I know that the Cardinals are in the midst of a tightening run for the playoffs but I like to step back from time to time and look at the big picture.  Here is one forward glance at this off season and Free Agency and the likely uncapped year.

The players association and the league have until March 2010 to agree upon a new Collective Bargain Agreement (CBA) or 2010 will be an uncapped year.  I still think there is at least a minimal chance that an agreement will be worked out before then, but the odds are not good.  An uncapped year has conjured the image of free agents being chased by owners with buckets of money. Karlos Dansby certainly seems to be hoping to find his pot of gold. Yet the terms for an uncapped year under the current CBA could quite likely bring the opposite effect.  There are several rules that are built into the 2010 uncapped year that will drastically affect free agency and the Cardinals.  Here are a few details in an uncapped year that I thought especially noteworthy.

In the current CBA we are all aware of a salary cap.  What many do not know is that there is also a salary floor as well. Teams are required to spend a certain amount on payroll.  An uncapped year not only means that the cap will be gone but also that the floor will also be gone.  Thus teams who want to dump salary and live on the cheep will be able to do so.  This will likely flood the market with released players who are over paid and under performing.  Couple this with teams who now do not have to worry about spending money to keep their payroll above the minimum and it becomes a buyer's market really fast.  Teams may find declining veterans on the cheep and players who were hoping for a big payoff may be disappointed. For sure, Washington, or some other like-minded owner will pay somebody but I think it will be a buyer's market.

Normally early-round draftees can become an unrestricted free agent after their 4th year.  Under the CBA an uncapped year changes the rules and players cannot become unrestricted until they have been in the league for 6 years.  Again this favors the owners who now have rights to quality players for another two years, and decreasing their FA needs. 

The final four playoff teams in each conference will only be able to sign one FA for each FA lost. In other words if the Cards finish as one of the final four in the NFC and if they decide to cut Rolle they could not replace his position with a FA (because he is not a FA in 2010) unless they replace another cut FA with someone currently on the roster or a rookie. 

Teams also gain an additional franchise tag and transition tag to use give teams more latitude.

One other point worth noting that is not directly connected to the current CBA but appears to be a side affect of an anticipated future CBA.  There will likely be salary restrictions of some sort for early 1st round rookies in any future CBA.  The owners have made that one of their keys issues.  No more Ryan-type of money for rookies who have never played a down in the NFL.  With that assumption out there, talented college players will likely enter the draft early hoping to get a better pay check before the new rules kick in.  This will make for a strong draft and allow owners to feel less need to keep a declining veteran.

When you sum all of this up it appears to be a really bad year for a player who is hoping to get a Haynesworth-type pay day.   That is why I think the PA is motivated, if not hopeful,  to get a CBA in place before March.  It is also why I think that there is a good chance that Dansby will end up resigning with the Cards after he realizes the pot of gold isn't out there.

All of that said, how will an uncapped year impact the Cardinals 2010 off season? I listed the players that would still be FA and a few other key off-season issues the Cardinals will have to deal with. I tried to list them in the order I thought most important.

1-       Ken Whizenhunt: I know this is not directly related to an uncapped year but...Whiz will be in the final year of his 4 year contract.  A lucrative extension should be a for-gone conclusion.  Pay the man!

2-       Neil Rackers:  Neil will be a FA in 2010.  The Cardinals have to resign him.  He is one of the most consistent kickers in the NFL.   

3-       Antrel Rolle: His contract has him potentially getting paid over 10 mil in 2010.  Not going to happen.  The contract was written to force the Cards to renegotiate with him and it will do just that.  Based on his play thus far, I would find a way to resign him for several more years, but it is not worth over paying him.  Ware (hopefully) and R. Johnson are in the wings if Rolle will not renegotiate. I am not convinced he would find a pot of gold if the Cardinals cut him.

4-       Karlos Dansby: I think there is still a 50% chance he will resign.  The uncapped year may not be as kind to Dansby as he hopes.  A fair deal from the Cards and a few weeks on the market may convince Dansby the grass is greenest in Arizona.  If not, I am not hitting the panic button although there is no heir-apparent on the roster.

5-       Monte Beisel: Speaking of depth at LB... another year or two for Beisel would be good.  He is a solid vet who can provide depth at ILB and OLB.  I do not think Highsmith will be on the 2010 squad. 

6-       Matt Ware: May be the most versatile back-up in the secondary. Especially if Rolle is cut, Ware needs to be resigned. 

7-       Chike Okeafar: A chronic bad back is a sign of a career in decline.  Still he is a solid OLB and I would like to keep him around for security until the young crop of OLB are ready, although W. Davis has shown promise.  A 1 yr contract would be good and should be at the vet min.

8-       Bryan Robinson: Great veteran leader but 2009 may be his last year.  I would not oppose a 1 year contract if all parties can be benefited.  There are a handful of quality NT in the 2010 draft... With Branch emerging and Watson still in the fold one wonders if there will be room for Robinson in 2010.  The draft may impact this decision more than anything

9-       Jerheme Urban: Looks like he has fallen to the 5th receiver, still I think the Cardinals will want to resign him especially if Boldin is traded, but he may look for a more prominent position on another team. Onrea Jones is still waiting in the wings and this should be a deep WR draft.

10-   Anquan Boldin:... What to do? Cards will offer a fair-market-value deal.  Boldin will be offended and feel like he got the shaft right in the back.  Cards will shop him leading up to the Draft although they will not say it publically.  In the end they will get a 2nd and 5th pick or maybe a future 1st.  The pundits will have a field day about how the Cards could have gotten more for him in 2009 if they had been willing to negotiate. Yet if the draft shapes up to be as strong as it is looking, a couple of middle round picks for Boldin would be a great deal.  Personally, I think Boldin would be wise to take a 3-4 year deal with the Cards, get paid for what he is worth, and be happy to be playing in the desert.  Life isn't always better elsewhere.

11-   Anthony Becht: I think he is worth another 1 year contract.  He is average but for the Cardinals, average seems to be acceptable at TE.  Vet min.

12-   Jeremy Bridges: If affordable then he might get another year.  It depends on whether Grimm feels H. Johnson could fill his utility OL role. (I am assuming Keith at RT and L Brown at LT in 2010) Vet min if resigned but there will likely be value during FA for an OL role player.

13-   Dan Kreider: Kreider is not this low in priority because he hasn't played well, he just isn't an impact player and the team has options at this position.  I think he will get another 1 year contract but remember Green's rights are still owned by the Cardinals so it isn't a forgone conclusion Kreider will return.

14-   Ralph Brown: Not a Ralph Brown fan.  Toler and Adams can serve this role.  I wouldn't be surprised if cards pick up another corner in the draft.  Don't resign until near the end of FA and after draft and then only if absolutely needed. 

15-   Mike Gandy: Probably the most verbally abused player by the fans and bloggers on the Cards 2009 roster.  In all fairness to Gandy he has been left on an island often.  He is an average tackle blocking against good-great speed rushers.  Consequently he has looked bad.  It appears that his days in Arizona are done, but who is the heir-apparent?  The draft may produce an eventual starter but few rookies right out of the draft could do better than Gandy has done so... could the Cards resign Gandy for cheep? Unlikely.  I think the Cards will move L. Brown to LT and insert Keith into the RT.  This shift begins the change to a Leinart led offense.

16-   Bertrand Berry: He might get another year but my guess is he will not be with the Cardinals at the start of 2010 season. Father time is catching up with the B-train

17-   Brian St. Pierre: He'll be gone.  He will want to try someplace else, and the Cardinals will want to start to develop a new backup to Leinart. 

One of the upsides of some of the injuries on defense is that we have been able to see some of the younger back ups getting playing time.  It has been a mixed bag in my book.  I thought it might be worth while to take stock in what we have seen thus far from the young back ups.

Will Davis:  I like what I have seen.  He is very active on pass rush and seems physical enough to set the edge well.  His coverage of backs needs to be improved.  Forsett had gained 6 yards before Davis closed on him.  That may improve in time but at least for now, he seems to be able to impact the game as much as Berry has traditionally done.  2010 starter?  We'll see if they resign Okeafar another year but I think Davis will be in the rotation, especially on 3rd down.

Ali Highsmith: Highsmith is basically a slower, heavier, less athletic version of Adrian Wilson. His special teams impact has declined this year although he isn't bad.  He got eaten up in traffic inside, and wiffing twice on open field tackles doesn't look good on a resume either.  Teams with any sort of a power running game will target him in the future.  More often then not, rather than filling the holes he has been bending back and taking angles like a safety would.  The upside to Hayes' injury? We now know that Highsmith can not be the heir-apparent should Dansby walk.

Reggie Walker: I know he is off everyone's radar but from what little I have seen of him on goal line this past game, I like what I have seen.  He is around 240 and 6'.  He seems to be thumper (like Hayes) which I tend to like in a 3-4 ILB.  I would like to see more of him but thus far, he seems to have potential.  Is he a future starter... that is probably a stretch.

Rashad Johnson:  Ughh... Underwhelming, underachieving, underperforming... any other words that go along with that train of thought?  I know it is only his rookie year etc... but he has shown nothing.  He looks nervous. The game is still too fast for him and he is worried more about making a mistake than making a play.  I havn't seen athleticism either.  He was drafted to provide a backup and leverage for contract talks with Rolle but right now he looks to be able to provide neither.  I will be honest, (and said so after the draft) I was not a fan of the pick.  I wanted the Cards to pick Jasper Brinkley (ILB 250ish 6'4" was picked up a dozen picks later by Vikings) but the Cards had Johnson ranked high.  Time will tell but I wouldn't place money on Johnson being an impact player in 2010

Greg Toler: I was also skeptical of Toler in the draft.  He was a complete unknown to me, but, unlike in the 3rd round, there weren't other players I would have prefered so his draft didn't bother me.  He has shown potential.  In the Giants game he looked nervous but he held his own although he wasn't tested much.  He has played well on special teams and, unlike R. Johnson, he has made an impact.  I think he has potential to replace McFadden in 2011.

Kenny Iwebema: Injuries, tumors, conditioning... it has been a hard year for Kenny.  Yet he still has managed to play well on special teams and is effective in rotation on the DL.  The draft may bring more competition for DL spots next year but I would bet that Iwebema will be back in 2010 and will provide effective depth.

I left out Ware (who I have come to like and hope they resign) and R. Brown (who I have never been a fan of) simply because they are veterans and will be FA.  They are a known package and if they are brought back it will be to fill holes.  I am not looking to them to be the promise of the future.

I know we'll do all of this speculation again in the off season but what's your take now?

I was concerned about the Panthers game.  They are a talented team and should have a much better record, but Delhomme kept losing the games for them by his stupid mistakes.  The Panthers got smart and didn't make Delhomme do too much against the Cardinals, and the Cards couldn't get much done to force the issue.  Panthers have a good defense and a good running game, and if Delhomme doesn't need to throw too much then they can play with anyone. 

Nevertheless, it is a disappointing loss and I have mentioned that I thought this game would be more or a barometer of where the Cards are than the Giants game.  So what have I learned... The Cards are pretty much what I thought; (no Denny Green reference intended), a 9-7 or 10-6 team that will still likely win the division.  Actually the Cards have the exact record I thought they would have after 7 games, I just had them losing to the Giants and beating the Panthers. 

As odd as it sounds, this game wasn't that significant in the big picture, (the Giants win gave them some cushion).  I realize all wins are important and you nenver know what game will be significant until the end of the season but in the NFC West the key is to win the division games.  I really think the key to the season will be to sweep the remaining division games, all games they should win given the Cards' talent level.  If they are able to win their division games that  would put their win total at 8.  By my thinking then they would need to win 1-2 more games outside the division to win the division; Detroit and/or Tennessee come to mind. 

If they lose any more division games then obviously they will have to make up the difference outside the division and that increases the level of difficulty to make the playoffs.  Although I honestly think that the Cards can beat any of the teams outside of the division left on their schedule, (Bears, Vikings, Packers, and the fore mentioned Titans and Lions), wins within the division is what is paramount. 

The loss to the Panthers frustrates like any loss but the Panthers are a good team and they have a lot of talent, more than any other team in the division and more than any other team on the horizon, except Packers and Vikings.  I do not think the sky is falling.  It was just one of those games.  

Now if the Cards lose to Seattle, St. Louis, or San Fran then I may start to get nervous.    

The game against the Colts highlighted several weaknesses in the Cardinals personnel (i.e., OT, and the lack of pass rush by the OLB.), but it also highlighted a bigger question in my mind.  Who are the Cardinals?  You know what the Colts are.  They are a pass oriented offense and they have build their team around that notion.  That is who they are and who they will be.  Their defense if designed to stop the pass.  They can build future pieces into the system because they know who they are.  They can do this because of Peyton Manning.

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With college football starting I thought it might be useful to look at a few positions and college players that the Cards might be looking at in the 2010 draft.    Things could obviously change regarding eligible players for the draft, as well as Cardinal players' status, but projecting the Cardinals' needs now will help us have a list of names, positions, and schools we can focus in on every Saturday.  I focused on positions that I think the Cards should look at in the first four rounds of the draft, then I proposed some possible value picks in the mid rounds and what I think could happen in the later rounds. 

Needs:

ILB: With Dansby anxious to get paid in free agency, the Cards really need to strengthen their ILB depth.   Most of my top ILB are not seniors but they are projected to be in the 2010 draft. 

                -Rolando McClain (Alabama) 6-4. 248.  If McClain comes out this year he is the best ILB available in my

                book.  He plugs the hole like a beast, has great straight line and lateral quickness and great instincts. 

                -Brandon Spikes (Florida) 6-3. 244.  Spikes is also a first round prospect.  He is a hard hitter with a great

                motor. He sometimes plays undisciplined but his natural athleticism covers up his mistakes.  Great leader. 

                -Obi Ezeh, (Michigan) 6-2. 247.  He is a thumper that may be a good 2nd round pick.  If he slides to the 3rd

                 round he would be a steal.  From what I have seen he plays like Hayes.  He is one I want to watch this year.

                -Micah Johnson, (Kentucky) 6-2. 254.  A senior, Johnson has great potential and could have a great pro

                career.  He might be there in the 3rd round but I think will likely not make it past the end of the 2nd.

QB: 2009 will likely be the last year for BSP and with questions about Leinart's role in the post-Warner era  I wouldn't be surprises if the Cardinals bring in competition for Leinart.  It is a fairly good draft for QBs, a lot better than last year's crop.  There will likely be a few QBs who show up unexpectantly but here are a few front runners out of the many prospects. (Left off Bradford because there is no way a healthy Bradford will not go in the top 5).  A lot of QB options this draft.  I included a couple of dark horses that may be a steal in mid rounds.  I did not include Tebow.  Great athlete but I am just not sure how to use him as a QB.  Here are a few QB to watch.

                Colt McCoy, (Texas) 6-3. 205 McCoy may fall to the end of the 1st round and even into the 2nd, depending

                on where Texas ends up, but he I think he has a promising Pro career.  He is smart and generally accurate.

                Good Football IQ.

                Jevan Snead, (Ole Miss) 6-3. 215 Has potential and appears to have a good arm and good QB IQ.  Has

                looked good against SEC defenses. 

                Jimmy Clausen, (Notre Dame) 6-3. 217. I think Notre Dame will have a better year which will likely get

                Clausen drafted in the first round.  He has improved over the years.  Plenty of film on Clausen makes

                 judging his potential easier.  Right now I would grade him mid 2nd round but he may impress and

                 move up.

                 Pat Devlin, (Delaware) 6-4. 220 Could be a great pick up in the 3rd round if he is still there and if he

                 comes out early.

                 Tim Hiller, (Western Michigan) 6-5. 228.  If you get a chance to watch this kid let me know what you think. 

                 He is supposed to have a great up side.

                  Daryll Clark, (Penn State) 6-2. 231.  Great athlete.  A little short but could become a McNabb type of

                 player with his natural athleticism.

                  Max Hall, (BYU) 6-1. 201.  His size has caused him to fall down in the draft, but he can read a defense. 

                 He may surprise a few people in the NFL.  He might still be around in the 5th round.

DL: We need depth here.  Unfortunately this is not a good draft for nose tackles but there are some solid DE prospects.  I left out players that I can't imagine will be around after the top 15 like: Dunlap (Florida), McCoy (Oklahoma), or Suh (Nebraska).  If any of these fall into the Card's lap they will jump on them.  Here is a sampling of some players I will be looking at on Saturday.

                Lawrence Marsh, (Florida) 6-5. 305. DE. Playing with Dunlap has helped Marsh but he still looks to have

                first round talent.

               Terrence Cody, (Alabama) 6-5. 365 NT.  Mount Cody is one of the few potential NT in the draft.  But he

                 needs to lose 30 pounds under coach Lott.  Will he be able to pursue if he was lighter?  There are some

                questions about Cody but I could see the Cards taking a chance on him if he is there at the end of the 1st

                round.

               DeMarcus Granger, (Oklahoma) 6-3 303. DE  I like Granger and if he is there in the 2nd round when the

                Cards pick he would be a great addition.  The down side is he is built more like a DT instead of DE but I

               think he is athletic enough to play any position along the DL.

               Vince Oghobaase, (Duke) 6-6. 310. DE Oghobasse has jumbo DE written all over him.  Great height and

               arms, I think in time he could be able to play anywhere along the DL.  He could be there near the end of the

               2nd round but may go as high as the 1st round.

               Boo Robinson, (Wake Forest) 6-2. 326 NT.  Robinson is a stump of a man and is built like the ideal NT.  I

               want to see his motor on the field but I wouldn't be surprised to see him go in the 1-2nd round just because

               of his position and the trend towards 3-4.

              Jarvis Jenkins, (Clemson) 6-4. 318. NT. If he comes out this year he might be an option.  I will have to watch

              and see if he fits better as a NT or DE.

              Jared Odrick, (Penn State) 6-5. 308 DE.  Good solid DL that could develop into a good player.  Seems like a

              no brainer if he is there at the end of the 3rd round.

              Al Woods, (LSU) 6-5. 314. DE. A mid round prospect he could provide some solid depth.

OLB: 2010 has another crop of potentially solid OLB, especially in the late 1st and into the 2nd rounds. If Cody Brown comes back completely healthy next year it may feel like the Cards have drafted an extra early-round OLB.  The Cardinals could go from an aging OLB group to a young OLB pretty quick.  Most of the potential draftees will have to convert from DE to OLB which will require an extra year before they impact the team.  I left out tons of options, but here are a few of my front runners.

                Sergio Kindle, (Texas) 6-4. 254 If he can learn to play in space he will be a beast.  I doubt  he will be there

                when the Cards draft.

                Everson Griffen, (USC) 6-3. 265.  I think he is athletic enough to play with his hand off the ground and is a

                beast. Judging from USC's track record, I have no doubt he will come out early.

                Greg Romeus, (Pittsburgh) 6-5. 265.  Another beast if he comes out early.  He might fall to the end of the

                1st round.  The Cards have a Wanstead connection.

                George Selvie, (South Florida) 6-4. 250  Was projected in the 1-2nd  round last year if he had come out.

                Greg Hardy, (Ole Miss) 6-5. 260.  Another small DE that is athletic enough to convert to an OLB.  Probably a 

                2nd or 3rd  round option.

                Jermaine Cunningham, (Florida) 6-3. 250.  Another good Florida option.  2nd rounder probably.

                Eric Norwood, (South Carolina) 6-1. 265 Athletic DE who will have to make the switch to OLB 2-3rd round.

                Ugo Chinasa, (Oklahoma State) 6-6. 255  Tall and athletic.  If he comes out he would probably be a 2-3rd

                rounder right now but he may wait another year and hope to be in the 1st round.

                Dexter Davis, (Arizona State) 6-2. 252.  Davis will likely be a 2-3rd rounder.  Talented.

                Auston English, (Oklahoma) 6-3. 255.  Right now would be graded in 3rd round but I think he has great

                potential and will probably increase his draft status if Oklahoma plays like is expected.

                Antonio Coleman, (Auburn) 6-2. 250.  Mid rounder with potential.

Value Picks:

Every draft the Cardinals select players that I didn't think we needed.  Rashad Johnson and Greg Toler are two examples from the last draft.  It is sound draft strategy to take value when it is on the board, especially in the mid rounds.  Listed below are some positions that I think have the likelihood of having value in the mid rounds.

Corner: Unlike last year, 2010 looks to be a good draft year for corners.  I easily counted twelve corners that are big enough and should be fast enough to play in the Cardinals' system.  Expect many corners to come off the board in the first round, but there will still be many which will be worth taking in the 3-4th rounds.  As coach Davis has noted, you can never have enough good corners.

Receiver: Who knows how the whole Boldin-contract saga will play out but there are some solid receivers in the draft that should be there in the mid rounds.

Safety: Several good free safeties this year.  One or two solid strong safeties.  Could find value as late as the 4th round in this category.

Later Draft Considerations:

The Cardinals have a track record of looking for specific types of players in the later rounds, and being successful at it.

OL: With many OLB, Corners, QB etc... coming off the board early there may be some solid OL that last into the later rounds.  You may think with Gandy's contract expiring that this would be a good year to draft a LT but I just don't think the Cards will do it.  In today's NFL, the LT and the RT are having to become similar and the Cards have been grooming several younger players for this position.  Plus quality veteran tackles have become more prevalent in FA in recent years.  I think they will look to the later rounds for more depth.

Center: This draft class stinks.  Last year's was much better.  I think I would keep with Claxton or Fowler for depth before I wasted a pick.

TE: Cardinals do not generally draft a TE in the earlier rounds unless one falls into their lap.  It would be good to pick up a TE in the later rounds that can be developed.

FB:  The Cardinals seem to be slowly moving away from the FB but the later rounds are sometimes good places to pick one up that can play on the practice squad and develop.

Ok, who did I miss?  Which player are you anxious to watch? Which position did I not consider? 

Matt Wilhelm was released by the Chargers (6'4" 245) and now is on the market.  He is a solid ILB in my book and would provide solid depth along with Hobson for the Cardinals.  Yet, with Camp being upon us is it wise to look elsewhere right now for depth... or is now the perfect time?  I am just not sold on on either Togafau or Highsmith.  Togafau is mid 240s and works hard but no big upside to speak of.  Highsmith is very athletic but at 6' he is probably maxed out at 230lb and therefore doesn't reallly fit a 3-4.  I am starting to feel comfortable with Hobson as one of the ILB.  I just don't think there is a solid option for the 4th ILB.  

Is it time to look to bring in the 7-year-vet  Wilhelm, or another similar FA,  if they will sign for min, or should the Cards just ride what they have through Camp and see how they feel come Sept?

With nothing much going on, and analysis of each Cardinal player occurring in detail, I though I would make some meaningless predictions. Here are my June predictions for what the team will look like in September and beyond. I took a stab at all 53 players, depth chart, and potential practice squad members as well. I listed some notable releases first if you don't want to see all of my predictions. I am sure I will change my mind several times before September. Most are obvious but I did take some chances at a few positions. When you are bored take a look and tell me where my thinking is flawed.

NOTABLE RELEASES:

Morey: The special teams squad looks to be solid this year and Morey's ability will not be as essential. Plus Long also has special-team assets as well. Odd, last time Morey made the pro-bowl he was cut the following year.

Pope: He may make the team for four games if the Cards want to start with 4 TE or Spach is PUP. Not enough production and too many injuries.

Patrick: He is good enough to be in the league but Byrd will impress and Patrick's suspension will allow the other three to show they should be part of the final 53. In the end Patrick will be the odd man out. His age and ability make it hard to cut him, however. Cards will think hard about 4 TE.

Branch: In a year where he has been clearly told he needs to step it up, he hasn't. I know they haven't put pads on but I expected an extra effort during the off season. I wanted to hear how he was in the weight room, and coming in on target for his weight, and how he was at the facility when he didn't have to be. Instead I am starting to get the impression it is the same old thing. Branch seems to say the right words but nothing seems to change. He has talent but just seems to be a chronic underachiever even when he knows his job is on the line. I say cut him now, save the $500,000 (or whatever it is) in cap space and have that spot taken by Dykes or Leisle, who want a job and are working their tails off to get it. Why give Branch another year when you see no signs of change. Insanity, after all, is doing the same thing and expecting a different result. At least give Dykes and Leisle a chance on the final 53. They can't contribute less than Branch. I hope I turn out wrong about Branch and I will probably change this prediction but right now I see no reason to keep him another year.

Francisco: This is the player I hate to release the most. I hope he finds another team because he is a solid special teamer and serviceable backup. I think there is a good argument to be made that the Cards should keep 5 safetys. According to my logic they will either keep 5 ILB or 5safetys. It came down to two out of Fancisco, Lewis, and Togafau and I decided to keep Togafauand Lewis, but it will be a close call. Any given play in pre-season may cause me to change my mind. 

Castille: Never really materialized and was not a great special teamer. With Byrd's ability to block out of the backfield from the H-Back and the diminished role of the fullback in the offense, Castille will be looking for another team. 

Adams: I don't know if he is a "notable" release but he did get time in the second half of the year. But there simply is no space for an undersized corner who doesn't fit our scheme and is only good for special teams. We bid a fond goodbye to Mighty Mike.

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ESPN, Scouts.com, and now Darren Urban are all reporting that Ben Patrick has been suspended for four regular season games for testing positive for Adderall, an amphetamine often used in treating ADD and ADHD. Patrick allegedly took one pill, (that he got from a friend), during the bye week in October 2008 to keep himself awake as he drove home late from Flagstaff. The four game suspension would make Patrick's first game of eligibility October 18th against the Seahawks. Even if  this was a simple stupid mistake by Patrick , the obvious impact is the same. He will miss 4 games.

In the unclear picture that is the Card's TE position does this clarify or confuse the TE discussion? Could Patrick get cut because of this? Does this suspension increase Byrd's chances to make the team? What about Pope's? Does this ensure that a healthy Spach or Becht will be the starters? Is this all just a blip in the radar and it won't have a lasting impact on Patrick or the team? Are there players that now might benefit from Patrick's suspension outside of the TE position?

If it was a single act of poor judgment, it seems harsh that his whole career would be adversely affected. Yet, the margin of error for a 7th round tight end is pretty narrow, especially one who has been inconsistent in his play. I am sure Patrick is aware of all this and is just sick about it.

The cold truth is, however, that his mistake gives us something to chew on for a week or so until something new comes up. What is your take? How will this impact Patrick? Will it impact the final 53?

The Denver Post is reporting that JJ was cut after failing a physical.  He had knee surgury in the off season.  With the drafting of Moreno, Denver had four well paid RB.  JJ, Moreno, Buckhalter, and Jordan appears to have been to many and it appears that J.J. was the odd man out.  He had signed a 4 year 10 mil contract.  Tough break for J.J.  Hopefully he will find another landing spot.

I know it seems like nitpicking to analyze the 240th and 254th picks but in hindsight there are some questions that are worth raising, besides there is nothing else to do this time of year. Over analyzing is what gets us through the off season.

So were there better choices than LaRod Stephens-Howling (LSH- If you have a hyphenated name you automatically become an acronym), and Canfield? Sometimes these late round choices are the difference between a consistent power house and a hot-and-cold franchise.

Pros:
In 2008 LSH (5'7" 180) had lost his starting position to LeSean McCoy and spent the second half of his career playing on the special teams. NFL.com suggested that LSH could turn into a Darren Sproles with kick return ability. He received Pitts' award as the team's most inspirational player in 2008. Even as a back up he was a leader. Not on most draft board radars, did Dave Wannstedt clue in his old friend, Whizenhunt, to a hidden diamond? With the loss of Arrington the Cards need a returner and LSH has potential to become just that so what is there not to love about the pick?

Canfield (6'5" 307) is a tough right guard with a reputation for playing nasty. He had a stellar career at Louisville and some had him being selected earlier. He has decent lateral quickness but he tends to get too high and occasionally bends at the waist which causes him to lose his balance. He has practiced some at center in college but never played the position in a game. Although the Cards have some depth at OL could Canfield be a positive addition in the future?

Questions:
For me, one key question is who the Cards did not select? That kind of sets the value for me. Here is a sampling of some of the notable players that the Cards decided to take a pass on in order to select LSH and Canfield.

Ian Johnson (RB, 5'11" 212, 4.46)
Cory Sheets (RB, 5'11" 208, 4.47)
Chris Baker (NT, 6'2" 329)
Mitch King (DE, 6'2" 280)
Ricky Jean-Francois (DE, 6'3" 295)
Philip Hunt (OLB, 6'1" 244)
Antonio Appleby (ILB, 6'4" 243)
Darry Beckwith (ILB, 6'1, 234)
Dannell Ellerbe (ILB, 6'1", 236)

I think I would have been temped to taken one of the DL and Appleby with the two 7th round picks and then picked up LSH or Garvin, or both as rookie-FA. Should they have selected Sheets or I. Johnson over LSH? For me the jury is still out if the Cards made the right call in the 7th. Is LSH destined for the practice squad? Maybe. Is Canfield? Probably. I am especially interested to see how LSH looks in training camp. (Not seeing anything in OTA due to hamstring.) Will Canfield ever make an impact? Will the Cards keep 4 RB in the final 53? Hindsight is always easier. Would you have made the same pick as the Cards in the 7th?