Just to provide a distraction from the tornado of Kolb-related chatter (I'm just glad the matter's resolved), here is a thread for other Cardinals news as we plod our way through free agency...

By my reckoning, here are the positions in no order that could possibly call for address:

C - Now I hope we resign Sendlein and it seems likely. If not, Kreutz anyone?

G - I'm not certain they'll address the guard position after Colledge - not particularly fussed about where Lutui goes (I don't think they'll get a tackle with Levi, Keith and Bridges still in the frame, not to mention a flock of UDFAs)

WR - I heard Malcolm Floyd's name bandied about...again not certain the Cardinals will perceive an acute need to bring someone in

DL - The need here depends on what happens with Branch, Iwebema and Robinson. Until then, it's all academic

ILB - Steward Bradley sounds like a possibility. Tis not a glaring need with Lenon and Washington seemingly entrenched for the time being.

OLB - Manny Lawson was on the table then off it. Feeling surprisingly good about Davis and Schofield, but a vet is needed, if only to get Porter to either cut pay or cut town.

CB - Definitely now a need...we can't have Money Mike as the nickel again and even that is predicated on the assumption that Peterson can start right away

Do you think I've missed any positions out? Have you heard anything new? Keep it all coming...please no Kolb/DRC related posts so that people who want to discuss other things can do so - it's done. Rec this if you think it's a good idea

1) Offensive coordinator

Would love to see the external appointment of someone like McDaniels, but that is hopeful. We do need an outright one however: promote Mike Miller and give him sole playcalling duty.

2) Defensive coordinator

Keith Butler's name is being thrown about and that would be tremendous: after all, the Pittsburgh linebackers are pretty acceptable. He is, however, touted to take over from Dick LeBeau when the great man retires so we may have to look elsewhere. Nolan, if he gets released by Miami, would be a steal. I think our best bet is John Fox, whom I can't see being hired as a Head Coach just yet by anyone. He also started his coaching career in Pittsburgh and that always sits well with Whiz.

3) Quarterback

Do not reach for need and grab a project like Newton or someone like Mallett who has boom or bust all over him in the draft. I say we make a trade for Kyle Orton, who offers great value compared to Kevin Kolb for one. He is an accurate smart football player and the perfect guy to bring in to hold down the job for a few years while Skelton matures. We'd probably have to give up our third, but we may be able to wrangle a fourth - he's got one year left on his contract worth in the region of $8 mil and so the Broncos will want to get rid of him. When we land him, extend him to a three year contract, which he should accept provided he's not low-balled, given that our quarterback job is an enviable one for anyone who wants a chance to start with some great receivers. We could also pick up Marc Bulger reasonably cheaply as someone to compete for the job, both seeing if he's got anything left in the tank and giving Skelton a pretty savvy mentor.

4) Draft/Free Agency

Our primary needs heading into the draft are LB and OL. Our defense is staying a 3-4 as it should. If we were able to pick up a Patrick Willis or a Lamarr Woodley in the draft, this defense would become superb (incidentally I'm all for throwing indecent amounts of money at the latter in free agency to try and get him here). Our D-line and secondary are both one of the most talented groups in the league. I think we'll be looking more OLB at 5th and though it's always pointless throwing around names before the evaluation starts, Robert Quinn sounds like a money pick. I'd also be interested in trading down in the first and grabbing Akeem Ayers who is a true 3-4 OLB - a rare thing to find coming out of college and one which diminishes a lot of the risk associated with picking such a position. However, trading out of the top five is always easier in theory and probably wouldn't happen until draft day, if at all.

We'd then probably get good value hunting for an OT in the second round. I'd also be up for looking for a bargain there in free agency - I believe Doug Free is hitting the market, in theory. If there isn't value there or if we get a sufficiently good veteran, we could go ILB although I don't think there's a pressing need there just yet with Paris Lenon's excellent play this year. We do need one for the future, but at the moment it's not an acute need. With so many holes, we wouldn't go wrong with a value pick in the second. The rest of the draft should be used to pick up a (future) starting TE, a nickel corner who could potentially start down the road, a raw WR with plenty of upside, an ILB and an OT provided neither were taken in the second round.

On our free agents. Retain Breaston - the man is a consummate pro who has played with heart all season. To let him go with how precarious the WR position is with Fitz heading into his final year would be nuts. Also, though I really don't want to reward several seasons of indolence and disappointment, give Branch a multiyear contract. He has actually become quite good and offers depth. On the O-line, we should try to keep Deuce, if he'll stay; if not, that becomes a major need in FA/draft. Also bring back Sendlein and Faneca if he doesn't retire - no, he's no longer a pro bowler, but he's decent enough and is a locker room leader. Also resign Hightower to a multiyear - one needs to remember he's a very good running back with great versatility. Sort out the fumbles and it's golden. Keep Money Mike. Let Hayes walk. Anyone else I would say is expendable.

Now the cuts. Porter is too expensive and hasn't produced...once again our marquee free agent doesn't pan out. He is given his walking papers. Haggans is much cheaper and I think we keep him a little longer. DA will not be here next season. I'd be very surprised if either Bartel or Max Hall were as well. Some of the smaller names may also be let go.

Finally, once we have shored up the QB situation, pumping quite a bit of dollar into the position, offer Fitz a highly lucrative extension. I'd be surprised if he accepted, but we need to show we're serious about keeping our best player. This guy is excellent at getting us over a barrel time and time again, but if we get some good veterans (Orton and Bulger being my preference) and offer him a lot of money (which FO surely will) then I think he'll be inclined to stay, although that decision will almost certainly come next offseason so get ready for some nailbiting agony.

All these moves, in my uninformed opinion, make us a potential playoff team in 2011 (which isn't saying all that much in the NFC West). We don't need a whole rebuilding year, I think, but we do need a big overhaul: this season has been painful to watch and we have too much talent for a 5-11 team, who were so much worse than their record. I'm intrigued to see how it plays out. Thanks for reading. Thoughts?

We're no longer the only team to have dumped our 2009 2nd draft pick:

http://blogs.nfl.com/2010/09/04/dolphins-end-experiment-cut-white/?module=HP_headlines

I personally am pleased with the Cards' decision on Brown. It's always a risk picking a player with the intention of transitioning them from DE to OLB and it takes balls to call it a day when you can see you'll get nothing tangible from it as opposed to holding onto the player and pretending you have something you don't...

Thoughts?

Genuinely. Not with his quarterback play but the way he has held himself since Whiz's arrival has really made an impression on me and I think benching him for tomorrow is possibly the coach's first glaring error in his otherwise distinguished tenure. Let's have a look at the timeline:

Continue reading this post »

QUARTERBACKS 
IN 
Kurt Warner 
Matt Leinart 
Brian St. Pierre 
OUT 
Tyler Palko 

WIDE RECEIVERS 
IN 
Larry Fitzgerald 
Anquan Boldin 
Steve Breaston 
Jerheme Urban 
Sean Morey 
BUBBLE 
Early Doucet 
Lance Long* 
OUT 
Onrea Jones* 
Ed Gant 
Steve Sanders 

RUNNING BACKS/FULLBACKS 
IN 
Tim Hightower 
Beanie Wells 
Jason Wright 
Dan Krieder 
BUBBLE 
LaRod Stephens-Howling* 
Tim Castille 
OUT 
Reagan Maui’a 
Chris Vincent 

TIGHT ENDS 
IN 
Stephen Spach 
Ben Patrick (doesn’t count against the 53 during 4-game suspension) 
BUBBLE 
Anthony Becht 
Leonard Pope 
Dominique Byrd 

OFFENSIVE LINE 
IN 
Lyle Sendlein 
Reggie Wells 
Mike Gandy 
Levi Brown 
Deuce Lutui 
Brandon Keith 
Herman Johnson 
Melvin Fowler 
BUBBLE 
Oliver Ross 
OUT 
Elton Brown 
Ben Claxton 
Carlton Medder 
Trevor Canfield* 

DEFENSIVE LINE 
IN 
Darnell Dockett 
Bryan Robinson 
Calais Campbell 
Kenny Iwebema 
Gabe Watson 
BUBBLE 
Alan Branch 
Keilen Dykes* 
Rodney Leisle 
OUT 
Alex Field 

LINEBACKERS 
IN 
Chike Okeafor 
Bertrand Berry 
Clark Haggans 
Karlos Dansby 
Gerald Hayes 
Will Davis 
Victor Hobson 
BUBBLE 
Ali Highsmith 
OUT 
Reggie Walker* 
David Holloway* 
Chase Bullock 

CORNERBACKS/SAFETIES 
IN 
Adrian Wilson 
Antrel Rolle 
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie 
Bryant McFadden 
Greg Toler 
Rashad Johnson 
Aaron Francisco 
Ralph Brown 
BUBBLE 
Matt Ware 
Michael Adams 
OUT 
Jameel Dowling 
Wilrey Fontenot* 

SPECIALISTS 
IN 
Mike Leach 
Neil Rackers 
Ben Graham

By my reckoning, there are 9 places for those on the bubble. However, I would condense the bubble down to these 12 (removed leisle and castille - the latter could make it but only instead of kreider):

Doucet

Long

LSH

Pope

Becht

Byrd

Ross

Branch

Dykes

Highsmith

Ware

Adams

We have to cut three of the above.

Personally I'd cut Pope, Ware and Dykes, the last of whom should reach us for the PS

Who would you cut?

Cody Brown's agent has announced via twitter that the wrist injury Brown sustained in the second preseason match will sideline him for the entire year, Mike Sando reports.

The Cardinals will presumably place him on IR soon. This news is especially unfortunate as Brown tries to learn a new position and one can only hope that he bounces back next season.

The one possible bright spot for the Cardinals is that this now frees up a roster spot if one assumes Will Davis, another converted DE draft pick, was going to make it anyway.

just occurred to me - no one seems to have mentioned the fact that, in our match against pittsburgh, we are facing a player many people wanted the cards to draft just over a year ago in the first round

I was certainly very keen for us to get a shot at mendenhall and was delighted when he fell to us at no. 16 in the first round. I doubt many Cardinals fans are annoyed at the management for not going through with that and grabbing DRC but it is a thought as the match plays out.

so far so good - mendenhall had an undistinguished rookie season while DRC looks stellar

any other draft disappointments people care to mention? I, for one, can't see how the front office could have justified picking AP after we'd just dished out 30mil to Edge and had such an appalling o-line...

thoughts?

i know we cut him because he couldn't stay healthy and will probably have to sit out 2009, but is he permanently leaving football because on nfl.com he's only listed as a historical player...what's going on?

http://www.nfl.com/players/travislaboy/profile?id=LAB705651

also who do people think is going to get the most sacks this year?

probably a competition between a-dup, 90 (haha), karlos and chike methinks

You've got to hand it to them this offseason. It may not look like this is a drastically improved team but Whiz and Rod have dealt so well with the sticky problems so many Superbowl losers face, particularly on the contract front.

Firstly they let Q destroy his reputation in the media and proceeded to deal with a player of the utmost loyalty and who hasn't made any noise: Adrian Wilson. They essentially ignored Dockett's belly-aching and refused to pay Dansby the ridiculous money he was requesting. There they set a precedent, which was if you keep schtum and your demands are reasonable (remember those players signed their original contracts of their own volition), you'll get your money. Result - Q fired the reptilian Rosenhaus, Dockett pledged to come to camp and though Q might get a contract after all it would seem, the Cardinals are not showing weakness by doing it at this stage.

They let the Texans grossly overpay for Antonio Smith and resigned Kurt Warner, albeit after a time. I think our secondary might well be in the top 5 in the league with the signing of Bryant Mcfadden. In the draft as well, obviously the front office can't claim credit for Beanie Wells falling to us, but what a great pick. I also particularly liked the passing on Michael Johnson in the second round and the selection of Cody Brown, though I have to say I am quite uneasy about our pass rush. Then the selections of Rashad Johnson and Greg Toler were very canny choices with regards to the less than certain futures of Antrel Rolle and Bryant Mcfadden in the secondary.

I just thought I'd compose a small ode to the front office. Most articles seem to be talking about how the Cardinals will deal with the coaching changes as opposed to how the new front line has handled things (personally I think it's a good thing both Haley and Pendergast are gone - Pendergast was simply not good enough and Haley was too pass-happy and a bit of a tool).

Thoughts?

I KNOW!

Like me, your blood is probably boiling at this gross injustice but let's remain calm! As you may well know, Nfl.com is doing a top 5 at each position with Dock and A-dup already getting the appropriate nods (though none for Dansby interestingly despite his insistence on getting paid like top 3...some food for thought karlos). Anyway here is the article:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d811347a5&template=without-video-with-comments&confirm=true

 There is also a video of Warren Sapp ranking Larry at the ignominious position of 4th. Interestingly this contrasts with 45% of the community voting for Larry as the best receiver by a clear margin (the second chosen was Moss with 21%). I can't really reason Larry being at 4. I think there's an argument for Andre Johnson superseding him but not Randy Moss and Steve Smith.

The only reason that Randy Moss is No. 1 on Warren Sapp's list is that he had a record-breaking regular season in 2007. Well, Larry had a record-shattering post season in 2008! Not only that but he hasn't even hit his peak yet (scary huh?).

So thoughts/points/proposals for abduction and forced recantation by Bucky Brooks?