Arizona Cardinals NFL Team Column

By Kevin Simpson

CARDINALS POST DRAFT ANALYSIS

It’s clear the Cardinals were drafting for the Best Player Available, while keeping an eye out for their overall needs. I think the organization went into the draft wanting to get a CB, a pass rusher and defensive line depth in general, a slot receiver candidate, a running back to groom, and offensive line depth. Anything else is gravy. I was surprised that the Card’s waited so long to address the RB position, but it makes a little more sense when viewed from the BPA approach. Starting in the 1^st round, continuing through the 4^th, the Cardinals passed up several RB candidates in order to select a player obviously higher on their boards. Picking up both a 34 and a 43 DE and a potential linebacker helps bolster the depth on defense.

1. CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Tennessee St., 6-1½ 184

Everyone knew CB was going to be one of the top two picks for Arizona, and they did not disappoint. Choosing DRC over RB Rashard Mendenhall will be debated, but I see the reasoning. I would bet both players were neck and neck on the Card’s big board, but with a more pressing need at CB, DRC won by a nose. He will get plenty of nickel time this year and challenge for the starting #2 CB spot at some point during the ’08 season. Good pick for the Cards, with an excellent meshing of BPA and need.

2. DE Calais Campbell, Miami, 6-8 285

No doubt by now the Cardinals are going with the BPA approach, and again they get lucky with a pressing need being filled. Campbell, like the rest of the U of M football team had a down year in ’07, collecting only 6 sacks. If Campbell gets “only” 6 sacks in his rookie year, the Cards will be elated. Look for a lot more 34 line ups out of the Cards this year, and also a lot of Calais Campbell looking to prove people wrong. The Cards are assembling a Defensive Line that is playing with a chip on their shoulders due to their slides in the draft. Darnell Dockett, Gabe Watson, Alan Branch and now Calais Campbell. Welcome aboard Calais.

3. WR Early Doucet, LSU, 6-0 201

By the time Arizona picked in the 2^nd round, 7 WR’s had already been taken. I was thinking that some lucky team was going to get a steal deep in the 2^nd when they grabbed Early, late. Little did I know it would be the Cardinals, in the 3^rd  round. This pick will be viewed by some as an insurance pick with Anquan Boldin’s contract situation, and the uncertainty at the #3 WR position. I see this as an investment in the future, and the Card’s picking up a good slot receiver on the cheap. I predict, barring injuries, he will end up the season with more than 30 catches in addition to making his mark on special teams.

4. DE Kenny Iwebema, Iowa, 6-4 274

A classic 43 DE, Iwebema was rated as a 3^rd rounder by many experts, but there are questions about injuries and attitude. This was a bit of a surprise pick with RB Tashard Choice still on the board, but depth along the defensive front 7 was one of Arizona’s priorities this off season. The Card’s are gambling that they can groom him to take advantage of his physical attributes, and won’t be expecting too much from him the first year in terms of game day production. Kenny will probably be asked to do some special teams work in order to get him on the field more.

5. RB Tim Hightower, Richmond, 6-0 226

This guy rushed for over 1,900 yards and 20 TD’s last year. Of course it was against powerhouse teams such as Stony Brook, Towson, and Bucknell. Hightower can pass block and has good hands, but does not possess the breakaway speed The Whiz was looking for. He looks like a cheaper Marcel Shipp, but I think they could’ve waited another round to pick him. My guess is the Card’s are hoping he shows enough to cut Shipp’s $2 million salary. The money they save could be applied to the “Save Anquan Boldin Fund”.

6. DE Chris Harrington, Texas A&M, 6-5 265

What? Another DE, are these guys nuts? I don’t think Harrington will be practicing solely with the defensive lineman, but rather think the Card’s will try to move this guy to Linebacker, possibly to the strong side. Again, the Cardinals address depth along the defensive front 7, and I can safely say they have addressed it.

7. OT Brandon Keith, Northern Iowa, 6-5 336

Here I am thinking the Cardinals wanted to get some depth on the offensive line coming in to this draft, and surely the fact that there is no one behind Mike Gandy might warrant a 5^th rounder at the very least. Having said that, I love this pick. The knock on this guy is his attitude, conditioning and technique lapses. Nothing a few weekends with coaches John Lott and Russ Grimm can’t cure; this guy could be a gem. In spite of his size, he has decent quickness and could end up cross training at guard to take advantage of his lateral movement and ability to nail Linebackers on the 2^nd level. Given time to mature and get in better shape, Brandon Keith could end up being a Very Good Pick.

All in all, the Arizona Cardinals draft filled some empty spots and provided depth for this year and potential for future years. I see 2 defensive starters by year’s end in CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and DE Calais Campbell. Arizona might be thinking they won’t be able to afford Antonio Smith next year if he has the kind of season they hope for, so DE Kenny Iwebema could help take over in ’09. OT Brandon Keith could contend for a starting spot in ’09 if he takes his conditioning seriously. WR Early Doucet will get lots of playing time and will help give the Card’s one more option on offense. With the first 3 rounds looking solid, and Brandon Keith in the 7^th is a keeper, rounds 4-6 are the wild card rounds, and whether they pan out or are cut out will decide the 3 year grade on this draft.

Most likely to be a day 1 starter: CB DRC. I give him a 50% chance of beating out Eric Green for the #2 CB spot.

Most likely a boom or bust pick: DE Calais Campbell. It’s all about the attitude.

Most likely to be the best year 2 player: DE Calais Campbell. Obviously I pick the boom.

Most likely to end up on the practice squad: DE Chris Harrington. I like this guy, but he might be a victim of numbers, although the Cards will want to keep him on the practice squad. A good chance one way or another he makes the roster at some point in ’08. He is just too good of a football player not to.

Most likely regret: Not taking a Running Back sooner.

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ONE LAST STAB AT A CARDINAL’S MOCK DRAFT

Winning teams draft well. Every team knows it, and you could build another Pyramid with the man hours that go into a team’s draft board. With free agency becoming just an expensive way to alienate your current players, more and more emphasis is being placed on home grown draft picks. Last year Tampa Bay did a brilliant job drafting and it paid off in a playoff appearance. In one draft (10 picks total) they picked up 3 starters, 3 rotation/package players, and a promising young running back who might be a victim of numbers following the Michael Turner signing. This draft will go a long way towards creating a core of players, and building depth. So let’s look at a few other teams and compare their past 3 drafts. I picked 3 teams: New England, because they win a lot of games; San Diego for the same reason, in addition to the fact that they might have the most talented roster in the league; and Arizona, because this is an Arizona Cardinals column.

It’s hard to find a draft article where the Cardinals are not presumed to be historical members of The Draft’s All Time Keystone Cops Team, but 63.2% of Cardinals draft picks from the past 3 years are still playing in the desert, as opposed to 53.9% for New England. Meanwhile San Diego is showing how to do it league wide with an impressive 77.3% of their draft choices from the past 3 years still wearing a lightening bolt.

In the past 3 drafts the Cardinals have selected 19 players, turning 6 of those into starters (31.6%) compared to New England’s 5 starters out of 26 draftees (19.2%) and San Diego’s 6 starters out of 22 players drafted (27.3%). I know. I know. Both New England and San Diego are better teams and it’s harder for teams with a good roster to draft a player who will make the cut, much less become a starter. However, if you look at the percentage of players drafted who are still getting a paycheck in the NFL, Arizona 78.9%, New England 80.8%, and San Diego 86.4%; the Cardinals are doing better than commonly portrayed. Keeping these numbers in mind I expect the Cardinals to keep 4.5 of their upcoming draft picks for more than 3 years, with 2.2 becoming starters. You figure that out.

The most pressing draft needs for the Cardinals are CB, RB and Depth. The Cardinals seem comfortable with much of their roster, and so will be looking for players in the mid rounds who can immediately contribute on Special Teams and challenge for a starting spot in ’09. Running Back Edgerrin James, Left Tackle Mike Gandy,  DE’s Antonio Smith and Bryan Robinson,  OLB’s Clark Haggans and Chike Okeafer, are all players who might have hungry rookies standing behind them this year, looking to  replace them next year. I would be very surprised if the Cardinals do not pick both a 34 DE and OLB this year in addition to the badly needed CB. An offensive lineman, preferably a tackle, a slot receiver and the running back of the future are the concerns on Offense. How many picks do we have?

I have prepared a last attempt at a mock draft, with a parallel universe twin, the Mendenhall Twist. The 2^nd option is if Rasheed Mendenhall falls to 16, and the Cards hold off on taking a CB in round 1 and instead, opt for the best RB in the draft. The best RB in the draft? No, I have not recently suffered a head trauma, but I am convinced that in 3 yrs, Mendenhall will have the better numbers and will turn out to have a more productive career. He will be an every down running back, and the team that picks him will be very happy. It might just be the Cardinals.

Let’s see, Matt Leinart, Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald, Leonard Pope, Edgerrin James and Rasheed Mendenhall. I’d pay to see that show.

I know this mock draft is heavy on small school prospects, but this year the depth of the draft class is due in part to these players. Small school or not, there are some intriguing prospects in every round.

MOCK DRAFT VERSION 2.0                                 (Mendenhall Twist)

1. CB Mike Jenkins, S. Florida                         RB Rashard Mendenhall, ILL

2. RB  Chris Johnson, E.Carolina                     CB Terrell Thomas, USC

3. DE  Kendall Langford, Hampton                 

4. WR Jerome Simpson, Coastal Carolina                       

5. LB Gary Guyton, GA Tech/   Mike Humpal, Iowa/  DE Darrell Robertson, GA Tech                

6. OT  Shannon Boatman, Florida St./  Brian Stamper, Vanderbilt                      

7. FS Bobby Williams, Bethune-Cookman /  Rocky Swartz, Houston      

1. I’m doing the math here; 4 O Lineman, 5 D lineman, 1 QB, 1 RB, 1WR, 1 LB and 1 CB should be taken in the first 15.  That leaves Jenkins or Mendenhall to fill out the top 15, and I believe whoever is left will determine the pick. If both players are available for the Cardinals at 16, you might just hear a Choir of Angles singing from On High as the Commish calls the pick. I think the Card’s are making enough suggestions that if Mendenhall were there, it would be worth serious consideration.  This could also be a bit of a smokescreen and the Cards are trying to goad a team into moving up to draft Mendenhall and thereby increasing the chances of Jenkins falling to them. Or…..Oh, you have to love the Draft.

2. If the Cards pick a CB in the 1^st round, they will look at the best player available at a few positions; RB, OLB, RB,34 DE, RB and OL. Finding the future replacement for Edge is at least a #2 priority, and RB’s Chris Johnson (E. Carolina) and Kevin Smith (UCF) would be two very tempting options if still on the board. Both would need to work on blocking, with The Whiz as their coach. Smith has the better chance of being the every down back, but Johnson fits the bill of the “home run hitter” Whiz is looking for. OT Anthony Collins could be a possibility, but I think the Card’s are looking at rounds 5 or 6 for the Offensive Line. CB Terrell Thomas could be the option if they went RB in round 1, or they could take CB Pat Lee of Auburn a little early.

3. RB Tashard Choice, Georgia Tech would be the pick if the Cards have not gone RB yet. If for some reason the Card’s did not draft a RB on day 1, 3^rd round would be as long as they waited. This would be a great pick; he is good enough to consider being the man in ’09 and would have the ability to contribute immediately. DE Kendall Langford from Hampton would be a great addition to the Card’s D. A 34 DE, Langford could work his way into a solid rotation and I would not be surprised to see him work his way into the starting lineup just about anywhere he might end up.

4. WR Jerome Simpson. I love this guy. He plays right down the street at Coastal Carolina, so it might be a local bias, but I love this guy. I said that already. Good character, solid leader, 6’ 1”, a 4.37 40,  80 ft vertical, and hands stickier than South Carolina Asphalt in August. Son, get the net; he’s a keeper. I’m not even putting down an alternative choice on this one.

5. OT is an option any round past 4 but with Coach Grimm on the staff, we will find one he can groom, and instead look at LB’s. Georgia Tech has a couple of prospects that might interest the Cards, in LB Gary Guyton and DE Darrell Robertson. This might be early for Robertson, who would be used as a 34 OLB in Arizona. Showing up out of shape and 10lbs overweight at the combine didn’t help Robertson, but Guyton was impressive and would fit in well with the 34 alignment.

6. Card’s go OLine in round 6.I think they will be drafting OT and finding an OG in the pool of undrafted rookies. Vanderbilt’s Brian Stamper is a tough and athletic competitor. He is a little smaller than the Card’s like, but has quickness to handle speed rushers. At 6-7 324lbs, Shannon Boatman of Florida St has the size, but he is raw. Let Russ Grimm at ‘em for a year.

7. FS Bobby Williams, Bethune-Cookman. Because he’s still there and the Cards are hoping he is another Nick Collins. But the better option might end up being Rocky Swartz from Houston, a FS who plays like a SS, or was that a SS with the speed of a FS?  Anyway, he would be a great fit in Clancy Pendergast’s Dime options. Who am I kidding, I can’t pick out this far. DE Bryan Mattison, Iowa could be a great option, especially if a Defensive Lineman hasn’t been selected yet. He is 290 lbs and plays end in the 43. He could make the transition to the 34 with his size. You can’t have enough pass rushers.

The Cardinals will be looking to sign 12-14 undrafted rookie free agents, and hoping to get lucky and pick up another Lyle Sendlein, or Aaron Francisco. Look for a couple of OG’s, a QB, LB’s, CB’s, DT’s and WR’s.

Take it for what it is, that’s my mock draft.

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More Free Agency Stuff Before The Draft

Currently the Cardinals are sitting right around $102 million against the cap, for the 51 players under contract or with tenders offered. The Cardinals have 7 free agents worth keeping from last year. They have already struck, by re-signing WR’s Sean Morey and Ahmad Merritt.

They are looking at re-signing the following 5 players from last year.

DE J. Tafoya- a 43 DE, Tafoya is looking for a 2yr deal, and will probably get it. He filled in well when Bert Berry went down for the season, playing mainly on running downs.  Projected deal: 2 year 1.6m    ’08 cap charge of $800k

DE/DT R. Bailey-More of a 34 DE, Bailey can serve as a reserve 43 UT. Good veteran backup. Projected deal: 1 year .695m   ’08 cap charge of $700k

S M. Ware-Special Teams standout, who could be worth bringing back. In 2 years he has appeared in 29 games. Projected deal: 1 year .595m    ’08 cap charge of $595k

S O. Celestin- Started 4 games last year for the Cards and a couple of those games weren’t very pretty. Celestin worked with DB Coach Teryl Austin in Seattle in ’06 before they both moved to the desert. My guess is the Cardinals will be on the lookout for a cheaper replacement come draft day, but with a weak safety field in this year’s draft, that might be something I wouldn’t hold my breath on. Projected deal: 1 year .595m    ’08 cap charge of $595k

WR J. Urban-Could be a keeper if he catches more passes. I mean, that’s what Wide Receivers do. Do the Cardinals keep both Merritt and Urban? I think that is up to Merritt and Urban, but I see the Cardinals trying to find a deal in the mid rounds at WR, so it might be a matter of numbers for one of these two.  Projected deal: 1 year .435m    ’08 cap charge of $435k

Only the top 51 salaries count against the salary cap during the off-season, so the cost of re-signing these 7 free agents would only count $2.9 million against the cap. That’s not bad for a group that appeared in 84 games with 13 starts last season.

Renegotiating Kurt Warner looks like it might be starting. With a hefty $4 million salary and $1 million going against the cap for his prorated signing bonus, Kurt isn’t coming cheap. Add in the $1 million extra he made hitting incentive clauses last year and he actually counts $6million towards the ’08 cap. Are the Cardinals interested in a cheaper 3 year deal? You betcha.

Negotiations with Karlos Dansby are starting to warm up and the recent contract extension of Tatupu in Seattle will provide a good spring board. I have a gut feeling the Cards will ultimately come up with a contract that brings his cap number down from $8.065 million to about $5-6 million. I will make a bold prediction, and say the Dansby contract will be the first to have voidable years built in to it. Here’s why; Dansby might not be a superstar, and the Cardinals might be willing to jettison those inflated 5^th and 6^th year salaries. Karlos was ranked 40^th overall in tackles last year. Hell, Calvin Pace and Gerald Hayes had more tackles than Dansby last year. Dansby will miss games, and therefore his numbers will always be a bit short of outstanding.

According to GM Graves, the Cardinals are looking at adding an additional 6-8 Free Agents. Who, I have no idea but CB, LB and WR are good places to start.

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Cardinals Free Agency Update 

Free agency is down to its slim pickins’; leaving the one year contract role players as the remaining targets, and it has still been relatively quiet for the Cardinals. Oh, other than the renegotiation of Larry Fitzgerald’s contract. You might have heard it mentioned that he was due to make $14.6 million this year and $17.4 million in ’09; ridiculous numbers. On March 11, the two parties agreed to a new contract of 4 years for $40 million dollars. The only details are a $15 million dollar signing bonus, a $5 million ’09 roster bonus, and a no trade without player approval clause. By this time last year the Cards had locked up CB Rod Hood, S Terrance Holt, OT Mike Gandy and OC Al Johnson. Last year The Whiz was building a more Whiz-like team. I wouldn’t look for a lot of action from this point forward. OLB Brandon Chillar is looking better and better, and also a bit cheaper, than when he visited Arizona earlier. That’s the only other player the Cards have shown any interest in.

Well certainly the Cardinals are actively re-signing their own players before splurging on the open market, right? So let’s look at the Cardinals re-signings. Other than Wr Larry Fitzgerald (who was already under contract), we have TE Troy Bienemann, LS Nathan Hodel and… well, that’s it. The Cards never move fast when re-signing their own B-tier players, so I am still confident they will be looking to bring back UFA’s DE Joe Tafoya and/or Rod Bailey and possibly S Oliver Celestin and Matt Ware.

The Fitzgerald drama was not as damaging as many portray it to be, and might end up being the beginning of a great off season. For the most part, they have stayed away from a weak free agent class and have cleared enough cap room to re-sign key players and renegotiate core players like Anquan Boldin, Karlos Dansby or Adrian Wilson. Arizona is building a solid core of talented players and keeping them together is the emphasis this off season.

The Cardinals have a few good Restricted Free Agents this year, offering 1^st round tenders ($2.017 M) to CB Eric Green and DE Antonio Smith, and a low tender (4^th round compensation) to OG/OT Elton Brown. All three will be returning.  RFA WR’s  Ahmad Merritt and Jerheme Urban were not offered tenders but the Cardinals would love to have both back for the near poverty level of  $435,000.00. I would not be surprised to see DE Bo Schobel get another shot, if nothing pops up in the draft. An Exclusive Rights Free Agent to look out for is CB Michael Adams, a small but feisty one who played in 7 games last year. If the Cards can’t get either Green or Smith signed long term, they will be next year’s concern when Free Agency hits.

Let’s look at the Free Agent signings. What would a Cardinal’s off season be without signing a Punter? Your team averages only 40 yards per punt, and landed just 21 of them inside the 20. So you go out and get a new punter, again. Well, the Cardinals signed Dirk Johnson to a one year contract on March 5, and his career 41.7 yards per punt and his yearly average of  19.75 punts inside the 20 should go a long way to fixing the punting game.

Am I the only one who looks up these numbers? I would have loved to sit in on that interview.

Cardinals: So, Dirk what is your punting average anyway?

Dirk: Uh, I  dunno, say… somewhere around 47.9 yards.

Cardinals: Wow. Well boys, looks like we found us a new punter.

Unrestricted Free Agent Comings:

DE/LB Travis LaBoy will be a good pickup, as long as he stays healthy. With Calvin Pace gone, LaBoy will see lots of playing time in Clancy P’s Flux Defense, while possibly having a career year to boot. TE Jerame Tuman is the veteran blocking TE that Whisenhunt has been looking for. Well, okay maybe not the one he was looking for, but close enough. Don’t look for a lot of catches from him, but he will help out in the Power Running Scheme the Whiz has schemed. Punter Dirk Johnson. Dirk?

Unrestricted Free Agent Goings:

DE/LB Calvin Pace has defected to the NY Jets for like $812 million, or something just as absurd. He had a very good year last year, and losing a good player always hurts, but sometimes not as much. Chike Okeafer was the starter before the season, but was lost to injury, and he is nothing to sneeze at. As a down 43 lineman in his first 2 years with the Cards, Okeafer accounted for 103 Tackles and 16 sacks. Moving back to OLB will be an easy transition, and I look for a 70-80 tackle, 6 sack season from Chike. OL Keydrick Vincent was signed by the Panthers and he had a much better offer than any Arizona would have made. Vincent would have been good depth if he stayed, but not much beyond that. OLB Darryl Blackstock has signed with the Bengals. They’re lucky; he’s only milking them for $600, 000. In a bit of irony, WR Bryant Johnson has signed a one year deal with the San Francisco 49’ers. Now he has reason to play hard for at least 2 games next year. Oh, and Karlos Dansby still hasn’t signed the Franchise offer that he was so proud to get. I’m holding my breath….

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The Draft, Desert Style

My wife and my Mother have not done their mock drafts. Nor has the crazy woman living behind me who yells at trees. Other than that, I think everyone else has one out by now.

So not to be left out, I sat down this weekend to do some Mocking. I got stuck on the Miami pick and decided to fix a sandwich.

So rather than playing Nostradamus, I will instead concentrate on potential picks available and team needs in order of priority. Besides, I’m not even sure what a quatrain is.

Picking at the number 16 spot this year guarantees the Cards will not have to write a Fitzgeraldesque contract in order to get their player signed. Last year’s #16, Justin Harrell, signed a 6 year contract worth $14.507 million with $8.1 million in guaranteed money.

That’s the NFL’s version of a Wal-Mart price for a productive starter. That’s the good news. The bad news is you have to go back to Troy Polamalu in ’03 to find an immediate  impact player picked at the 16 spot. (See Jason Allen, S Miami ’06; DT Travis Johnson, Houston ’05; Shawn Andrews Philadelphia ’04).

The depth of this draft has everyone salivating, giving the Cardinals quite a few choices at the middle of round 1, and not surprisingly the Cards have enough needs that they could go in several different directions.

Priority 1: CB. Rod Hood was a find in free agency but the Cardinals have struggled to field two solid corners. Former 1^st rounder Antrelle Rolle will be moved to safety where he is better suited, leaving E. Green as the returning starter. Who will be available by the 16^th pick?  At least 5 teams picking ahead of 16 could certainly use a good CB, but conventional wisdom has 2 or 3 CB’s being taken before the Birds pick and at least 5 CB’s taken in the 1^st round. Leodis McKelvin, Mike Jenkins, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Antoine Cason, Reggie Smith, and Aquib Talib are all viable 1^st rounders.

My gut says Cason will be the highest CB available on the Card’s board when their turn comes around, and the last time they passed on a highly ranked home town defender was Terrell Suggs and we all know how that turned out.

Priority 2: RB. The Edge still has some wheels, but with everyone jumping on the        2-back bandwagon, and the quality available at the position this year, the Cardinals would be foolish not to grab a back in one of the 1^st 3 rounds. The Fitzgerald negotiations (notice how I keep coming back to that) could force the Cardinals to try and renegotiate The Edge and I don’t think that will sit well with him. So don’t be shocked if RB moves up to priority 1B.  Many mocks have the Cards taking Mendenhall or Stewart in round 1. The only way I see this happening is if the Cards pick up a CB starter in free agency, but that all depends on the (you guessed it) Fitzgerald negotiations. With all the other pressing needs, I think 2^nd round would be high enough. One of my personal favorites is Tashard Choice who could probably be had in the 3^rd round

Priority 3: OL. Mike Gandy was okay last season, but remember when your mother tried to set you up with the girl who was cute and had a great personality? She might’ve been okay, but…. Yeah, that’s Mike Gandy. Good pass blocker, not so good run blocker. One thing that is important to remember; with Leinart starting, the Cardinals will be a left handed team. So their LT should really be a solid RT, and there are about 807 of those in this draft. In other words, don’t pick one until the 3^rd or 4^th rounds, and date the cute girl for another year. Another option would be to pick up a solid OG with a bit of experience, say RFA Daniel Loper from Tennessee (low tender, 5^th round). This could allow Grimm to move Reggie “I play every damn position” Wells to tackle. Either way, one or two solid pickups will do the trick with the versatility the Cardinals OL has.

Priority 4: WR. Bryant Johnson will probably change addresses and so a new #3 will be needed. Add to this, the uncertain future of Larry Fitzgerald and a WR could suddenly become a big need. With the ridiculous figures Fitzgerald’s agent, Eugene Parker, is turning down it might behoove the Cardinals to swallow their pride try to trade Fitzgerald (if any one can afford his contract) if negotiations come to a stand still. I wake up in the middle of the night, sweating from nightmares where I see Fitz in a Minnesota uniform making the same one handed catch while leaping over three helpless Cardinal defenders. I’m starting to develop a Roll-Aids habit.

Priority 5: OLB. Calvin Pace is out, Travis LaBoy is in. Laboy brings with him speed and concussions, and could find a career year here under Pendergast. This goes a long way towards addressing the need for an explosive pass rush specialist.  There could be some good LB specimens available in rounds 2-4 who might be too good to pass up on.  One concern however, there are a lot of light weights at OLB this year. I think the Cards will be looking for someone who weighs in at more than 230 lbs dripping wet and fits the system well. They can be a little pickier and less panicky on this selection now. As of this writing it appears the Cardinals are in serious contention for former Rams Linebacker, Brandon Chillar. He has the versatility to be used in both the 43 and 34. If the Cards don’t get Chillar, move this position up the priority list.

Priority 6: DE. The restructuring of Bert Berry’s contract, the emergence of Antonio Smith, and the signing of Travis LaBoy might make this seem odd, but injuries crippled the pass rush late in the season, giving opposing quarterbacks enough time to grab a Latte and get a manicure before deciding to throw the ball. By the way, I’m taking bets on which game Berry goes on IR this year, so get in on the action early. Travis LaBoy will be used primarily in passing situations as a two point OLB, but with 8 sacks coming off the line in Tennessee last year, I see him getting playing time at RDE in the 4-3. Chris Long and Vernon Ghoulston will be long gone before the Cardinals can pick, but that still might leave 43 DE’s Calais Campbell, Derrick Harvey and Phillip Merling to choose from although all 3 of these players will be much less of a need than a player like Cason. The 2^nd round could be a mine field of DE’s and with the 2^nd tier OT’s and WR’s flying of the boards in the late part of round 1 and the front part of 2, the Card’s would be wise to wait and see who might fall to them in the 3^rd or later.

Priority 7: K/P. I don’t care which; just improve one aspect of our kicking game. When looking at the league stats for team punting, just glance down near the bottom and you will see the Cardinals. When you only lead the league in the total number of punts category, the FO might want to invest a little time and money into this position. While managing to finish as high as 21^st in the league in punts inside the 20, the Cardinals were dead last in Net punting yards, 30^th in punting average, we had 3 punters, do I need to go on? On the flip side, according to most Cardinal fans it was the kicking game that cost the team like, 64 losses last year. Fix one and save one for next year so we can have something to complain about or blame a loss on.

Priority 8: TE. Even though we signed Jerame Tuman from the Steelers, a blocking TE is exactly what Whisenhunt likes to have in his running offense. Tuman will be on the scene for a year or two, so I think the Cards will pick up an undrafted training camp body that could be worthy of  grooming and a practice squad spot.

Now it’s time to make myself look foolish;

Round 1: I see it this way: at least one the 5 top CB’s will most likely still be on the boards. Order them as you will, we have Mike Jenkins, McKelvin, Cason, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, and Reggie Smith. If more than one is available, I will let the Cards make that pick, are you crazy? If none of these 5 are available then there is one hell of a player still on the boards. Take that guy.

Prediction: CB (Any of the 5)

Round 2: Best player at either RB, OLB or OT.  RB Chis Johnson or Kevin Smith would certainly fit the home-run RB The Whiz wants. An OLB like Erin Henderson, Shawn Crable or Xavier Adibi would team with new comer Travis LaBoy to help buttress the LB corp. OT’s Jeff Otah, Carl Nicks or Berry Richardson would be fine value pickups but not as pressing of a need. If for some reason a RB was the pick in 1 then that means the Cards have addressed the CB issue with a RFA like Denver’s Domonique Foxworth (hint, hint Rod Graves).

Prediction: RB Chris Johnson

Round 3: Here is where I do a lot of assuming, and we all know what that means. Fitz has been renegotiated, Edge stays for at least one more year, the Cards go defense in the 1^st and 2^nd and Tashard Choice is still on the boards. Hey, it could happen. OT would be another possibility if Richardson dropped or with players like Tony Hills, Kirk Barton or John Greco as viable options. OT Godser Cherilus might drop to round 3 after running like a drunkard at the combines. Or Denver could be picking here when the Cardinals sign RFA Domonique Foxworth to a 4 year contract.

Prediction: OT Godser Cherilus or Heath Benedict

Round 4: By now The Cards have addressed some needs and will be looking mainly at WR, OLB, DE, FS or OG.  There will be some very intriguing prospects at WR in the 3^rd and 4^th rounds. Jerome Simpson (no relation) is my favorite, but the Card’s don’t take too many small (and I mean SMALL) school players. But this Coastal Carolina wide out is a player. Jerome has the size advantage the Card’s like and is a coachable player. Dexter Jackson from App St. gets consideration as well as Hawkins and Avery who will probably be gone at this juncture.

Prediction: WR Jerome Simpson because Hawkins and Avery are gone

Round 5: Kicker, punter, LB are options, but BPA is what the Cards are down to. S is an option as well with names like Jamie Silva, Bobby, Roger and Darien Williams (don’t ask, I don’t know if they are related) and Michael Grant getting attention if they are still around.

Prediction: LB Bo Ruud if Humpal is not there.

Round 6 and Round 7: BPA

Look for this Cardinals Mock Draft to be revised as free agency progresses.

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Free Agency: Stretching  Bidwell’s Bucks

First let’s start out by saying, you would be better off believing a presidential candidate than believing an NFL GM at this time of year. The bluffing and eluding are in full tilt, and I would bet that if you hooked these guys up to a polygraph, their readouts would resemble a seismograph on the San Andrea’s Fault.

An example; when the Card’s GM Rod Graves was asked if they were interested in pursuing RB Edgerin James prior to the ’06 season, he denied any such rumors claiming that they were mere speculation. I barely had time to fix a tuna sandwich, before it was announced, viola, the Arizona desert suddenly had an Edge.

So we will ignore much of the posturing, and continue to look at the needs, cap space and current Cards free agents. Even after doing a little house cleaning and restructuring the contract of Bert Berry, the Cardinals are pushing a 100 million salary cap figure. This does include the $8.065 million for Karlos Dansby if he plays under the franchise tag for ‘08. Also included in this figure are the recent cuts of FS Terrance Holt, OT Oliver Ross and DL Chris Cooper which saved the Cards about $5.4 mil on the cap. Add in RFA’s plus the rookie pool and it leaves the Cards with pocket change to fill out the rest of their roster. This off season  Rod Graves will be busier than a one-armed fiddler with the crabs.

UFA’s:

WR Larry Fitzgerald. Fitz will have an approximate ‘08 cap number of $16.485 million and that figure boggles the mind. Of course you are hearing this from a guy who walks through parking lots looking for dropped change. This is the side effect of a #3 pick rookie contract and another reason many teams try unsuccessfully to trade out of the early part of round 1. Restructuring this monster is the first order of business for the Cards. While Fitz has professed his love for Arizona, that number has to drop significantly in order for the Cards to be competitive in the free agent market. Negotiations have been tentative at best, in the hopes that Larry will be a good team player and be willing to redo a contract that will net him in the neighborhood of $33 million over the next two years. Although soft spoken, Fitz is an action leader whose pro bowl resume is already impressive. Redoing his contract will go a long way towards gaining a significant locker room presence, in addition to allowing the organization to build a contender. In spite of his early achievements, Fitz has been nowhere near achieving The Ring. How much is this worth? The Cardinals are betting quite a bit on this, and here’s hoping they have a good hand.

LB Karlos Dansby. Having been slapped with the non exclusive franchise tag, Dansby will be making $8.065 million for the upcoming season.  I’d be happy with the .065 part, but then again I can’t burst through walls and wrestle the football from rippely-armed   Running Backs either. Dansby has said all the right things about being tagged, but will no doubt be looking for some long term love from the organization, and he deserves it. In 4 years Dansby has yet to play in every game but his stats are still persuasive, averaging 82.3 tackles, 5.25 sacks, 1.75 int’s and forced fumbles each year. His versatility is one of the keys to Pendergast’s defense and it would be wise for the Card’s to lock him up long term.

LB Calvin Pace. Having gone from bust to wanting to bust the bank, Pace’s market value is the hardest to put a finger on. Is he a contract year player, or an emerging star? The problem with the Pace negotiations will be perception; he perceives himself as deserving DE money and the Cards are looking at LB money. If the Cards can redo the Fitz contract, I think you will see a reasonable offer somewhere in between. The question is, will that be enough to keep him?

WR Bryant Johnson. Picked in the 1^st round along with Pace in the ’03 draft, Johnson will be a sought after commodity on the market and his return is very doubtful. Over 5 years in the league, he has averaged just 42 catches for 535 yards, and hasn’t found the end zone enough to even come up with a good dance move. However, many teams will view this as a result of playing behind two excellent WR’s, but he has had a consistency problem and shows up too many Sundays with stone hands.

LS Nate Hodel. The Cards might be forced to try to replace him with a dual role player to save a roster spot, and this could end up being a disastrous move. The big problem with that is, TE Troy Bienemann might be the best option, and he is a player the Cards would like to upgrade.

S Matt Ware, Bhawoh Jue, and Oliver Celestin. I think the Cards will end up keeping one of these three to play Special Teams and add depth. Not an exciting thought. Jue has the most experience, and also the most injuries. Celestin has played 4 years in the league and has 0 interceptions. Ditto Ware. Matt has the advantage of solid special teams play, and the versatility to be listed as a CB. He would be my bet to stay.

CB Ralph Brown. Average backup, veteran player who is a good role model for younger players. With that being said, the Card’s would love to upgrade him. He could probably quote U-Haul’s cross country rates off the top of his head.

DL Rodney Bailey, Joe Tafoya,  Bo Schobel and Ross Kolodziej. Bailey is a versatile  lineman who can play inside and out but is most effective as a run stopping 34 DE. He hasn’t had a sack in the last 3 seasons but the coaching staff has a familiarity with him through the Pitt connection. Tafoya platooned with Daryl Blackstock when Berry went down again last year, and came up with 2 sacks and 19 tackles in those 7 games. While those aren’t impressive figures, he at least showed he can play. Bo Schobel has bounced around for 4 years and will continue to bounce. He should be used to the cutting block by now; the Card’s cut him 3 or 4 times last year. It’s hard to keep track. Kolodziej ended an unspectacular year on IR. He is a loooong shot.

OL Keydrick Vincent. He will probably return for minimum if the Card’s can’t find a replacement. This is not a ringing endorsement.

QB’s Tim Rattay and Tim Hasselbeck. The Card’s had to sign the two Tims due to injury. Rattay was signed when Leinart was placed on IR, and Hasselhoff, I mean Hasselbeck was signed when Warner got injured. I sent in a suggestion that the Cards should design a QB uniform that looked like the Michelin Man’s. I’m still waiting for a response. Rattay will probably look elsewhere since we won’t need him as our goal line QB in ‘08, now that Warner has his left arm back. Hasselhoff, I mean Hasselbeck, will be a clipboard option if the Cards can’t find a youngster with potential.

RFA’s:

CB Eric Green.  With the Cards badly needing CB’s while needing to squeeze out some cap space, this will be a dicey call. My bet is the Cards will be forced to use the 1^st round  tender on Green to keep other teams from dishing up a poison pill contract. But saving money is in the Bidwell tradition, so I would not be shocked to see only a 2^nd round tender, saving the Bowtie a whopping $600 k on the cap.

DE Antonio Smith. Smith has slowly developed into a consistent player and came up with 7 sacks for the Cards this season. Drafted in the 5^th round there is no way the Cardinals get away with a low tender on this guy. Pencil him in as a 2^nd round tender and actually might be more sought after than Green. He is worth a long term contract if he has another year like ’07.

OT/OG Elton Brown. At one point, Brown was eating his way off of the roster, but decided to find the weight room, watch a little film and generally get his head out of his…ample bottom. With a little work he turned out to be a decent player, which is why the Cards took him in the 4^th round to begin with. I still think a team will be willing to cough up a 4^th rounder for a guy who could end up being a starting guard or at the very least a versatile back up. If I had to pinch pennies I might gamble here with a low tender.

LB Darryl Blackstock. He did manage 3 sacks in platoon relief of Berry, but I would take a 3^rd rounder for him just to send his ego packing. Low tender.

WR Ahmad Merritt. He showed lots of promise in preseason play before going down with a season ending knee injury. Merritt seemed to work well with Warner’s throw to a spot technique and ran solid routes against many defenders who were on the field in spread packages for the regular season. He is worth a low tender but as an undrafted rookie, the Cardinals would get nothing but a thank you if he is signed away so they might hold off and hope to resign him cheaper.

WR Jerheme Urban. Although he looks better in practice than in games, the Cards might take a swing here and hope a little experience cures the dropsy’s. My money says the Cards will not offer a tender and hope to resign him cheaper.

TE Tim Euhus. No tender. I think the Cards will be looking to upgrade the #3 TE position this off season.

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The Desert Defenders

 Call it a 43 defense, or a 34. Or an exotic 3 3 5. Hell, call it a 747 if you want. I don’t think Clancy would care.

That’s Clancy Pendergast, the Cardinal’s shape shifting Defensive Coordinator. Last January, for about 15 minutes, he was a candidate for the vacant head coaching position in the desert after Denny “They Are Who We Think They Are” Green was unceremoniously shown the front door, locks were changed and the alarm codes reset. When the Cardinals announced that The Whiz was coming to right the ship Denny had run aground (I know, it’s a desert), Cardinal fans wondered if Clancy would stay or go. And for 10 days we held our breaths until The Whiz shrewdly announced that the only time he would want to play against Clancy was in practice.

Finishing 17^th in the league in total defense will not get you a ticker tape parade, but extenuating circumstances, most notably injuries and a paper thin depth chart, helped lead to the barely bottom half placing.  Even McGiver couldn’t prevent 300yd passing games with the paperclip, rubber band and tape measurer the Cardinals were using as a defensive secondary by the end of the season. Once, I swear I thought The Whiz was trying to recruit a guy out of the stands on game day just because he looked fast. As it turns out, he was just trying to get a hot dog.

You might have guessed by now that we will be looking at the defense in this edition of our off season preview. So strap on your helmets, and let’s get ready for a positional analysis of the Desert Defenders (I mean, what else are we going to call them? The Kactus Kids or the Peyote Posse?).

Defensive Line: What can you say about DT/DE Darnell Dockett? He inexplicably drops to the 3^rd round in ’04, played in every game of his 4 year career, and is both dangerous as a 43 DT and a 34 DE. Even while teams were using everything but their mascots to block him, he notched 9 sacks during the ’07 season and still had to wait for an injury to get invited to the Pro Bowl. I don’t know, maybe it’s his funny looking hair. Playing opposite of him at the always glamorous NT position is Gabe Watson. Here is another guy who dropped like a stone during the ’06 draft, and has played with a chip on his shoulder. I have a room in my house smaller than this guy. All he does is eat up blockers and go unsung, and the Cardinals love him all day long. He will see some stiff competition for playing time next season from DT Alan Branch. Branch was a player the Cards traded up to get in the 2^nd round last year after being projected to go as high as the top 10 and while his rookie season was, well, a rookie season the sky is the limit for this mountain of a man. Watson and Branch have a lot in common (massive bodies, massive talent, and I think they both like to eat a lot), and should be a powerful inside combo when the Birds are in the 43 and great change up for the 34.

Bert Berry is a hybrid DE/LB who has recently seen the training room more than the football field, which is not good considering you could buy an M-1 Abrahms tank with one game’s paycheck. Berry could be a cap casualty this year, but the Cards will need to look long and hard to find a suitable replacement, as players with his skill set are rarely seen just hanging around unemployment lines. Chris Cooper is a hold over journeyman who showed flashes during the preseason, but little during the regular season. He is insurance if the Card’s can’t find adequate depth during the off season. It is a strong nucleus, but the Cards have some work ahead finding another pass rushing DE and some depth all along the line.

Linebackers:  While the DL has the potential to be a dominating unit, the Card’s linebackers could very well be the strength of the defense. ILB Gerald Hayes is rapidly becoming a force in the middle. A tackling machine, Hayes makes the Great Wall of China look sort and porous. OLB Chike Okeafer is another DE/LB hybrid type whose skill set and size makes him better suited to the SAM position. Unfortunately, Chike was injured before the season began and the Card’s will have to wait to see how he handles the position. LB Monty Beisel has been a pleasant surprise since coming to the Cardinals and is a blue collar worker of the Whisenhunt ilk. I think he will stay another year and be a solid contributor once again.

OLB Karlos Dansby has been tagged this year and will be back to punish RB’s once again for the Cards. Dansby has it all in a LB including numerous injuries, which has led to limited practice time and 2 missed games in ’08. This is understandable when you watch Karlos play, but the Whiz is old school about practicing and you can bet that will be on the negotiating table. OLB Brandon Johnson is on the squad, and that is pretty much all I can say about him. Oh, and he probably won’t be there next year.

Defensive Backs: The CB situation will be a determining factor in the success this team has next year. Rod Hood quietly put together one of the best seasons for a CB last year and no one but his mother and 3 Cardinal fans voted for him in the Pro Bowl balloting. He only led the league in the fewest yards allowed per catch and had the 2^nd best success rate in defending receivers. I can see how that doesn’t warrant a Pro Bowl vote. CB E. Green is a restricted free agent but I feel he will return so I will say a few words about him. Nickel back. That is where the Card’s need to put him. But first they must find a suitable replacement. Green is a solid player, but can be a liability when left out on an island in one on one. This is one of the reasons for Clancy’s exotic DB schemes. Getting help for Green over the top is often necessary, thus limiting the Card’s effectiveness against the spread offense which seems to be the latest craze in the NFL. The Bird’s scored big on FA Hood last year, but their other secondary FA pickup was Terrence Holt, who was scored upon by the bucket full. This guy was smoked more than a joint in a Cheech and Chong movie. He is due a $1.5 mil signing bonus in March and if the Cards are who we think they are, that check won’t be written. Look for the change of address forms at the Post Office Mr. Holt.

CB, no rover, no FS Antrell Rolle will be moved to Holt’s position. You remember Rolle, the guy who was screwed out of his place in the history books by an official during the Bengals game. All he did was intercept 3 passes and return them all for a TD, until one was called back by what was later referred to as an error in judgment. Oops. Rolle could excel in the centerfield, especially when playing next to SS Adrian Wilson, one of the best 3^rd round picks the Card’s ever made. Wilson is the heartbeat of this defense and it showed when he was placed on IR after the Detroit game. He does it all and will soon be looking to be paid accordingly. I think the Card’s will have to put that off until next year. S Aaron Francisco was an undrafted rookie in ’05 and he was a special teams Pro Bowl alternate in ’06. The Cardinals smartly signed him to an extension at the beginning of the ’07 season. This guy is a gritty player, and hits with authority. He will be in serious contention for the starting FS spot, after slamming his way up the depth chart. Francisco missed 6 games last season after being placed on IR and his physical presence and open field tacking was sorely missed.

Special Teams: Amongst Cardinal fans, K Neil Rackers new nickname is Real Chokers, and while it might not be that funny……look for the Cards to bring in some competition next year. P Rich Berger was brought in to replace Mike Barr who was brought in to replace Scott Fu Man Chu Player. I see a joke here. How many punters does it take to....? LS Nate Hodel has been with the team forever and the military wishes it had guided missiles as accurate as this guy’s long snap. Do they have Pro Bowl LS positions? If so, he should be collecting Lei’s from Honolulu. (I’ll resist the joke here).

Well that should do it for this installment. Next, we will look at the Free Agency conundrums facing the Cardinals this off season, and how we want to spend the Bidwell’s money.

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Ah, the off season in the NFL

Visions of 6^th round draft picks emerging as impact players, veteran castoffs rekindling careers, and coaching staffs coming up with winning potions to carry our team to that promised land we call the Playoffs. As usual, hope springs eternal for all Cardinals fans following week 17. After all, we are used to thinking about next year before the conclusion of this year. This off season, however, might have a bit of an unusual twist. With a young, competitive roster and roughly $30 million to spend in an effort to make it more competitive, the Cardinals are in a good position to (dare I say it) take that “Next Step”.

Say what you will about the bowtie, the Bidwells are the poster children for fiscal responsibility, preferring to use roster bonuses as opposed to signing bonuses and thus helping the Cards avoid huge amounts of dead money drifting like swamp gas through Cap Land year after year. Unlike past years where you felt that a new direction, and a roster shake up was on the horizon, this year we will be hearing a lot about the Cardinals efforts to retain, yes retain, their current players. And rightfully so. In spite of an injured reserve list that resembles a field hospital at the Battle of the Bulge and a fumble or missed field goal or two, the Cardinals could have easily ended up 10-6 or 11-5.

In an effort to show that I am not smoking bird feathers, the first two articles will focus on positional analysis with the players currently under contract (and maybe an exclusive rights free agent or two), followed by a close look at free agency and concluding with my favorite television event of the year, the NFL Draft.

With a league low 34 players under contract, there is a great deal of work ahead for the Card’s front office, so let the work begin.

First, the Offense:

Quarterback: The Card’s could have one of the better 2 deeps in the league at the helm position. Matt Leinart was crowned the ’08 starter within minutes of the regular season concluding, in spite of Kurt Warner’s gutsy performance during the ’07 season. Spending 11 games on the Injured Reserve this season might end up being a blessing in disguise for the young Leinart. Offensive Coordinator Todd Haley (never the quiet type) had Leinart breaking down game film all season in the hopes that the homework would help the game slow down enough for Leinart’s considerable talents to shine in ’08. The jury is still out, but the experience already seems to have dispelled some of the Hollywood Party Boy image that has haunted Matt since even before being drafted by the Cardinals. Playing Yin to Leinart’s yang, Gutsy Old Guy Kurt Warner turned in a season to be remembered (although I would love to forget a few plays), and returns for the back up role as father figure, and spiritual leader for the Birds. Warner was 10^th in the regular season in QB ratings, 11^th in passing yardage and 9^th in TD’s. Don’t believe it? Look it up. Not bad for a back up. A great competitor, team mate and locker room presence, I believe Warner would be welcomed on any NFL roster. Talk about a great insurance plan! Look for the Cards to address the #3 QB roster spot during the off season and I would not be surprised to see a clipboard holder drafted in the later rounds to be groomed as the eventual back up to Leinart when the ageless Warner’s contract expires after the ’08 season.

Runningback: The Edge churned out over 1200 yards this season running behind a line that lacked an identity for the first half of the season. Unfortunately, coach Whisenhunt’s power running game never materialized, and this might well be addressed during the off season. One issue the Whiz has with Edge is his lack of game breaking explosive speed, as evidenced by only 4 runs of 20 yards or more. But then again, didn’t we already know this? J.J. Arrington seamed to regain his confidence this past season and was an effective 3^rd down back. His 241 receiving yards ranked 4^th on the team, and a respectable 22.8 yard average on kickoff returns allowed him to contribute throughout the season. One time starter Marcel Shipp was M.I.A in the rushing attack, but as always, was a valuable special teams performer. With a salary of $2 million in ’08 Shipp might well become a salary cap casualty. Shipp clone Steve Baylark (also from UMass, same size and running style) spent the year on the practice squad, and could be the cheaper alternative. Gut feeling says the Cards will probably be looking for the RB of the future in this year’s deep class of backs.

Fullback: Terrelle Smith’s impact was not what was expected when the Cardinals signed him before the ’07 season. While his 62 yards of total offense was not surprising, he did not live up to the devastating lead blocker role envisioned by the Whisenhunt staff. If the position is not addressed during the off season, look for former Crimson Tide bruiser Tim Castille to be the man at fullback.

Tight End: Leonard Pope finally began to emerge as the red zone threat the Cardinal’s organization hoped he would be when they picked him in the 3^rd round of the ’06 draft. At 6-8 260 lbs and a bionic vertical leap, you need a step ladder to cover this guy and he is fully capable of creating match up nightmares for any linebacker or safety covering him. Look for him to better the 5 TD’s he snagged in ’07 before being placed on IR in week 14. The coaching staff is also looking for his blocking to improve, and there is plenty of room for improvement there. Last year’s 7^th rounder Ben Patrick has done it the hard way, by earning it and any coaching staff likes that. Patrick started his collegiate career at Duke (I wasn’t even aware they had a football team, and apparently not many people at Duke are either), but went from being a Blue Devil to being a Blue Hen (you know, Delaware) to being drafted and cut by the Cardinals. Later signed to the practice squad, he was promoted to the active roster half way through the season and showed he belongs in the NFL with 7 receptions for 73 yards and 2TD’s. The Cardinals have played with more Tight Ends than Matt Leinart did in college so I would not be surprised to see them acquire a stud blocker either in free agency or the draft as their #3.

Offensive Line: Any discussion about the OL has to begin with Russ Grimm, the Card’s Assistant Coach and Offensive Line Guru. Much improvement was seen throughout the year as a unit, but with The Brother Grimm as your coach one can not become complacent. Free agent pickup Mike Gandy started at LT and while his pass blocking was above average, his run blocking could eventually move him to back up or pack up status. Reggie Wells at LG is one of the best players no one has ever heard of and can play virtually every position on the line, and play it well. Al Johnson at Center started the year hurting and was spelled by the Find Of The Off Season, rookie free agent Lyle Sendlein. Look for competition at the center spot next year. RG Duece Lutui is looking like a steal in round 2 of the ’06 draft, while RT Levi Brown, the Cards ’07 1^st rounder had his rookie moments (see the December 9^th game against Seattle) but looks to be the real deal. Brown replaced Oliver Ross when he was lost for the season, forcing him into the starting line up sooner than coaches would have liked, but now it looks like Ross might end up being another cap casualty. Elton Brown played well in relief at tackle and guard, and finally looks like he will dispel the bust label after Grimm took away his trunk full of Twinkies. I see the Cards going OL again this year at some juncture, but the overhaul made last year looks to be paying off.

As if that wasn’t enough, stay tuned for the next installment; a visit to the Desert Defense and the wild world of Clancy Pendergast.

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