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Arizona Cardinals Weekly Flock: Larry Fitzgerald's Knee and Rashad Johnson's Role

Hawkwind — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:59:33 -0000

More photos » by Marcio Jose Sanchez - AP

Larry Fitzgerald and status of his knee are the talk of the town. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

News of Larry Fitzgerald's health and Rashad Johnson's readiness to take the field dominate this week in Arizona Cardinals headlines. Here's a look at what people are talking about:

Fitz is feeling better and the rest of the injury report - Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald did more at practice Thursday and while he was still limited, he said he was feeling better than Wednesday and continues to believe he will play Sunday in Detroit. There wasn’t much change to the injury report.

Cardinals' rookie Rashad Johnson ready to be safety net - Rookie safety Rashad Johnson is eager to take on an expanded role for the Cardinals on Sunday when they play the Lions.

What will Rashad do? - A lot is riding on what rookie safety Rashad Johnson can do here at the end of his first season. The third-round pick is the guy who has to step in for veteran Matt Ware when the Cards go to three safeties (veteran cornerback Ralph Brown has played there some as well) now that Ware is done for the season.

KentSomers - A walking bruise (Neil Rackers report) - Kicker Neil Rackers' teammates have been teasing about the way he's walking these days. But Rackers has a good reason for moving like he's just ridden a horse for a few weeks. He showed me the upper part of his right leg. (O.K., I know. Insert your joke here. Go ahead). It's an ugly, bloody mess, the result of a muscle tear.

To Fumble or Not to Fumble....if it were only that easy - Larry Fitzgerald went through a stretch where he lost three fumbles in four games back in early 2007. Those are the only three lost fumbles of Fitzgerald’s nearly six full seasons. "Man, that’s the worse feeling," Fitzgerald said. "You feel everyone’s eyes are on you, and really they are. You’re the guy that’s to blame, and it’s a terrible feeling. I’ve experienced it before and I’d rather not feel it again." The Cards know about terrible feelings of late. They lost five fumbles in San Francisco, with two coming from their top two running backs, Tim Hightower and Beanie Wells. Isolated and they could be shrugged off. But they haven’t been isolated – Hightower, for example, fumbled early against both Minnesota and San Francisco the past two games, with each leading to opposing touchdowns. Both players continue to work on the issue.

The timing of turnovers - I took a closer look this morning at the 29 turnovers committed by the Cardinals this year. I knew that most of them came in the first half but I was startled to see that 21 of them came in the first two quarters. Here's the breakdown: First quarter -- Seven turnovers:1 interception, 6 fumbles Second quarter-- 14 turnovers: 9 interceptions, 5 fumbles Third quarter -- 0 turnovers Fourth quarter -- Eight turnovers: 4 fumbles, 4 interceptions.

Pro Bowl update: Balloting for specialists - Ben Graham has moved up to third among NFC punters.

Under the Cap: Top Ten Safeties - Football Outsiders takes a look at the top ten safeties in terms of contract and as you might expect there's some Adrian Wilson info in here.

Arizona Cardinals vs Carolina Panthers: Keys to the Game

Andrew602 — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:10:06 -0000

More photos » by Mel Evans - AP

If Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie suits up, he may have a field day against Jake Delhomme.

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This Sunday, the Arizona Cardinals return to University of Phoenix Stadium to face the Carolina Panthers. The Cardinals are coming off a 3 game win streak, while the Panthers are 2-4 and in the midst of a quarterback controversy. The Panthers are also looking for redemption, as the Cardinals are the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last year(and apparently the accuracy out of Jake Delhomme also). The Cardinals are attempting to take a stranglehold on the NFC West, with the Rams and Seahawks virtually out, and the 49ers facing the Colts in Indianapolis. Let's take a look at the keys to the game.

Stop the run: The Panthers offense isn't what it was a year ago, which can largely be blamed on Delhomme. Steve Smith hasn't been given the opportunities he's had in the past, and Musin Muhammad seems to have lost a step. This offense is successful at the run, and that's something they'll come out with on Sunday. Stopping or even limiting DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart would be a success, but that depends if the Cardinals are up to it. Something that has worked for them in the past is scoring early, and forcing the opposing team to pass the ball. It worked in the playoffs last year, and it could work Sunday. If it does, that would lead us to the next point.

Pressure Jake Delhomme: Since the embarrassing performance in the playoffs last year, Delhomme hasn't been the same quarterback he one was. Through the first 6 games this year, Delhomme has tossed 13 interceptions and has clearly had problems under center. If the Cardinals stop the Panthers running game, Delhomme will get more opportunities to throw the ball. The Cardinals dared Eli Manning to throw the ball last week, something he struggled with. They may take the same approach and force Delhomme to pass the ball, which could eventually lead to a turnover(s).

Play smart/no turnovers: A game like this could be considered a trap game, as the Cardinals are high on confidence, and the Panthers have their backs against the wall. Getting overly confident often results in poor play(see last year). One thing that has haunted the Cardinals are turnovers and turnovers in the end zone. The last thing that needs to happen is blowing a big lead, and that's something that could happen if turnovers become an issue on Sunday. Keeping them to a minimum would be very important in order to get the victory.

Run the ball: Last week, the Cardinals saw some success on the ground, with Beanie Wells having his best game of the season. The Panthers are 23rd against the run, allowing 133.2 rushing yards per game. This is the ideal situation to improve the rushing game. Running back screens and draws will also keep defenders like Julius Peppers from pressuring Kurt Waner. The Cardinals also got all three running backs involved last week and may continue again on Sunday.

Secondary depth: In the fourth quarter against the Giants, the Cardinals secondary saw three starters leave at different times due to injury. Adrian Wilson was suffering from cra. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie suffered an ankle sprain, and Antrel Rolle also suffered an injury to his foot. The success of this unit depends on how the back ups play. If Michael Adams, Ralph Brown, or Matt Ware get extended time, there can't be a drop off in production. With Rashad Johnson strugglin so far in his rookie season, they'll also need the most from Ware. Ware covers the deep middle part of the field when Wilson is around the line of scrimmage. If this unit plays like they have the last two weeks, expect an impressive win for the Cardinals.

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Fortunately, as long as the Cardinals don't have a mental breakdown or a complete lack of discipline, they should already have the cat in the bag. The Panthers haven't been the same team they were, and the only threat of possibly losing this game, is if they run wild on us and force turnovers. Nevertheless, a win is much needed, as it could send this team on a much longer win streak. What are your keys to the game? Which one is most important?

ROTB War Room: Revisiting The Past

Andrew602 — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 17:00:20 -0000

In our last two war rooms, we've evaluated key positions or groups on the opposing team. This week, we'll look at the past. We'll look over the Cardinals/Giants game that took place last year. Props to Drullin'OverDaCards for his post Tuesday, providing the information that the Cardinals haven't won on the road against the Giants since 1999. We won't go that far, only looking at the success the Giants had against us when they traveled to University of Phoenix Stadium last season. The date was November 23rd, 2008. The Giants were 9-1 heading into the game, while the Cardinals had won 7 straight at home. The first quarter featured five lead changes, and the Cardinals remained calm, despite missing an extra point and trailing at halftime. In the second half, the Cardinals weren't able to keep up with the Giants, as they were out-scored 20-17. They had a chance to tie the game, but an onside kick bounced through the hands of cornerback Ralph Brown, who later said he took his eye of the ball for a second. The Cardinals inability to stop Eli Manning from shredding their defense is what hurt their chances at winning. The Cardinals also allowed two big kick returns by Domenik Hixon, that would later lead to scores. Kurt Warner fumbled the ball twice, losing one, and threw an interception as well. Both turnovers set up touchdowns by the Giants. Next we'll take a look at what both teams were able to do successfully.

What worked for the Giants?

Despite being without injured running back Brandon Jacobs, and losing wide receiver Plaxico Burress early in the game, the Giants were able to move the ball efficiently. They amassed over 300 yards of total offense, and were 7-15 on 3rd downs.
The defense held the Cardinals to 29 rushing yards for the entire game. Because of that, the Giants got pressure on Kurt Warner much of the time, forcing two turnovers out of him that resulted in scores.
The Giants first scoring drive worked for two reasons - they were disciplined and balanced. The first scoring drive was an 11 play, 62 yard-er, that took 6:08 minutes. Their offensive balance was key on the drive, with 6 passes and 5 runs. Of the 62 yards, only 15 came from the run, but the their willingness to run the ball kept the Cardinals on their heals. Even more important was a 4th and 1 that the Giants went for and converted late in the 1st quarter. Eli Manning was perfect on the drive, but it should be noted that Eric Green and Aaron Francisco were playing on defense, and both amounted for 5 tackles on the drive. It's clear they were targets, widely due to their poor coverage skills. The main point is the Giants took bits and pieces off the clock and the field, moving efficiently much like the Cardinals did on their opening drive last week.

What worked for the Cardinals?

The Cardinals were 8-14 converting 3rd downs, something they've struggled with so far this season. They face a pass defense that was torched by the New Orleans Saints last week, and the Cardinals may use the same gameplan the Saints used. Kurt Warner also threw for 351 yards, completing 61% of his passes.
Surprisingly, the Cardinals also played smart football against a tough Giants team. They only had 3 penalties for 29 yards, and allowed only one sack all day.
Derrick Ward started at running back, gaining only 69 yards on the ground for 3.5 yards per carry. Brandon Jacobs didn't play, so Ahmad Bradshaw was the secondary back. He only saw 4 carries for 9 yards, struggling to run against the Cardinals defense. They will likely see more carries from Bradshaw this Sunday.

Side Notes

The Giants may take the same approach as last year, attempting to pressure Kurt Warner and force the Cardinals either to turn the ball over, or resort to running more... Although Steve Smith and Mario Manningham should start, the Cardinals also want to focus much of their attention on Domenik Hixon. He had a big game last week, gaining over 300 total yards, and he hurt the Cardinals last year. He's a big threat to return a kick off or punt to the house, so it would be wise for the Cardinals to have an extra pair of eyes on him on special teams... Since Derrick Ward has left, Ahmad Bradshaw has taken advantage of the extra carries. He can run blazing fast, and is also a threat receiving out of the backfield. Bradshaw has 423 yards on the year with a 6.2 ypc average. Putting a quick defender on Bradshaw would be important for the Cardinals. However, he blew an important block for Manning last week, so the Cardinals may also want to bring some different looks when Bradshaw stays back to block.

Can the Cardinals overcome the Giants well-balanced offense? What should the Cardinals do differently then what they did last year?

Arizona Cardinals Top Ten Irreplaceable Players

Hawkwind — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:03:04 -0000

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

Kurt Warner and Tim Hightower are both among the top ten irreplaceable Arizona Cardinals but who else makes the cut? (AP Photo/ David Zalubowski )

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The Arizona Cardinals are on the door step of the most important season in franchise history. Just nine months removed from the their first ever Super Bowl berth the team must deal with unprecedented pressure from expectations and the pressure that comes with playing as the hunted instead of the hunter. The Cardinals will no longer fly under the radar or be an overlooked opponent. Every week the opposing team will know that the reigning NFC Champion will be on the opposite sideline and every week that opponent will bring their 'A' game because of that fact. Another major challenge for the Cardinals will be staying healthy. The Red Birds were one of the healthier teams in the league in 2008 and the "law of averages" will tell you that they'll have a hard time repeating that for a second consecutive season. With all of that in mind, we'll take a look at the most irreplaceable players on the Arizona Cardinals roster. Factoring in depth and the dropoff in performance from starter to backup will help us put them in order from ten to one.

#10 - Lyle Sendlein: Sendlein struggled mightily at times during his first year as a starter but the third year player has looked quite impressive during the preseason despite facing three dominating nose tackles in Casey Hampton, Jamal Williams and B.J. Raji. Sendlein's value not only lies in his improved play but also in the value of the depth at center. Ben Claxton is expected to be his backup but Claxton is a 29 year old player with a grand total of two games worth of experience.

#9 -Tim Hightower or Chris Wells: Hightower and Wells are 'one in the same' for this exercise because losing either one for a significant period of time would put too much pressure on the other to shoulder the load by himself. The Cardinals want to run the ball more this year and they'll need both backs healthy and productive in order for them to accomplish their goal. Jason Wright and LaRod Stephens-Howling may find their way onto the field in third down situations but either one of them getting a significant number of carries will not a be a good sign.

#8 -Gerald Hayes - Hayes doesn't get the attention or praise that he should but when he's on the field all he does it make play after play. He won't lead Sportcenter's Top 10 on Sunday nights or earn a trip to the Pro Bowl but he's one of the quiet, dedicated, reliable 'worker ants' that every winning team needs. Over the past three seasons he hasn't missed a game and has averaged 93 tackles per year. His veteran leadership combined with the fact that the Cardinals have very little depth at inside linebacker make his presence irreplaceable.

#7 -Steve Breaston - You might be wondering why a third wide receiver is irreplaceable but it's Breaston's total package that the Cards would miss. First, Breaston the only receiver who can simply run by a corner on any given play and beat a defense with the deep ball. Second and more importantly is Breaston's role on special teams. As the primary punt returner and most likely the primary kick returner, his value to the team can not be measured. If he were to go down you'd have to bump up Jerheme Urban, who's a talented receiver but not near the threat that Breaston is, to the slot receiver and you'd probably see Antrel Rolle get the first crack at punt returner.

#6 -Kurt Warner - It goes without saying that Warner is vitally important to what the Cardinals do offensively and they simply wouldn't be the same team if he were to go down. He'd be higher on this list though if Matt Leinart hadn't have had such an impressive preseason. Still though Leinart is a different type of quarterback and the offense would have to become more ground-oriented if he was the starting quarterback. Simply put, the way this team is currently constructed Kurt Warner is the guy that we need under center.

#5 -Darnell Dockett - Nine-0, as he prefers to be called now, is not only the team's best defensive lineman but he's the only one capable of shooting through the offensive line and wreaking havoc in an opponents backfield on any given play. If he were to go down, Kenny Iwebema would have to step in and they are completely different types of players. Dockett is essential to what the Cardinals hope to accomplish up front and the Cardinals need him to not only pressure the quarterback and penetrate the line of scrimmage but also to stay healthy.

#4 - Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie or Bryant McFadden - The combo of DRC and McFadden are essential not so much because of their talents, although neither of them is too shabby, but instead because of the lack of quality depth behind them. If either of the Cards starting corners were to go down they'd be forced to push Ralph Brown into the starting lineup and talented but extremely raw rookie Greg Toler into the nickel slot. Brown has plenty of veteran savvy that's allowed him to survive in the NFL for nine seasons but he's not starting material at this point and Toler has proven that he's not ready for significant snaps yet either.

#3 - Mike Gandy - By now you've probably looked down this list and you're wondering (or maybe screaming) how Gandy can make the list but Larry Fitzgerald's name is no where to be found. Gandy's status as an irreplaceable player has more to do with the lack of depth behind him than the actual quality of his play. His primary backup, Elliot Vallejo, has already be injured and subsequently cut. As a result the Cards are left with shuffling their offensive line completely if Gandy goes down. Coach Whiz has said that Levi Brown would move to left tackle and either Brandon Keith or Herman Johnson would step in at RT. Either way that plays out you'd have one player taking his first ever NFL snap at LT and one guy taking his first ever starting NFL snap. Any way that you slice it, the loss of Gandy would constitute a significant drop (at two positions) off from an already not spectacular quality of play.

#2 -Adrian Wilson - This one is pretty self explanatory, no one on this roster can do what Adrian Wilson does when he's on the football field. Against the pass he's capable of covering tight ends, backs and most receivers and also know for making game changing picks. Against the run he's basically another linebacker and his speed and instincts allow him to diagnose plays in a instant. Oh and he's quite possibly the most devastating blitzer on the team as well. If A-dub went down there would be some scrambling to fill his shoes and there are several possibilities. The Cards could move Matt Ware into the starting lineup or they could move Antrel Rolle over to strong safety and insert rookie Rashad Johnson in at free safety. Neither of those scenarios is particularly favorable.

#1 - Karlos Dansby - With the lack of depth at linebacker, Dansby had to headline this list. He's the leading tackler, the defensive signal caller and he's capable of punishing an offense in every way imaginable. He's strong enough to stuff a run up the middle, quick enough to shut down an outside sweep, fluid enough to drop into coverage and explosive enough to blow by opposing offensive lineman and pressure the quarterback. If Dansby were to go down the Cards would probably move Hayes into his spot and try to fill Hayes' spot with either Ali Highsmith or undrafted rookie Reggie Walker. Needless to say the Red Birds need Dansby to be healthy and productive in 2009.

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Ok, now it's your turn. Am I crazy for not listing Fitz or Anquan Boldin? Who else did I leave off?

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 Lay a Goose Egg, Lose to the Broncos 19-0

Andrew602 — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 06:33:38 -0000

More photos » by David Zalubowski - AP

3 months ago: Arizona Cardinals tackle Mike Gandy looks on as time runs out in the fourth quarter of the Denver Broncos' 19-0 victory over the Cardinals in a preseason NFL football game in Denver on Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

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The Arizona Cardinals finished the preseason 0 - 4.

Should there be a cause for concern? Sure. Does the preseason really reflect upon the regular season? No. Tonight the Cardinals dropped their fourth straight loss of the preseason and I'm glad it has "pre" at the beginning of it. We expected nothing more then a drive or two from the first team offense and defense, and that's virtually was how long they played. The defense was first off the field after stopping the Broncosearly. The offense stayed longer, with Whisenhunt possibly wanting them to muster any sort of offense before the season opener. After half of the first quarter, the remainder of the game and the possibility of salvaging any kind of respect was left in the hands of the reserves. As you can tell by the score, that didn't happen. And that's where we pick up, with the good, the bad, and the ugly.

The Good.

Michael Adams - Here's the most impressive part of the game; Adam'sstat line tonight - 6 tackles, 4 passes defended, 1 interception. Not bad for the possible fourth string cornerback. Adams looked solid tonight, making key tackles and shadowing the receivers he lined up across from. He was in perfect position for the pick, staying out of the quarterback's sight, then closing in the ball. Adams has a significant shot at competing with Ralph Brown after tonight's game and Brown's poor preseason.

Greg Toler - Opposite of Adams, Toler also looked solid overall tonight, leading the team with 7 tackles. Toler seemed to be roaming around the field tonight, and nearly picked off the ball twice. Toler has shown sings of his upside through most of the preseason, and has also slightly improved over the last 4 weeks like we had hoped.

Victor Hobson - After tonight, Hobson may have secured his job as a back up linebacker on this team, recording the only two sacks for the Cardinal's defense. After rookie Cody Brown was lost for the season, many of us weren't particular in who would serve has his replacement, and for the last two weeks, Hobson has gradually moved his way up the depth chart.

That's it. Seriously. This was an incredibly slow preseason game, and nothing special or amazing seemed to form for the entire four quarters. If you could name any honorable mentions, you can toss how how good the offensive line looked or the special teams play.

The Bad.

Tyler Palko - Can we stop and jump off the Tyler Palko bandwagon now? He proved that his game against the Steelers in preseason week one was a fluke. Palko showed no reason that he should start ahead of Brian St. Pierre. He played for the majority of the game, completing 13 of 30 passes, throwing for 141 yards and 1 interception, for a whopping 43.9 quarterback rating. He seemed to be more concerned with running the ball, rather then throwing it away. I think it's safe to say the Palko won't be on the roster after Saturday.

Kurt Warner - There's got to be some cause for concern after number 13's preseason. Warner has yet to make us remember what was the magical season of last year. He came out today over throwing, or not even coming close to his receivers. He only completing three passes tonight, one being a 36 reception by Fitzgerald, who did all the work. Another was actually a completion to the Broncos. I rewound that play and couldn't understand what made Warner throw that pass, except for the possibility that he didn't see the defender.

The Ugly.

Penalties - Ken Whisenhunt cannot be happy with the lack of discipline by this team so far. Over the years, avoiding penalties has never been a strong suit for the Cardinals, and up until halfway last year, it was a problem. Something Whisenhunt did last year seemed to really get the team's attention and vastly lowered the penalties. So far in the preseason though, the Cardinals have averaged 9.5 penalties a game for a total of 281 yards. Today they committed 11 penalties for 79 yards alone. The Cardinals need to focus and get their heads on straight if they want to remain competitive in the NFC West this year.

The offense - Forget the first team offense...the offense as a whole failed to put together any sort of respectable drive, resulting in 244 total yards and zero points. The first team offense looked stale and out of chemistry for the time they were on the field, and for the time Palko was in..well you can forget about that. All I know is something's got to give. The Cardinals were one of the best offensive teams in the league last year and they'll eventually find their groove again.

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I don't want to take too much in from the preseason, as it is meaningless for the most part, but I am somewhat worried for the lack of offense. The loss of Todd Haley may be affecting the offense worst then we thought it would, and most importantly Kurt Warner. Maybe he and Ken Whisenhunt should starting hanging out and texting each other until Brenda accuses Warner of cheating on her with coach Whisenhunt. One thing's for sure, and that's that the Cardinals need to get on track before the 49ers come here on September 13th.

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 Fall to Chargers 17-6: Post Game Thoughts

Andrew602 — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 08:28:29 -0000

More photos » by Matt York - AP

4 months ago: Arizona Cardinals running back LaRod Stephens-Howling (36) runs an 89-yark kick-off return as San Diego Chargers' Nate Kaeding pursues during the the quarter of an NFL preseason football game Saturday, Aug. 22, 2009. (AP Photo/Matt York)

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It wasn't the best of nights for the Cardinals, but there were plenty of bright spots. Last night the Cardinals fell to the San Diego Chargers in their second game of the preseason. Most don't take the preseason seriously, and why should they? Basing what the Cardinals may look like during the regular season, from the preseason games, is hardly accurate. You have to factor the effort, or lack of effort the starters may give, to the amount of time practice squad players are on the field, to what the other team is doing that they wouldn't normally do in a regular NFL game. In short, don't take the preseason with as much as a grain of salt. With that in mind, here's a look at some of the post game notes.

LSH. LeRod Stephen-Howling looked impressive. We thought we might get a better idea of LSH due to Michael Ray Garvin's knee injury, and he didn't disappoint. He began the game with an 89 yard kick return, only to be tackled short of the end zone. He also took another 50+ yarder later in the game. Howling didn't get too many snaps offensively, but he did run well when he had the ball. If he continues to run like this, we can be sure he'll make the team.
The 1st string defense looked very impressive. When the Cardinals first string defense took the field last night, they came out on fire. They registered 4 sacks in the 1st quarter, and stifled LaDainian Tomlinson. Calais Campbell looked like the man we saw last week, and the run defense was on top of their game. The only negative factor would be the bomb they game up right away to wide out Legedu Naanee, but 3rd string corner Ralph Brown was on coverage due to an ankle injury to Bryant McFadden.

What happened to the 1st string offense? The Cardinals 1st string offense came out of the gate last night looking out of sync, and stiff. We shouldn't put too much into this as it is only a preseason game, but not being able to score an offensive touchdown all night should come as some concern. The lone bright spot of the night on offense has to be Tim Hightower. He ran like a mad man for the time he was on the field. The main problem we all had with Timmy last year was his tendency to dance in the backfield, but it seems as though he's solved that problem.

Quarterback battle for the #2 spot? There were some skeptics that thought Brian St. Pierre's performance against the Steelers last week wouldn't happen again, but unfortunately for them, it was worse. BSP never seemed to make an accurate throw last night, and at times, he looked lost. He was given the opportunity to compete for the #2 spot on the team, but performances like that won't help. Leinart finally received his time to play at the beginning of the fourth quarter, and his first drive began at the 1 yard line near the Cardinals end zone. He was able to dig the Cardinals out of that hole, completing passes accurately and with a zip on them. He didn't struggle until they marched to the other side of the field, and Leinart wasn't able to complete a pass, turning the ball over on downs. It seems the #2 spot will remain a question mark until next week.

Still not a Beanie sighting. We thought for a moment that we might actually get a shot of Beanie Wells in this game, instead we will be forced to possibly wait another week. After reagravating his ankle last week, Wells was doubtful for last night's game. If he can stay healthy this week, we may finally get a chance to see the 1st round pick for their 3rd preseason game on Friday against the Packers.

Those are my thoughts that stood out to me, and as I said earlier, I wouldn't take much from a preseason game. What looked impressive the most to you? Is there anyone you wanted to see more of?

NFC West Position-by-Position: Cornerbacks

Fooch — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 19:00:11 -0000

First off, I have only seen highlights and read Andrew's recap (big thanks to him for getting that up). I'll be watching a recorded version of the game tomorrow when I return to SF and will have plenty to discuss tomorrow afternoon and into next week. In the meantime, with the preseason getting going, we're nearing the end of our divisional position previews. Today we hit cornerbacks. To date, we've addressed safeties, outside linebacker, inside/middle linebacker, defensive end, defensive/nose tackle, quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, centers, offensive tackles, guards and total offense.

1. Seattle Seahawks
2. Arizona Cardinals
3. San Francisco 49ers
4. St. Louis Rams

Seattle Seahawks
Blogger: John Morgan
I don’t know Ken Lucas. I have known Ken Lucas, but I do not know the 30 year-old, recently cut by the Carolina Panthers Ken Lucas Seattle signed after the draft. The skill-set is still the same. Lucas is decent in man cover, but better at zone. He has great ball skills and is a sound open-field tackler. And the foundation of talent is still the same. Lucas is agile and athletic, but doesn’t have great deep speed. He’s physical and can lay a hit, but is not always steady and all those hits don’t lead to much. He only has two forced fumbles for his career. Josh Wilson already has three.

Wilson is Seattle’s nickelback and has the athleticism and talent to be perhaps the best nickelback in football. He’s exceptionally quick, agile and athletic. He has rare ball skills and despite his size, brings the hammer on tackles. His size, dependence on reading the quarterback’s eyes and habit of guessing wrong on routes cap his potential as a man defender, but Seattle is settled with him at nickel. There he can terrorize slot receivers, menace quarterbacks appearing out of a zone, strike as a blitzer and run back picks for a score.

Travis Fisher is a former starter that had the bad judgment to sign with the Detroit Lions. Like an overhyped, underbudgeted and overexpended bomb that kills actors careers, no Lion was spared an exodus from Detroit without at least a demotion. Fisher could still be very good if injuries and Recession City hasn’t leached his youth, vigor and soul. Kevin Hobbs is a rounded corner that will do a lot of little things well as a dime defender. He’s going to need to show something soon, because he’s not talented enough to stick in the league because of potential. Kelly Jennings is depth at starting corner. He’s not strong in a zone, not an open field tackler and has not shown pro-level ball skills, but he’s a very capable in strict man cover. Unfortunately, he stays close, but doesn’t do enough to stop the completion. Jennings is starting in place of Marcus Trufant.

Yeeaaah…about that.

Trufant never made it to training camp. He hurt his back in a drill and has been held out. Everyone is echoing the sentiment that he’s fine and this time out is just a precaution, but the length of the absence and the team’s recent history reporting back injuries causes concern.

Trufant has the ability to be a sub-elite corner. His man cover skills are excellent. He steps up against the run and is a steady open-field tackler. Given agreeable situations (i.e. a deep safety, a big lead, a cover 3) Trufant does have damn good ball skills, but he tends to forget them when things get dicey. He’s athletic and fast enough to run with anyone and on a good defense, Trufant is capable of being a great cornerback every game. He just hasn’t played on many great defenses.

If Trufant were healthy or I had a better grasp of how Lucas will play this season, Seattle’s corners could be an A. Potential for potential, it’s as deep, balanced, system correct and accomplished group as there is in the NFL. But there’s a lot of potential variance. Wilson’s value is locked up in turnovers, and interceptions come and go. Lucas could have been cut for reasons other than his salary. 30 isn’t old, but it is old for some. Trufant could be more injured than the team is leading on, or this could be the first in one of those injury waves that kills a year of about every player’s career. So, to complete a continuing theme, there’s talent for more and potential for less, but "B" expresses the union of those factors, and "B" best expresses the most likely performance by Seattle’s corner’s in 2009.

Arizona Cardinals
Blogger: cgolden
For the first time that I can ever remember the Arizona Cardinals boast two above average starting corner backs that could, with any pass rush, be borderline dominant. Promising sophomore Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie had his ups and downs last year but by seasons end he became the team's best cover man and one of the fan's favorite young stars. He's possesses the size, athleticism and ball skills to be as good as any corner in the league but he'll have to continue to grow as a defender who with his head instead of relying on natural ability. Too often last year DRC was burned with double moves or play action passes and he was one of the worst run defenders at the corner back position in the league. He improved in some of those areas as the season progressed and he gained experience but in order for the Cardinals secondary to make the kind of improvements that are needed, they need DRC to play at Pro Bowl level this season.

The Cardinals free agent splash was signing bizzaro-DRC, Bryant McFadden. McFadden isn't an uber-athletic corner or weak against the run, in fact he's basically the exact opposite. No other corner in the NFL performed as well against the run than McFadden last year and his physicality also transfers over to his style of coverage. While he a decent athlete, he's not a burner so instead he tries to knock receivers off their routes and disrupt the timing of opposing passing games. As with some players who prefer the physical style, he's struggled to stay healthy throughout his career but when he's healthy he's been a force and he's young enough (27) to believe that his best days are still ahead of him.

Once you get past the Cardinals top two corners though, the question marks start popping up. First, how much will Antrel Rolle drop down to nickel corner this year? Can the veteran Ralph Brown parlay last season's late success into an entire season as the Cardinals nickel corner? How quickly can fourth round pick Greg Toler get acclimated to the speed of the NFL? Does tiny-man Michael Adams even fit in the mix?

The biggest wild card in the secondary is where Antrel Rolle plays when the opposing offense goes three wide because last year he spent some time at nickel corner, some time around the line of scrimmage and some time as the actual free safety. During camp he's still been dropping down to the corner back in some passing situations and some will say that the team drafted Rashad Johnson (former Alabama free safety) so that Rolle could move around in the nickel and dime defenses. Ralph Brown is the next corner on the depth chart and he's basically the savvy veteran who get's by on sub-par athletic ability but a very good understanding of the game. He doesn't have great size but he understands opposing offenses and can bait quarterbacks into bad decisions. In a limited role he seems fairly adequate but any scenario that includes him as a starter would seemed destined for failure. Greg Toler is an athletic rookie that the Cards are hoping cut from the same mold as DRC (good size, athleticism and from a tiny school), but he's extremely raw and would be best served by a season spent on special teams units. Last but not least is Michael Adams, a tiny (5-8, 181) corner with a massive heart, who has basically been a special teams player up to this point. If he were to see time at corner, I'm sure other teams would just throw over the top of him to any receiver over six foot tall but Adams isn't afraid to stick his nose in the mix on running plays and he's made quite a name for himself as a gunner on special teams. His nickname should really be "Rudy."

Overall the Cardinals depth chart at corner is pretty top heavy. DRC and McFadden have the potential to be one of the better duo's in the league, if they can get any help from the pass rush. Behind them though is a bevy of question marks. I feel split between an A (for starters) and a C (for depth) so we'll split the difference and go with a B.

San Francisco 49ers
Blogger: Fooch
The 49ers cornerbacks are all over the place. They've got veteran experience, youthful potential, and some unreached potential mixed in. At this point I'm willing to give them a C because there is too much talent to go lower, but the production hasn't matched the talent so I'm not able to go much higher at this point.

Nate Clements is the #1 cornerback at this point and probably for the near future. Given the large contract he signed in 2007, he's been in the spotlight from day 1. He's had games where he shuts down the opposition and he's had games where he gets destroyed. I've read that some scouts think he still has technique problems even though he's entering his ninth season. At this point I'm willing to live with the fact that he'll never be the Champ Bailey type of shut down corner. However, I do think he is sufficiently talented to take care of business as the #1 guy for the 49ers. Some help at the free safety position could also provide him with help in coverage.

As of a few months ago Walt Harris was relatively entrenched as the #2 cornerback. A blown ACL later and the team went out and signed Dre Bly to compete for the #2 job. His opposition was Tarell Brown, a 5th round pick in the 2007 draft. Brown's draft stock fell due to some police issues that seem now to have been a matter of wrong palce wrong time. In two seasons with SF he's had zero problems. He's slowly seen his playing time increase and went into 2009's training camp with a good chance at winning the #2 job. Unfortunately a toe injury on the first day of camp has kept him out of practice. Dre Bly hasn't exactly run away with the #2 position in Brown's absence, so if he can get back soon he could still win that job. Dre Bly had a rather abysmal 2008 campaign, but in chatting with Broncos fans, while some of it has to do with Bly's own talent, he also was being utilized in a system that didn't allow him to use his aggressiveness. He'll get that chance with the 49ers, so we'll see how much talent there really is and how over the hill he might be.

The two primary backups after that are Shawntae Spencer and Marcus Hudson. Spencer was a late second round pick in 2004 and has never really matched the potential due in large part to a rash of injuries. At this point, he's most effective as the #3 corner, getting most of his playing time in the nickel defense. If he can stay healthy, he would likely be down to 4th in the depth chart, which I think gives the 49ers a nice level of depth at the position. Marcus Hudson is a guy who somehow hangs onto a job without blowing anybody away. Beyond that the 49ers are just rolling out camp bodies.

I'd probably go a grade lower if not for the depth they have at the position. While it's not spectacular depth, it's still a mix of good and decent talent 1-4, thus the grade of C. I actually think the performance of Dashon Goldson in center field could go a long way towards improving the 49ers cornerbacks.

St. Louis Rams

Blogger: VanRam
Outside of wide receiver, there's no position where the Rams evoke more head-scratching than at cornerback.

On top the depth chart they've got Ron Bartell, a very good, underrated CB. Bartell almost hit the free agent market this year, disgruntled with the Rams former front office for not trying to get a deal done earlier. The new regime showered him with love and lured him back to the team with a solid contract that was still well below what he might have been paid as a free agent in the always crazy market for corners. What exactly did the team say? Who knows as far as persuasion goes. They did tell Bartell that his solid work in man coverage made him the team's top corner. They also probably told him that his speed and physical style of play made him a good fit for the new defensive system's demands for CBs to jam receivers and the line and then stick close on the routes. They also told him that he's part of the team's leadership cadre now, being one of the more expereinced players on the defense and the most experienced among the cornerbacks. Bartell will match up against team's top receivers this year.

Behind Bartell it gets a little foggy. Former first round pick Tye Hill is trying hard to avoid the bust label after injuries, lost confidence and a poor coaching situation that often left Rams d-backs confused as to where to play or who to cover. Jonathan Wade is a solid depth guy who has seen plenty of time at nickel and filling in for starters. Probably not a guy you want as one of your top two CBs for 16 games. This year's third round pick Bradley Fletcher is a big, physical kid from Iowa, and more than one draft pundit was surprised by the pick. Not all of them were, and that group has seen enough in camp so far to think that this might be a steal for a third round pick. Justin King, a speedy Penn State product who might have been a first round pick had he not graduated in three years, made a big impression on people in camp last year. Then he got hurt and missed the entire season. He's having a good camp, responding well to the defense and earning time with the first team.

Quincy Butler looked like a classic camp body when the Rams signed him in the middle of last season. Now, he's blowing everyone away with a great camp. It looks like the big, physical Butler has finally found a system suited to him. Having a head coach who used to coach some really good d-backs with the Eagles once upon a time certainly doesn't hurt. Butler still has to prove he's not an August wonder. If he does look good in the preseason and makes the final cut, he could be another feather in Billy Devaney's well-adorned cap of successful role players signed off the scrap heap. Relative unknowns Cord Parks and Marcus Brown round out the list of players trying out for the open jobs on the Rams depth chart.

Like so many units with the Rams this season, this is a group long on potential but mostly barren of results, so far. I'll give the group a C.

NFC West Position-by-Position: Cornerbacks

Hawkwind — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 17:00:10 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

Arizona Cardinals' Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (29) breaks up a pass intended for Anquan Boldin, right, during afternoon practice at training camp Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2009, in Flagstaff, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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Our divisional preview is winding down but there are still a couple of positions to cover including the defensive backfield. We looked at the safeties last week but up today are the corner backs and the Arizona Cardinals have a much improved group from a year ago but how do they matchup with their divisional mates.

Arizona Cardinals

For the first time that I can ever remember the Arizona Cardinals boast two above average starting corner backs that could, with any pass rush, be borderline dominant. Promising sophomore Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie had his ups and downs last year but by seasons end he became the team's best cover man and one of the fan's favorite young stars. He's possesses the size, athleticism and ball skills to be as good as any corner in the league but he'll have to continue to grow as a defender who with his head instead of relying on natural ability. Too often last year DRC was burned with double moves or play action passes and he was one of the worst run defenders at the corner back position in the league. He improved in some of those areas as the season progressed and he gained experience but in order for the Cardinals secondary to make the kind of improvements that are needed, they need DRC to play at Pro Bowl level this season.

The Cardinals free agent splash was signing bizzaro-DRC, Bryant McFadden. McFadden isn't an uber-athletic corner or weak against the run, in fact he's basically the exact opposite. No other corner in the NFL performed as well against the run than McFadden last year and his physicality also transfers over to his style of coverage. While he a decent athlete, he's not a burner so instead he tries to knock receivers off their routes and disrupt the timing of opposing passing games. As with some players who prefer the physical style, he's struggled to stay healthy throughout his career but when he's healthy he's been a force and he's young enough (27) to believe that his best days are still ahead of him.

Once you get past the Cardinals top two corners though, the question marks start popping up. First, how much will Antrel Rolle drop down to nickel corner this year? Can the veteran Ralph Brown parlay last season's late success into an entire season as the Cardinals nickel corner? How quickly can fourth round pick Greg Toler get acclimated to the speed of the NFL? Does tiny-man Michael Adams even fit in the mix?

The biggest wild card in the secondary is where Antrel Rolle plays when the opposing offense goes three wide because last year he spent some time at nickel corner, some time around the line of scrimmage and some time as the actual free safety. During camp he's still been dropping down to the corner back in some passing situations and some will say that the team drafted Rashad Johnson (former Alabama free safety) so that Rolle could move around in the nickel and dime defenses. Ralph Brown is the next corner on the depth chart and he's basically the savvy veteran who get's by on sub-par athletic ability but a very good understanding of the game. He doesn't have great size but he understands opposing offenses and can bait quarterbacks into bad decisions. In a limited role he seems fairly adequate but any scenario that includes him as a starter would seemed destined for failure. Greg Toler is an athletic rookie that the Cards are hoping cut from the same mold as DRC (good size, athleticism and from a tiny school), but he's extremely raw and would be best served by a season spent on special teams units. Last but not least is Michael Adams, a tiny (5-8, 181) corner with a massive heart, who has basically been a special teams player up to this point. If he were to see time at corner, I'm sure other teams would just throw over the top of him to any receiver over six foot tall but Adams isn't afraid to stick his nose in the mix on running plays and he's made quite a name for himself as a gunner on special teams. His nickname should really be "Rudy."

Overall the Cardinals depth chart at corner is pretty top heavy. DRC and McFadden have the potential to be one of the better duo's in the league, if they can get any help from the pass rush. Behind them though is a bevy of question marks. I feel split between an A (for starters) and a C (for depth) so we'll split the difference and go with a B.

San Francisco 49ers - Niners Nation

The 49ers cornerbacks are all over the place. They've got veteran experience, youthful potential, and some unreached potential mixed in. At this point I'm willing to give them a C because there is too much talent to go lower, but the production hasn't matched the talent so I'm not able to go much higher at this point.

Nate Clements is the #1 cornerback at this point and probably for the near future. Given the large contract he signed in 2007, he's been in the spotlight from day 1. He's had games where he shuts down the opposition and he's had games where he gets destroyed. I've read that some scouts think he still has technique problems even though he's entering his ninth season. At this point I'm willing to live with the fact that he'll never be the Champ Bailey type of shut down corner. However, I do think he is sufficiently talented to take care of business as the #1 guy for the 49ers. Some help at the free safety position could also provide him with help in coverage.

As of a few months ago Walt Harris was relatively entrenched as the #2 cornerback. A blown ACL later and the team went out and signed Dre Bly to compete for the #2 job. His opposition was Tarell Brown, a 5th round pick in the 2007 draft. Brown's draft stock fell due to some police issues that seem now to have been a matter of wrong palce wrong time. In two seasons with SF he's had zero problems. He's slowly seen his playing time increase and went into 2009's training camp with a good chance at winning the #2 job. Unfortunately a toe injury on the first day of camp has kept him out of practice. Dre Bly hasn't exactly run away with the #2 position in Brown's absence, so if he can get back soon he could still win that job. Dre Bly had a rather abysmal 2008 campaign, but in chatting with Broncos fans, while some of it has to do with Bly's own talent, he also was being utilized in a system that didn't allow him to use his aggressiveness. He'll get that chance with the 49ers, so we'll see how much talent there really is and how over the hill he might be.

The two primary backups after that are Shawntae Spencer and Marcus Hudson. Spencer was a late second round pick in 2004 and has never really matched the potential due in large part to a rash of injuries. At this point, he's most effective as the #3 corner, getting most of his playing time in the nickel defense. If he can stay healthy, he would likely be down to 4th in the depth chart, which I think gives the 49ers a nice level of depth at the position. Marcus Hudson is a guy who somehow hangs onto a job without blowing anybody away. Beyond that the 49ers are just rolling out camp bodies.

I'd probably go a grade lower if not for the depth they have at the position. While it's not spectacular depth, it's still a mix of good and decent talent 1-4, thus the grade of C. I actually think the performance of Dashon Goldson in center field could go a long way towards improving the 49ers cornerbacks.

St. Louis Rams - Turf Show Times

On top the depth chart they've got Ron Bartell, a very good, underrated CB. Bartell almost hit the free agent market this year, disgruntled with the Rams former front office for not trying to get a deal done earlier. The new regime showered him with love and lured him back to the team with a solid contract that was still well below what he might have been paid as a free agent in the always crazy market for corners. What exactly did the team say? Who knows as far as persuasion goes. They did tell Bartell that his solid work in man coverage made him the team's top corner. They also probably told him that his speed and physical style of play made him a good fit for the new defensive system's demands for CBs to jam receivers and the line and then stick close on the routes. They also told him that he's part of the team's leadership cadre now, being one of the more expereinced players on the defense and the most experienced among the cornerbacks. Bartell will match up against team's top receivers this year.

Behind Bartell it gets a little foggy. Former first round pick Tye Hill is trying hard to avoid the bust label after injuries, lost confidence and a poor coaching situation that often left Rams d-backs confused as to where to play or who to cover. Jonathan Wade is a solid depth guy who has seen plenty of time at nickel and filling in for starters. Probably not a guy you want as one of your top two CBs for 16 games. This year's third round pick Bradley Fletcher is a big, physical kid from Iowa, and more than one draft pundit was surprised by the pick. Not all of them were, and that group has seen enough in camp so far to think that this might be a steal for a third round pick. Justin King, a speedy Penn State product who might have been a first round pick had he not graduated in three years, made a big impression on people in camp last year. Then he got hurt and missed the entire season. He's having a good camp, responding well to the defense and earning time with the first team.

Quincy Butler looked like a classic camp body when the Rams signed him in the middle of last season. Now, he's blowing everyone away with a great camp. It looks like the big, physical Butler has finally found a system suited to him. Having a head coach who used to coach some really good d-backs with the Eagles once upon a time certainly doesn't hurt. Butler still has to prove he's not an August wonder. If he does look good in the preseason and makes the final cut, he could be another feather in Billy Devaney's well-adorned cap of successful role players signed off the scrap heap. Relative unknowns Cord Parks and Marcus Brown round out the list of players trying out for the open jobs on the Rams depth chart.

Like so many units with the Rams this season, this is a group long on potential but mostly barren of results, so far. I'll give the group a C.

Seattle Seahawks - Field Gulls

I don't know Ken Lucas. I have known Ken Lucas, but I do not know the 30 year-old, recently cut by the Carolina Panthers Ken Lucas Seattle signed after the draft. The skill-set is still the same. Lucas is decent in man cover, but better at zone. He has great ball skills and is a sound open-field tackler. And the foundation of talent is still the same. Lucas is agile and athletic, but doesn't have great deep speed. He's physical and can lay a hit, but is not always steady and all those hits don't lead to much. He only has two forced fumbles for his career. Josh Wilson already has three.

Wilson is Seattle's nickelback and has the athleticism and talent to be perhaps the best nickelback in football. He's exceptionally quick, agile and athletic. He has rare ball skills and despite his size, brings the hammer on tackles. His size, dependence on reading the quarterback's eyes and habit of guessing wrong on routes cap his potential as a man defender, but Seattle is settled with him at nickel. There he can terrorize slot receivers, menace quarterbacks appearing out of a zone, strike as a blitzer and run back picks for a score.

Travis Fisher is a former starter that had the bad judgment to sign with the Detroit Lions. Like an overhyped, underbudgeted and overexpended bomb that kills actors careers, no Lion was spared an exodus from Detroit without at least a demotion. Fisher could still be very good if injuries and Recession City hasn't leached his youth, vigor and soul. Kevin Hobbs is a rounded corner that will do a lot of little things well as a dime defender. He's going to need to show something soon, because he's not talented enough to stick in the league because of potential. Kelly Jennings is depth at starting corner. He's not strong in a zone, not an open field tackler and has not shown pro-level ball skills, but he's a very capable in strict man cover. Unfortunately, he stays close, but doesn't do enough to stop the completion. Jennings is starting in place of Marcus Trufant.

Yeeaaah...about that.

Trufant never made it to training camp. He hurt his back in a drill and has been held out. Everyone is echoing the sentiment that he's fine and this time out is just a precaution, but the length of the absence and the team's recent history reporting back injuries causes concern.

Trufant has the ability to be a sub-elite corner. His man cover skills are excellent. He steps up against the run and is a steady open-field tackler. Given agreeable situations (i.e. a deep safety, a big lead, a cover 3) Trufant does have damn good ball skills, but he tends to forget them when things get dicey. He's athletic and fast enough to run with anyone and on a good defense, Trufant is capable of being a great cornerback every game. He just hasn't played on many great defenses.

If Trufant were healthy or I had a better grasp of how Lucas will play this season, Seattle's corners could be an A. Potential for potential, it's as deep, balanced, system correct and accomplished group as there is in the NFL. But there's a lot of potential variance. Wilson's value is locked up in turnovers, and interceptions come and go. Lucas could have been cut for reasons other than his salary. 30 isn't old, but it is old for some. Trufant could be more injured than the team is leading on, or this could be the first in one of those injury waves that kills a year of about every player's career. So, to complete a continuing theme, there's talent for more and potential for less, but "B" expresses the union of those factors, and "B" best expresses the most likely performance by Seattle's corner's in 2009.

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How do you think DRC and McFadden will match up against the rest of the NFC West?