With both the Cardinals and the 49ers fighting over who is the best of the worst in a poor division, one has to wonder what does either team have to play for- or rather, what does either team have to win for.  If the Cardinals lose they will be drafting between 2nd and 5th.  If they win they will be drafting between 6th and 10th.  On the surface it would seem like the Cardinals would want to take a dive.  After all drafting 2-5 has to be better than 6-10 Right?  That would be true if there is a player the Cardinals wanted that they figured would only be available 2-5.  As I look at this draft class I really don't think that person exists.  (I am assuming that Carolina will take Luck if he comes out.)  After that who would the Cardinals want?  I don't think there is another QB that merits that high of pick.  (Remember the issue is not just about reaching with a pick it is also about over paying for a player and tieing your hands for years to come.)   Mallett and Locker are late 1st early 2nd.  Gabbert (if he comes out) might be a possibility although this seems high for him as well.   Newton is a very athletic project.  I might take him in the 2nd but top 5 is way too much money for a QB that will take at least a couple of years to teach how to play NFL QB and Whizenhunts read-progression system.  (It is easy to see that next year's success will be based on if Bidwills will spend money and if Graves will get it done.  They have spend at least 25-40 mil less this year in player salary than last year and you tend to get what you paid for- but that is a topic for another post.)

So if there is no QB worth targeting that high, who would the Cardinals consider?  Green* is worth it and there is plenty of talk that Breaston and Doucet won't be back.  But drafting and paying another receiver that much may send the wrong message to Fitzgerald, (although I think Green is one of the best WR draft prospects in a decade.)  A #2 WR would be better found in FA or resigning Breaston.  

The OLB and ILB definately need an upgrade.  ILB is a mid-round position to draft so will not be considered in the 1st round.  Two OLB fit for the Cardinals and both prospects, in my opinion, are worthy of a top 10 pick.  Robert Quinn is big and fast.  Ryan Kerrigan is big and strong with a great motor.  Both could move to the OLB.  Quinn reminds me of Petters and Kerrigan reminds me some of Hali and Woodley.  I'd be happy with either and one of them will be there 6-10.

CB might also be an option.  Peterson and Amukamra are both worthy of a top 10 pick.  Peterson is a stud and a heavy hitter who can cover.  He could play either corner or safety.  Amukamara is more of a pure corner in the hips and style.  One will be there 6-10.

Whizenhunt has made it clear he intends to stay with the 3-4 so the top DL in the draft (and there are around 4 who will likely do in the top 10) will not be on the Cardinals radar since they have thier future starting DL. 

OT could also be considered but this year there are not any stand-out OT that will likely do in the top 10.  Not to mention there will porbably be several quality OT in the 2nd-3rd rounds if the Cardinals have that as a high priority. 

The rest of the positions, such as TE, ILB, OG/C, RB  are not ones you would pick in the top 10. Safety will not be a 1st round target either.

So in the end it comes down to whether it is worth tanking for Green (and that just doesn't make sense to me- and Green may not even come out)  or tanking because the Cardinals really wanted Quinn over Kerrigan.  In the end I am not sure it is that big of a deal if the Cardinals draft 2-5 or 6-10.  I would be just as happy with Kerrigan as Quinn and pay a little less. All of that said, I want the Cardinals to win Sunday, and win big!

College football is just around the corner.  With an eye on the 2011 draft, there are some key positions worth focusing in on and some outstanding players.  Here is a look at who I will want to watch on Saturdays. ("*" indicates draft eligible non seniors)

MIKE LB:  Hayes is a Free Agent in 2012 so even before his surgery I the MIKE LB was going to be a key priority in the draft.  I like to have the 3-4 MIKE around 250 so if I list a player who is lighter I am making the assumption they can add 5-15 pounds under Lott.

-*Don't'a Hightower (Alabama 6'4" 255) He is a beast and if he recovers fully from last year's knee surgery he is a future pro bowl player.  Big Hightower fan!  I would take him over McClain.

-Greg Jones (Michigan St. 6'2 235) Needs to put on at least 10 pounds to play MIKE but he is instinctive inside and was a leader in tackles in the nation his junior year.

-*Nathan Stupar (Penn St. 6'2" 250) He reads well, hits hard, and is athletic enough to play on pass defense.

-Chris Galippo (USC 6'2" 250) Athletic.  Talk he may move to OLB under new coaches.  He could be a steal or dud.  I want to watch him to see how he performs.

-Josh Bynes (Auburn 6'2" 239) Fills holes well.  Want to see his lateral pursuit improve and fighting off blocks.

Mark Herzlich (Boston College) and Kelvin Sheppard (LSU) may be possibilities.

Tight End:  Becht will likely retire next year. A starter talent would be good to find in the middle rounds.

-*Kyle Rudolf (Notre Dame 6'6' 260) Know he can catch.  I want to see if he can block.

-Lance Kendricks (Wisconsin 6'4" 239) He is light and more of an H-Back but he can block surprisingly well despite his size.  Watch out for Wisconsin this year.

-Charlie Gantt (Michigan St. 6'5" 248) Good blocker and mid range receiver.

-*Weslye Saunders (S. Carolina 6'5" 275) Very athletic. Want to watch his blocking.  Had attitude problems last year and even got benched for a game because of it. Good go higher if shows maturity this year.

-Luke Stoker (Tennesse 6'5" 249) Reliable receiver and good blocker. 

1st Round Options: Neither MIKE LB or Tight End is usually a position drafted in the 1st round simply because they are not every down players.  Interior OL also are not usually drafted in the early rounds, especially in the Whizenhunt era.  (I would take a healthy and aggressive D. Hightower in the 1st round, however, because I am that high on him)  So who are some 1st round options to watch?  Unless Brown or Keith implode (which I don't expect) I wouldn't look for an Offensive Tackle early in the draft.  RB and WR are not likely in the 1st round either because the Cardinals are good there.  DL is solid.  (I am assuming an extension for Dockett and Watson or a FA being signed for depth at NT).  In my mind that leaves three traditional  1st round options.  I've listed them in order of priority.

Corner: Right now, Toler is not dominating.  If he proves to be solid then this position might slide in priority. Right now Toler and McBride look like good nickel and dime corners.  Cardinal's defense needs a larger corner due to their system as well as the big receivers in the NFC West. Good corners are always in demand. 

-*Patrick Peterson (LSU 6'1" 211) Even if Toler is solid this year I would still take Peterson if there.  He covers well, is great in run support and over night the Cardinals would have the best starting corners in the NFL. Big Peterson fan!  Potentially the best corner coming out in years.  He won't make it out of the top 10.

-Prince Amakamura (Nebraska 6'1" 200) Could be a great option.

-*Aaron Williams (Texas 6'1" 180) Where does Texas find these guys.

-Ras-I Dowling (Virginia 6'2" 200) Will want to see if he fits better as a safety or a corner.

-Curtis Brown (Texas 6' 180) Texas may have two corners drafted in the 1st round.

OLB: I think Schofield will be a solid starting OLB.  C. Brown and W. Davis are solid depth but the jury is still out (for me) if they will be top tier starting OLB.  In my book flooding this position with talent is smart.  Projecting a 3-4 OLB is challenging.  Here are some that I think have a chance to go 1st round.

-Von Miller (Texas A&M 6'2" 240) He is an Elvis Dubberville type of player and would be my first pick.

-Jeremy Beal (Oklahoma 6'3" 260) I want to see if he can play with his hand off the ground.

-Jack Crawford (Penn St. 6'5" 256) Aggressive and smart

-*Robert Quinn (N. Carolina 6'5" 260) Like many on this list, he is projected as a 1st round 4-3 DE. 

-*Akeem Akers (UCLA 6'4" 252)

-Sam Acho (Texas 6'3" 260) Might be a stretch for him to play OLB but we will see.

QB: I think next year's off season will be interesting and not just because of the CBA issues.  I think Leinart will be inconsistent in 2010.  He'll tease with great games and then just have stinkers.  Warner did that but he won more than he lost. I am not sure that will be true with Leinart.  If Leinart's performance is sub-par I think the Cardinals will go after Marc Bulger or someone similar.  That said there are likely three 1st round QBs in the coming draft.  All have questions about them.

 -Jake Locker (Washington 6'3" 223) He's played well.  Will he play well now that everyone is watching.

-*Andrew Luck (Stanford 6'4" 235) His coach says he is the best in the country.  We'll see.

-*Ryan Mallet (Arkansas 6'7" 238) He is big with a huge arm, but will he be accurate this year.

A lot of names, even still, there are probably some gems that I missed.  Can't wait for football to start.

I have a few concerns this year.  I hope I am wrong about them.  I listed them in order of concern.

1: 8-8 record.  I look around the west and don't see that much improvement in over all talent from last year.  I don't see the 49ers as much more talented than last year.  Seattle and Rams have a way to go although they got better.  I think over all the Cardinals are more talented top to bottom than last year- except at QB.  I think Leinart will be average this year. Some games he will look great and others he will cost us the game.  In the end I think the Cardinals will be an 8-8 team.  Good enough to have hope but in the end...  For me a 9-7 or 10-6 season would be a Whizenhunt miracle.

2-Hayes' Chronic Back.  This bothered him last year and limited him some.  Maybe I am a little jaded because I also have a chronic bad back because of football and have been through a "proceedure" or two, and chronic bad backs just don't go away.  You learn to work around it but that is hard to do playing in the NFL. I think this will be an issue all through the season and will severly limit his playing time.  The problem is that there is no heir apparent unless you are higher on Walker than I am.  D. Washington is a Will not a Mike and so could not easily slide into that position. (This was my concern in 2009 when we drafted a safety in the 3rd and a corner in the 4th.  I mentioned back then that I thought we should have gone corner in the 3rd and Jasper Brinkley in the 4th- I understand the reason for a safety at the time as insurance against Rolle- but that is old news)  I think the MIKE will be a priority in the 2011 draft but that is for another post.

3-D. Washington.  That leads me into my take on Daryl Washington.  I think I am not as high on him as everyone else because I wanted to get someone who played better than Dansby.  Dansby played great in space, did well on the blitz (especially up the middle), and was effective in converage on third down.  Dansby was not good against the run.  He ran around more blacks than through them.  To me that is a key difference between a 4-3 Will and a 3-4 Will.  In a 3-4 I think both the Mike and the Will need to be able to fill and stuff the whole.  Dansby didn't and that was why he never got a sniff at the pro bowl.  The description of Dansby fits D. Washington's college career perfectly.  He plays in space great, blitzes well, athletic in coverage, and less effective when ran at.  I guess I wanted better than Dansby.   I understand why the Cardinals are high on him.  He was the most athletic ILB in the draft and he does well flowing from the weak side, which is what a 4-3 Will is suppose to do.  I guess I wanted more of a run stuffer and I don't see that in Washington.  I wanted to remove Dansby's liability and I don't see that in Washington.  I hope he proves me wrong.

4-DRC's Knee.  I know rehab is going great.  Everyone is saying all of the right things.  But DRC's game is based on speed.  Until I see him open up and chase down someone I will be worried.  Our whole defense is built around DRC and losing him would hurt more than losing Hayes.  I am trying to be confident but until I see with my own eyes...

No one will be happier than me if I am wrong on all counts.

OK, evey year I make my 53 predictions before camp and every year I change my mind somewhere before the end of preseason.  That disclaimer said, I thought I would throw out my predictions on the outside chance that I might be right this time. 

This year there are a lot more questions than in previous years.  I think that makes it more interesting.

DEFENSE: 25

PUP: Schofield and Hayes will start the year off on PUP.  This is a big blow with Hayes but I think his back is more chronic and more serious than has been let on.  The Mike ILB will be a priority next draft but that is a topic for a different post.

Corners (5):  DRC, Toler, McBride, TBD Vet, Calvin.  (Practice Squad: AJ Jefferson)  McBride is younger and will show to be a better cover corner than Adams.  If no worth while vet is available then Adams will stay. 

Safety (5): Wilson, Rhodes, Ware, Hamzah, Johnson.  There is a chance they will only take 4 safetys in which case Johnson is the odd one out. 

OLB (5): Porter, Haggans, Davis, C. Brown, M Washington. Mark Washignton will impress enough to make the team.  There is a possibility that Baggs will make the practice squad but I think odds are against Cards keeping 6 OLB.

ILB (4): Lenon, D. Washington, Walker, Beisel.  (Practice Squad: Ali Highsmith or ILB off of Waivers) With Hayes on PUP the ILB is an easy call.  Logic favors Beisel to start but I think Walker will show up in preseason and Beisel's age and back will put Walker as a starter with Hayes on PUP.

DL (6) Dockett, Campbell, Watson, Branch, Iwebema, D. Willams. (Practice Squad: Dean Mutahti) You noticed no B. Robinson.  If the Cardinals go with 4 safetys then Robinson stays but I am thinking that both Watson and Williams will show up big time in preseason and Robinson will be expendable.  Watson has flown below the radar this off season but he has worked his tail off and is down to 315 and in the best shape of his pro career.  I am a huge Dan Williams fan.  He is a beast and a quick learner and I think he will have an instant impact.

OFFENSE: 25

OL: (9) L. Brown, Faneca, Sendlein, Lutui, Keith, Hadnot, R. Wells, Bridges, H. Johnson. (Practice Squad: Devin Tyler)  Hadnot will serve as the back-up center.  Lutui will need to shine.  He may have burned too many bridges with his off season antics to be back next year.

TE (3): Becht, Patrick, Spack (Practice Squad: John Dray) No big shocker here.  This position will be a priority in 2011 draft. This will likely be Becht's last year.

WR (5): Fitzgerald, Breaston, Doucet, Roberts, Jones (Practice Squad: Darren Mougey, Stephen Williams). This is the year Jones finally makes the team.

RB (5): Hightower, B. Wells, Wright, LSH, Broghton. No suprises here.

QB (3): Leinart, Anderson, Skelton  (Practice Squad: Max Hall) No surpises with the 3 QB.  Too much draft stock was paid for Skelton not to give him a place on the team and there will be a real concern that he would not make it through waivers if they tried to put him on the practice squad.  But Max Hall will look better than Skelton over all and many will think he should make the team.  With the uncertainty at QB at the start of the season, and Hall doing well, there will be a lot of pressure to find a way to keep Hall around.  So for the first time in the Whizenhunt era the Cardinals will carry 4 QBs at the start of the season.

With the 3 special teamers that makes 53. 

Noteable Departures: Michael Adams, Keilen Dykes, Stevie Baggs.  Maybe Bryan Robinson or Rashad Johnson. 

Impressers: Onrea Jones, Reggie Walker, Brandon Keith, Gabe Watson, Dan Williams, Mark Washington, Trumaine McBride, and Greg Toler. 

Now that some of the dust has settled from the draft and we all have had time to breath deeply for a few minutes, check out some info on the draftees, and think about it for a minute it is time to look at the NFC West and see how the Cardinals compared.  I realize that evaluating the draft picks before they have played an NFL game is kind of fool hearty, but so are mock drafts and that didn't slow us down. 

The Rams Drafted:

1-1 QB Bradford

2-1 LT Saffold

3-1 CB Murphy

4-1 WR Gilyard

5-1 TE Hoowmanawanui

5-15 DE Hall

6-1 TE Onobun

6-20 DE/OLB Sims

7-4 CB Johnson

7-19 DE Selvie

7-48 LB Hull

Not a bad draft but I am not nervous.   Their first five picks will likely be starters.  Saffold and and Murphy are solid if not flashy.  Gilyard will be a solid returner.  Hoo... is a great inline blocker for Jackson.   The rest...  Nothing that makes me nervous. No one that is likely be an impact player.  Potential, but not impact. 

The Seahawks Drafted:

1-6 LT Okung

1-12 S Thomas

2-28 WR Tate

4-13 CB Thurman

4-29 DE Wilson

5-2 S Chancelllor

6-16 TE McCoy

7-29 DE Davis

7-38 WR Konz

Really good draft.  Solid LT, and a great safety tandem in Thomas and Chancellor.  Tate is a 3rd or 4th WR with return possibilities but not blazing speed.  Thurman will likely start and McCoy will be a solid addition.  Wilson is a good DE and will end up starting in my opinion.  Davis is a solid 7th rd pick.   Konz... No clue.  At least 7 likely starts within the next few years.  They just got a huge infusion of talent.

The 49ers Drafted

1-11 LT Davis

1-17 G Iupati

2-17 S Mayes

3-27 LB Bowman

6-4 RB Dixon

6-13 TE Byham

6-37 WR Williams

7-17 CB Adams

Eh... They will be better but not impressive.  Davis is solid in run, Iupati is solid in the run, Byham is a good inline blocker, and Dixon is a smash mouth rusher.  Not hard to see what they were trying to get.  Mayes is a classic looks like Tarzan plays like Jane in my opinion and does not make me nervous at all.  Bowman will add to special teams and add depth.  So they got 3 starters and 2 good depth players.  Adams and Williams are pure projects.  Are they better?  A little I guess.  Their OL is going to be better but Dan Williams schooled Iupati in the Senior Bowl. I'll take that match up any day of the week. 

The Cardinals Draft

1-26 NT Williams

2-15 ILB Washington

3-24 WR Roberts

4-32 OLB Schofield

5-25 QB Skelton

6-32 CB Calvin

7-26 TE Dray

Trying to get rid of my preconceived notions about who should have been taken (i.e. what is up with Warren that no one drafted him), is not easy but let's step back and try to be objective.  Williams is a clear upgrade and will make the entire defense better.  He is the #1 NT in the draft.   For me Washington needs to be 240+.  He said he will be "at least" 235 at mini camp which is where Lenon is.  He needs to lower his hips when tackling but he is a dart in the hole and if Williams et. al. can consume the blocks Washington will be impactful.  A 240lb Washington is as good as Weatherspoon or better, in my opinion.  I think Washington will be better than Dansby.  Roberts... I liked Gilyard as a 4th receiver instead of Roberts and I liked J. Ford as a returner over Roberts, but I have not seen film of him so I am limited.  He may be a good blend of receiver and returner.  Stats look good on him.  Schofield is the steal of the draft.  Before his knee injury I had him graded next to Hughes as an OLB and some days I thought he was better than Hughes. He might have been the #1 rush OLB.  If he can come back and play like he did before the injury, he will be a pro bowl player.  He is better than C. Brown or Davis and would beat out Haggans and maybe Porter if he was healthy.  I can not rave enough about this guy.  That knee is the "if" but man he is worth the risk.  Skelton could be a starter in 2 years.  Calvin and Dray... potential but not impactful right now.  3 top 35 ranked players on defense.  The last two picks were not my favorite picks but I will wait and see.

So who won the draft?  I think the Seahawks and the Cardinals are clearly the leaders with the Cards getting the edge because of the level of impact players they got.  Rams will be better but they have a long way to go.  49ers are going to live off of their defense and power running.  I am not sure they got that much better through the draft.   Some, but not a lot.  The Seahawks will be much better on defense but didn't get the impact player through the draft.   Give me Williams, Washington, and Schofield to build a defense around, with a solid returner and a potential starting QB... that ain't a bad draft.

I have hesitated to share a thought because I wasn't sure how I felt about it but now that the draft is tomorrow I'd thought I would throw it out there.  A month or so ago I was reviewing a couple of games of Kindle and I was impressed with his athletic ability.  He has a good motor and is all over the field.  But I also noticed that he rarely beat his man in the pass rush one on one.  Most of his sacks were coverage sacks or just stupid QB play.  The more I thought about it the more he reminded me, to a degree, of Dansby.  At 6'2 250 Kindle is big and fast.  But like Dansby he is not a great pash rusher.  He could become one but he isn't yet. That comparison to Dansby made we wonder if Kindle would be more impactful inside.  He brings most of the skills to the position Dansby had, but he is far more physical  than Dansby, especially in the hole. I think as an ILB he is a potential pro bowl player in a few years.  

I still wonder if it would be a wise move (a great pass rusher is perfered over a great ILB), but if the Cards did pick Kindle would they do it with an eye on the ILB....?  Just a thought.

After reading the good summary on the home page of a traditional 3-4 I thought I would add a few thoughts on the ILB and the NT.  I think there are a few things to think about when looking at potential picks in the draft.   I hear a lot of talk from all over about draft value and what the Cards should pick and honestly I wonder if they have ever seen the Cardinals play.  The picks just do not fit the Cardinals.  Sometimes we as fans fall into the same trap, and think that some LB would be a great pick because he is athletic.  The better question is do they fit what we do, or are they so talented that the Cardinals should adjust what they do to fit some outstanding talent. Case in point: We know a classic 3-4 DE is tall and big.  Campbell fits better than Dockett.  But Davis has adjusted the 3-4 to fit Dockett.  Watch on passing downs, Dockett moves over the guard and playes the 3 technique where he excels and that is why he gets sacks.  They did the same with Dansby.  He was poor against the run but good against the pass, so the adjusted.  If a player is that talented you adjust, but I would think you would draft for the ideal.  Here is a look at the NT and ILB in the 3-4.

NT: Weight is important but equally important is pad level and leverage.  340lb and 6-6 may not be a good NT if they are unable to keep thier pads low and maintain leverage against blocking.  Think Alan Branch.  That is why Robinson started.  He wasn't the heaviest by a long stretch, he just could keep leverage better than the others.  When looking at prospective draft NT think size but also leverage.  Linval Joseph may not be a good NT because he is 6-5 but a 6-3 Williams is a stump inside even though he is only 327.  Look at tape of Cody and watch his pad level for the first 5 seconds of the play.  When he gets lazy his pads come up but when he is dominant he keeps his pads low.  Then compare to Branch when he was at NT.  He instantly stood up at the snap.  Leverage!  So who fits the Cardinals in the draft?  Williams, Cody, Thomas, Troup, Ross, Udofia, Maybe Joseph.

ILB: I won't review the difference between the Mike and Will ILB.  Davis likes to have the OLB not switch so they simply become left and right OLB.  I think he would like to have the ILB not switch either.  An ILB in a 3-4 lines up over the guard and has to deal with bulk inside more than MLB in a 4-3.  Consequently he has to be bigger (as a rule) and good at gap reads. He regualrly has to fight through an interior lineman and sometimes a full back as well. Blazing speed is not traditonally needed on the 3-4 ILB because he has more help outside in contain and flows from the inside out to fill cut back gaps.  There has to be a mentality about a 3-4 ILB where he likes the fighting and the contact in the box.  That was Dansby's weakness.  He avoided blocks intead of fighting through.  Ali Highsmith is a weakside OLB in a 4-3.  And that is why he ended up on the practice squad.  Size, run stopper, with the ability to flow into pass zones.  He doesn't have to be a good man-on-man guy across the field although Dansby was.  So who fits this in the draft?  McClain (he is such an ideal ILB it is almost sickening), Spikes (watch film and don't let his slow 40 throw you), Muckelroy (I really like his play), maybe Weatherspoon (go back and watch regular season tape on him.  He is good but he sometimes did not work well in traffic and at 239 he is a little light), M. Johnson (a beast against the run 6-2 258), Eric Norwood (played both OLB and DE in college and never missed a game in 4 years), Butler, Dillard.  Notice Lee and Washington are not on the list.  Washington is talented but at 229 he is simply too light.  Sure he might gain 15-20 pounds with Lott but in college he only played at 234 so you are running a risk and hoping he will get to a weight he has never played at before.  Lee is an average 4-3 MLB.  I actualy like Angerer over Lee.  Angerer is faster and that would benefit on special teams, which is where I think both would end up playing their career. 

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.

Continue reading this post »

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.

Continue reading this post »

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?

The day before the 2009 draft I was completely, overwhelmingly, unflinchingly confident that the Cardinals would not draft any secondary. I would have bet money, (if I was a betting man), that there was no chance the Cards would pick up a corner or a safety. It just didn't make sense. There were at least 2 key reasons that I had for concluding they would never draft a safety or corner in 2009.

1-No Team Need:
I am a believer in drafting the best player available, but the best-player-available approach is filtered through the lens of team needs. Cody Brown is a classic example. After picking up a highly graded running back in Chris Wells, the Cardinals still needed to improve their pass rush through an outside linebacker. Although we don't know what grade the Cardinals had given individual players, most draft boards had graded Cody Brown in the late 50s or early 60s. There were likely others still on the Cardinals board that were graded higher than C. Brown but team needs affected the pick. C. Brown was not a reach but neither was he the highest graded player still on the board. Not a reach but not a value pick either. He was the best player of need that was worthy of the 63rd pick.

In the months leading up to the draft the Cardinals had strengthened their secondary to the point where it had become one of the strongest positions on the team, arguably, second only to receivers. The addition of Bryant McFadden from Pittsburgh and Keith Lewis from San Francisco had considerably ungraded the secondary. Suddenly, the Cardinals had DRC and McFadden as the Corners, and Hood as the nickel back. Lewis added depth to the safety position. It seemed like a waste of a draft pick to select a safety or a corner.

Continue reading this post »

With Gandy, Vallejo, R. Wells, Sendelin, Lutui, L. Brown, B. Keith, and H. Johnson all likely to make the final 53 (8 OL) what will the Cards do at Center? Will they sign Claxton just for depth sake instead of signing Elton Brown (6'5" 338) or Canfield (6'5 307)?  Will they teach E. Brown or Canfield center?  (Canfield has already realized his increased value if he can play center, declairing that he has practiced center at Cincinnati.)  Or will they stockpile guards and have R. Wells serve as the emergency back-up center and hope nothing long term happens to Sendlein?

How many OL can the Cardinals afford to have on the final 53?

And what makes a good center?  I know what to look for in a tackle or guard, but centers have always seemed like guards who somehow got stuck playing center.  Surly there is more involved than that?

So what will the Cards do regarding depth at center and what will they look for in a potential back-up?    

Thank you mbn for taking the time to post the following.  ~~~Hawk

Coach Davis has said he intends to implement more 3-4 principles in the defense this year.  If a more traditional 3-4 becomes the base defense, how is that likely to impact the roster and do the players we have fit a 3-4?  I thought I would take a crack at each level of defense and see how and who fits the 3-4 if the Cards went to a true 3-4 base.

Nose Tackle: The heart of any 3-4 is the Nose Tackle with this person ideally 6'2"-6'4" and 330+ pounds.  The main role is to demand a double team from the center and guard and to stuff the run.  At 6'4" 304, Bryan Robinson is not a nose tackle and would probably move to DE in a true 3-4, which is where he was intended to play when they brought him in.  Gabe Watson and Alan Branch on the other hand, fit the bill at 329 and 338 respectively.  If he will play his role, Branch may blossom as the 3-4 nose tackle.  He doesn't have to rush the basser, he just needs to keep his backside low and push some interior lineman around. In many ways his assignment is less complicated in a 3-4.   If he could do that he may find a home for himself for the future.  If they run a true 3-4 base, I see Branch improving and increasing his playing time if he will just try which has been his biggest knock the past two seasons. 

Defensive End: Calais Campbell is custom made for a 3-4 DE as he is long and strong.  Tall DEs tend to do better in a 3-4 because they can match tackles arm length and keep separation.  A DE's job is to close down run lanes, hold the edge and force the offensive tackle to pay attention to him.  Unlike a 4-3, the DE doesn't have to be the source of pressure in the pass; he has to eat blocks, break up passing lanes, and close down running lanes.  Campbell looks like the ideal 3-4 DE.  Darnell Dockett, on the other hand, is the classic DT for a 4-3.  I am not sure he is willing to play the unglamorous role that a 3-4 DE plays.  He is shorter than the ideal 3-4 DE.  It wil be interesting to see what the Cardinals do with him or if they will still run a hybrid scheme just to highlight Docket's skills.  Campbell fits better than Dockett in the 3-4.

Outside Linebacker: These are the real play makers of a 3-4 as they are the main source of pressure on a quarterback.  While the front three occupy the offensive linemen, the OLB bring the heat when the situation warrants but they also have to be able to drop into space and cover.  Much has been said about the challenge of learning to play in space and that "tweener" DE that convert to OLB cannot do it.  I think Bertrand Berry, Cody Brown, and Will Davis will not have a problem learning coverage drops.  They will not have to cover a TE downfield in man-on-man but more as a zone coverage.  I think the bigger challenge will be learning to defend the run in space.  It is key to protect your legs and fend off blockers in space.  The Cardinals are not there with thier OLB yet, but I do think they are closer with the additions of Brown and Davis and with the departure of Travis Laboy.  Clark Haggans has fit a 3-4 OLB before and is better than Chike Okeafor but both will do well enough.  Will Davis' maturation at this position will go a long way to show Rod Graves' draft insight and what the future brings at this vital position.

Inside Linebacker:  Gerald Hayes and Karlos Dansby have been great in a 3-4.  They have size and quickness to fill the lanes and to flow in coverage.  With both being around 250, they handle themselves inside effectively.  Where I have concern is the depth at ILB.  Pago Togafau might be able to play the strong side ILB but I would like to see him add another 5-10 pounds to his 242.  He probably could pull it off if needed on the strong side but right now he fits better on the weakside ILB.  The weakside ILB can be a little lighter because he can flow more easily and fill gaps from the back side or string it out on the front side.  Ali Highsmith has added 7 pounds and is now listed at 230.  He is moving in the right direction.  However, in a 3-4 ILB even on the weak side, his size will be exposed if the offense comes with a two TE set or runs heavy fullback sets.  Highsmith seems to be a better fit for that weakside OLB  in the 4-3.  Yet Davis has said he likes a hard hitting, active ILB even if they are not the ideal size and we know he is high on Highsmith.  I am just not convinced that Highsmith currently has the size to someday replace Dansby if Karlos moves onto greener pastures next year.  Lighter ILB tend to get lost inside and for this reason I think Hobson has a greater chance to make the team than you might think.  He is 6' 0" and 254 pounds.  He can play inside, as he showed last year, and he has been playing some OLB so far this year.  Although short for a OLB he has shown versatility and that kind of versatility is valuable.  Whether he can get past the lingering doubts of his time with the Jets is yet to be seen.  I just think that HIghsmith still has an uphill road to make this team, and that Hobson is making a stronger case for himself in a 3-4.

Secondary:  For once, this is pretty obvious for the Arizona Cardinals.  They play the same whether it is a 3-4 or a 4-3.  With Rashad Johnson's arrival (who is a true center field ball-hawk safety) we now have both Antrel Rolle and Adrian Wilson who can come up into the slot and box and enable nickle and dime packages to have a lot of fexibility (not a symptom of the shift to a 3-4 but still cool!).  The more I study Rashad Johnson the more I think this may be the last year for Rolle.  This kid is a starter and fits the Cardinals' scheme much better than Rolle. Johnson was graded in the mid 2nd round on most online boards, and the Cardinals got him at the end of the 3rd!  He is a steal!

Well that is my take on the impact of a more standard 3-4 base defense on the current Cardinals roster.  What is your take?  Who will be benefited and who doesn't fit if the Cards decide to play a more traditional 3-4 base this year?     

Seems odd to be thinking about the final 53 when it isn't even May yet but that is what happens after the draft. Here is my best assessment.

By my estimation there are 47 players that will be on the roster for sure.  The number is more important than the names but I wanted to show who I was counting:

5 Receivers: Fitzgerald, Boldin, Breaston, Urban, Doucet

4 TE: Spach, Becht, Patrick, Pope

3 QB: Warner, Leinart, St Pierre

8OL: L. Brown, E. Brown, Lutui, Keith, Sendlein, Wells, Gandy, Vallejo

4 RB: Hightower, Wright,  Wells, Kreider (notice I did not include Castille),

6DL: Dockett, Robinson, Watson, Branch, Campbell, Iwebema

2 ILB: Dansby, Hayes

4 OLB: Berry, C. Brown, Okeafar, Haggans

4 Corners: DRC, McFadden, Toler, R. Brown

4 Safetys: Wilson, Lewis, Johnson, Rolle

3 ST: Rackers, Leach, Graham

=47

2 more ILB as depth (Highsmith, Togafau, Hobson or whoever)= 49

Back up Center= 50

1 more DL (Maybe Dykes) =51

That leaves you 2 spots. 

Do you keep one of the two return specialists we brought in? Do you add Long or Morey as receiver?  Do you keep W. Davis as OLB?  Do you keep H. Johnson?  Do you include Castille?  Or do you keep an extra corner or safety? 

I think that Francisco, Ware, and Adams are all gone.  But suppose you could keep one of the three which would it be?

If I were to keep 1 of these 3 I would keep Francisco.  Adams is ok as corner but he is really a special teams player.  Francisco is a better special teams player.  Ware plays safety well but he is not strong in open field tackles where Francisco does better.  Many note that Francisco does not do well covering burners deep.  I agree.  If he is on the field, I put him up closer and allow Johnson to play deep.  Others note that he lost the Super Bowl because he blew his assignments.  If you watch the game again you see it wasn't Francisco who blew the coverage.  He was actually coming to try and help others.  DRC and R. Brown were out of position in a couple of the zone coverage break downs in the last few minutes.  Francisco did not blow any of his assignments in those last 2 minutes. 

That said I am sure we will spend the summer rehashing over and over various options for the final 53 so let the fun begin:-)

The number one cardinal rule (excuse the pun) in the draft is to not reach for position.  This is especially true in the first round, but the principle is true all the way through the draft.  When you reach for position you almost always get a bust.

The Cards have graded out all of the draft options based on football ability, thier fit into Cards scheme, and character.  Need does impact the grade but not disproportionately.  Last year they drafted Doucet based on grade not on need.  So what might this mean at 31?  A RB may not be picked in the 1st round. 

Even in the most generous grading there are only three 1st-round-graded RBs in this draft.  On the other hand there are 6-9 1st-round-graded DE/OLB that are projected to play OLB in a 3-4.  Unless a RB of a higher grade falls to 31 the odds are that the Cards are going OLB at 31.    

I was thinking about some of the holes the Cards are facing and how it is challenging to find enough quality in the free agency.  As I pondered some possible solutions I reallized that 15 pounds could have a drastic impact on the Cards' future.  Branch has habitually come into the season over weight.  If he could shed 15 pounds or more and put his natural skills to work then the Cards would have a solid tandem at NT, instantly removing depth issues on the DL.  And if John Lott could perform some miracle and add 15 pounds to Highsmith we also then have a solution to Dansby and the ILB.  If Highsmith's knee heals and if Branch's attitude improves then a shifting of around 15 pounds would turn two athletes into solid additions to the Cards' future.  And it only takes a change of 15 pounds.  Any thoughts?

If we think about positions where a potential starter will be needed this year or next, it may give a clue as to where the Cards may spend some of thier early drafts.  Obviously RB, and likely OLB, will be needed this and next year.  I am starting to think that NT might be one of those positions as well.  With the Cards wanting to be more true to "3-4 principles" as Whiz said it, they need a presence in the middle.  Branch is a well documented disappointment, and Watson's knee still isn't right.  He may need to go in for surgury again in order to be ready for training camp.  A solid NT would provide flexibility elsewhere along the DL as well.   Looking at the draft there are some options at this position but not a lot.  Raji will be long gone by 31.  Brace could be a good 63 pick but he may also be gone.  Here are 3 other options that may be attractive.  They all come from small schools. 

Chris Baker (Hampton.  6'2" 326.)  Ran a 5.02 and had a 35.5 verticle at the combine!  That is a lot of weight getting off the ground. 

Sammie Lee Hill (Stillman. 6'4" 329.) Ran 5.11.  Great summary of him on the home page.

Terrance Knighton (Temple. 6'3" 317.) 4.93 at his pro day.  Good talent but is right on the edge of looking like a DE/DT instead of NT. 

Just some more names to throw into the mix as we try and read the tea leaves in order to predict the draft.  I am ready for the draft to be over so we can quick speculating about what might be and start analyzing what is.

Bumped from the Fanpost section, a very well thoughout breakdown of the Arizona Cardinals team needs heading into April's draft from one of ROTB's newest members.

To me the question of the draft is a combination of what we need as well where the depth of the draft is at those positions.  Here is where I see the 5 main draft needs being this year.  I have put them in the order I think they should fall, however, the order would change if a high graded draft pick should fall to our pick.

1-OLB needs to be added.  Okeafar is a FA next year and Berry may not be back, plus we were poor in sacks with who we had.  There are some very talented OLB in the 1st round.  Most will be converting from a DE so a year as a back up will benefit them. (keep in mind we already have 4 OLB under contract so it is likely that the final 53 will need to make room for 5 OLB)

2-RB: We cannot miss on a RB and therefore I understand the argument to take a RB in the 1st round.  However, I think we can get a quality RB and an OLB pass rusher.  I have even considered going Center or DL with this pick and picking RB in the third.  It will depend on who is still on the board at 63.  Assuming that Mack or Moala, Brace, or the like haven't fallen to us then go RB.  Green, A. Brown (who I think is a sleeper) or R. Jennings, would all be a great compliment to Hightower and Wright.  My thought is that one of these 3 may be available in the 3rd round as well therefore it may be tempting to take a chance and wait to pick one in the third.

3-DL.  A quality NT would allow Robinson to move to DE with Campbell. (still frustrated with Branch.  If he had materialized this wouldn't be an issue)  Drafting a DE would provide depth and competition at this position.  A 3-4 DE is not so much about sacks as he is about drawing double teams and filling the run gaps.  If there are not any good choices for DL there will still be some post-draft FA likely available.  (I have my eye on Vonnie Halliday who was released by Miami and would be a great depth guy at DE)
4-Center: LT is not the weakness on the OL.  Gandy did well although he had a poor SB.  The weak link is Sendlein, especially when playing against a 3-4.  One of these times he is going to break Warner's ankle when he steps back.  There are at least 5 centers in the draft who would be an upgrade, but what round do you spend a draft pick on a center?  That is why I go center in the 4th but if Mack is available in the 2nd I would take him.  Of the top 5 center (Mack, Unger, Wood, Luigs, Caldwell, Shipley) I think  there is a decent chance that Luigs, Caldwell, or Shipley will be available at the end of the 4th.  Worst case is Shipley, who played well for Penn State.  He is a solid center but he was cursed with shorter arms, which is death for a tackle but not as big of a deal for a center. (Keep in mind with Vallejo, E. Brown, and Keith under contract you would have to make a tough decision; Do you will cut one of these three or make room for 9 OL in the final 53 with the additional center.)
5-ILB: Beisel found greener pastures so a replacement needs to be found.  Right now we have Togafau and Highsmith as our back up ILB.  Both play well on special teams but Togafau is 240 and Highsmith is 225.    Highsmith cannot play linebacker in the NFL unless he puts on another 15+ pounds.  We have a hard hitting athlete already who weights 225 and he is an all-pro Strong Safety.  Look for the cards to pad the LB spot both with drafts and post-draft FA in order to find some depth at this position.

The rest of the draft is a wash and an uphill challenge to make the team.  We no longer need a TE. (I am high on Becht as a blocking TE which has been the weakness. At 280 he ought to be able to move a LB out of the way on the edge.)  They may look at the handful of FB in the draft in the later rounds but if they can't find one they like, when they like, then bring back T. Smith.(T Smith is a average FB but has not been an asset on special teams)  OL and DL projects may also be picked here to spend some time on the practice squad to develop. 

That's my take.  Where do you think I am flawed in my thinking?  What am I forgetting?

Signing McFadden was a great sign for the Cards.  They had a few holes they needed to address in the off season and the nickle corner was a big one.  The Draft prospects for this year at corner were dismal so it is great to see the Cards signed a solid corner from Free Agency.  I think McFadden fits better (more than Hood) the type of defense the Cards run and Hood has always played well in a nickle where he can read the QB's eyes.  Even if Hood beats out McFadden, either way this was a major improvement of the secondary.  Add in Lewis from SF and the Cards just got a lot better in the secondary.  (With the signing of Lewis, Fransisco may find he is in for a dog fight for a job this summer). Now they still have to sign a FB(Michael Karney would be a good option), Long Snapper (Mike Leach), and then they need to decide where to go to increase depth in DL and LB.  It looks to me that they are looking to FA to bolster the DL.  I would expect the draft to look for Center, RB, another TE, OLB and, either ILB or DL depending on how FA shakes out.

MBN