. It's one thing I actually enjoy doing and it helps. I think football is really important."

Not surprisingly, Ruud said he's been doing it since high school with his brother and continued the practice ever since. When Barrett made it to the NFL, Bo stepped it up a level.

"I was actually trying to do what he was doing at the pros while at the college level. You hear about all the great football players doing that and you just try to replicate that work ethic and study habits and see what that does for you."

Link

Ruud's size makes him a likely candidate to play inside linebacker for the Browns, where he'll try to be the "surprise" player to overtake either Bell's or Maiava's backup position.

Final Roster Odds: 30%
Practice Squad Odds: 75% (at least I would like to see him there)

6. BLAKE COSTANZO - SPECIAL TEAMS LINEBACKER

Blake Costanzo (#--)
Height: 6-2
Weight: 235
College: Lafayette
Experience: 3 years
Note: ST demon?

I don't know whether Blake Costanzo really stands out as an inside or outside linebacker specifically, but for this preview, he's getting the "inside" billing. He wasn't signed for that though; he was signed for his ability to contribute on special teams.

Last season with the Buffalo Bills, he led the team with 26 special teams tackles. He was waived in June due to an influx of young talent coming in at the linebacker position, and fans were somewhat disappointed to see him go. He could be this year's Kris Griffin. I couldn't find a jersey number for him yet, so if anyone has it, let me know.

Final Roster Odds: 60%

7. DAVID HOLLOWAY - PRACTICE SQUAD INSIDE LINEBACKER

David Holloway (#54)
Height: 6-2
Weight: 234
College: Maryland
Experience: 3 years
Note: More Maryland ties

Holloway has some experience at both inside and outside linebacker positions, so this is again a loose process when I list him as an inside linebacker. He was an undrafted free agent two years ago for the Arizona Cardinals. The Browns signed him to their practice squad late last season, as he returns now to compete for that spot again.

Here is an assessment Revenge of the Birds, our Arizona Cardinals affiliate, gave on Holloway heading into training camp last season:

Hollaway was an undrafted free agent out of Maryland last year and he spent nearly the entire season on the practice squad (activated for last game but didn't play). He's undersized (6'2 230) but athletic (4.72 forty, 32 bench reps) and could push for a roster spot this year. He's got experience playing on the inside and outside but his pass rush skills are best suited for the outside. He's had a full season to learn Pendergast's system and could have a leg up on Harrington in camp.

Link

Another interesting note is that Holloway was in the same starting lineup as D'Qwell Jackson during their Maryland days. While Jackson operated at middle linebacker, Holloway played strongside linebacker.

Final Roster Odds: <2%
Practice Squad Odds: 20%

8. JONATHAN FOSTER - UNDRAFTED FREE AGENT INSIDE LINEBACKER

Jonathan Foster (#48)
Height: 6-4
Weight: 230
College: Central State
Experience: Rookie
Note: UDFA

There's not a lot to go by on Jonathan Foster, who played for Central State (Ohio) in college. He is from Ann Arbor, Michigan and played outside linebacker at college; so, again, this is another player who could really be trying out for outside linebacker.

Unfortunately, beyond that, I can find literally nothing on Foster. For him not being out there as a "name" in the first place, I guess a positive would be the fact that Mangini is giving him another look in training camp. I'm grasping for straws here folks. In the picture to the right, he's one of the player's stretching on the ground.

*EDIT (7/21/09): Foster was waived prior to the start of training camp.

Final Roster Odds: <0.1%
Practice Squad Odds: I literally have no idea

ILB Position Quality (Overall): C

There is nothing spectacular at the position yet, but we are in a little better shape than last year with Davis gone. The backup middle linebacker is a question mark, but Bell and Maiava both have potential. It would be outstanding if both of them pan out with one of them cutting into Barton's playing time at some point in the season.

Feel free to discuss a variety of issues at linebacker in the comments section, such as whether Leon Williams/David Veikune should be inside or outside, if DQ is the real deal, or players listed on this who you believe should've been listed at outside linebacker (or vice-versa).

Poll

Which player would you rather see worked into the ILB rotation more this season?

Beau Bell

452 votes

Kaluka Maiava

546 votes

Bo Ruud

115 votes

1113 votes | Poll has closed

Browns Rookie Minicamp Recap - Day 1

Chris Pokorny — Sat, 02 May 2009 14:39:29 -0000

More photos » by Mark Duncan - AP

RB James Davis carries during the NFL football team's minicamp Friday. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)

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For the fans, trying to actually "critique" a player's performance in minicamp is about as meaningless as it gets. Training camp, which will begin in a couple of months, is where the evaluations really begin.

Nonetheless, minicamp is still very important to the many undrafted free agents who are fighting for a training camp roster spot. Based on reports from The Plain Dealer and the OBR, here are some news, notes, and nuggets from Day 1 of Rookie Minicamp:

Head coach Eric Mangini has a strict policy when it comes to making mistakes:

"If you put the ball on the ground, you run," said Mangini. "If you get a penalty, you run. There's nothing more valuable than the football. And just looking at how turnovers affect games every single year. It's amazing and dramatic how much one turnover or plus-one or minus-one can affect a game, so there's nothing more important than the ball, and penalties are concentration errors. If you can't concentrate long enough to get the snap count, we need to give you some time to concentrate on that."
An example? When WR Brian Robiskie dropped a punt, he was forced to run a lap.
Besides blunders such as Robiskie's, players who commit penalties will also be scrutinized. Mangini will have officials at every practice to track types of penalties, who received them, and trends in penalties.
In total, there were 47 players at the practice. They included the Browns' 8 draft picks, 14 undrafted free agents who were signed, and 20 undrafted free agents fighting for a contract in a tryout.
There were 5 non-rookie players, according to the OBR, who participated: QB Richard Bartel, WR Lance Leggett, OL Kurt Quarterman, DL Melila Purcell, and LB David Holloway.
RB James Davis, pictured at the top of this post, had the following to say on whether he thought he was a steal in the sixth round:

“I would call myself a steal,” he said. “But, I’m a hard worker and going to do what I can to contribute.”
At least he didn't say he was the best running back in the draft.
Mangini's core values were made clear: "communication," "focus," "finish" and "trust."
Mangini stands behind his decision to draft LB David Veikune where he did in round two:

"I love the guy's motor," said Mangini. "This guy's got toughness, aggressiveness and a smoothness to the way that he changes directions and run games. I think he could play both outside and inside for us moving forward."

In an update from a previous story, Mangini has stated that he did not leak negative reports about Texas Tech WR Michael Crabtree.

Hubbard Promoted to Main Roster

Chris Pokorny — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:18:09 -0000

The Cleveland Browns announced several moves today. Here they are, in summary...

TE Steve Heiden tore his ACL and was placed on the injured reserve. He is scheduled to undergo surgery on Thursday.
LB Beau Bell will undergo surgery on his right knee for tendinitis and swelling. He has also been placed on the injured reserve.
TE John Madsen was signed to the 53-man roster. Madsen has played for the Oakland Raiders the past three seasons, and was originally undrafted. He has 19 catches for 248 yards and 2 touchdowns in his career.
WR Paul Hubbard was promoted from the practice squad.
LB David Holloway was signed to the practice squad. Holloway has previously been a practice squad player for the Arizona Cardinals.

With Romeo Crennel still coaching this team, you can't get excited about any of these moves. Reports seem to indicate that Darnell Dinkins, not Martin Rucker, will be the team's No. 1 tight end the rest of the season. However, it is interesting to note that the team has still yet to place Kellen Winslow on the injured reserve, leaving the possibility open that he could play in Week 17 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.