A four year contract with a fifth team option year was signed by Beanie Wells late July 30th. Wells should be able to participate in Saturday’s afternoon practice.
It’s been a while and we need to complete our All Cardinals list as soon as possible. Whats better then voting for the Cardinals all time cornerbacks list over the weekend? As you can see here, we started with the quarterbacks back in March. In case you’ve never noticed, the results so far are on the left side of the home page. With training camp already starting and the preseason just weeks away, we still have the corners, safeties, linebackers and coaches left. That brings us to the Cornerbacks. As you can see, the Cardinals have had some noteworthy defenders in the past. Here are the candidates.
Roger Wehrli - ‘69-’82
1st Rd Pick
7 Pro Bowls
Hall of Fame
193 games, 66 Starts
40 INTs, 309 yards, 2 TDs
This may be a lock at cornerback as the Hall of Fame corner played his entire career as a Cardinal. Wehrli was drafted in the 1st round of the 1969 draft after he was an All American in college and ran a 4.5 40 yard dash heading into the draft. Wehrli immediately made an impact in his first season as he became an All Rookie choice. Wehrli was regarded as one of the first true speed cornerbacks. Hall of Fame quarterback Roger Staubach called Wehrli the best cornerback he’d ever played against and claimed the term “Shutdown Corner”, originated from Wehrli. Roger went on the make 7 pro bowls during his career with the Cardinals, along with 5, 1st team All Pros. With 40 interceptions during his career, he was later inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007, and the Cardinals Ring of Honor.
Dick Night Train Lane - ‘54-’59
Hall of Fame
4 Pro Bowls, 1 1st team All Pro
68 Games
30 INTs, 628 yards and 2 TDs
Another Hall of Famer that played in the back field for the Cardinals was Dick “Night Train” Lane. Lane was originally undrafted and started his career with the Rams. He began at defensive end, but once the switch was made to corner, it was all over. Lane became one of the hardest hitting cornerbacks for that time, and was also a notable ball hawk. He set a record that still stands to this day, with 14 interceptions in his rookie season. Lane played with the Cardinals from ‘54 -’59, and recorded 30 interceptions while he was with the team. He was mostly noted for his hard hits, and preferred tackling by the arm and neck. He was later inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1974, and will be remembered as one of the greatest football players of All-time.
Aeneas Williams - ‘91-’00
159/160 Games
8 Pro Bowls
46 INTs, 653 Yards 6 TDs and 498 Tackles
Williams is one of the greatest shutdown corners to play the game, let alone for the Cardinals. He was also one of the few bright spots for the Cardinals of the 90’s. He jump started his career in his rookie season when he tied for the league lead for most interceptions that year. He went on to go to 6 straight pro bowls for the Cardinals, and 8 in his career. He was also selected to the 1st team all pro team 4 times. Williams was also one of the key parts of that 1998 team that won in the playoffs, ending a drought of not winning their in over 50 years. Williams intercepted 2 passes that game and 1 in the loss to the Vikings after that. Williams was a great cornerback for his era and even though he spent the majority of his career on bad teams, he will always be remembered as one of the best cornerbacks all time.
Lindon Crow - ‘55 - ‘57
36 Games
15 INTS
2 Pro Bowls
The sleeper of the list, and honestly the candidate that’s here to fill in the list, is Lindon Crow. Crow was born in Denison, Texas, and was drafted out of the 2nd round in the 1955 draft. He was a good size cornerback for his time standing 6′1, 195 pounds. Although he only played 3 seasons with the Cardinals, he piled up 15 interceptions, and led in the league in 1956 with 11. During his time with the Cardinals, he also made the pro bowl 2 out of the 3 years. Crow went on to play for seven more years for the Giants and the Rams before he retired.
That’s it for the cornerbacks. Only the top two will be named to the All Cardinal team, leaving a very deserving Cardinal off of the list. So who ya got?
First, congratulations to last weeks winner, Jeff Gollin who took home the invisible trophy with seven votes/recs. It was a tight race this week though with three people receiving at least five votes. In the end though, who would have thought that it was Dockett who removed the tumor from Iwebema.
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We wanted to push back this week’s contest until today so that we could use pictures from this morning’s practice and the pictures didn’t disappoint. To see a full gallery of this mornings pictures, just click on Fitz and check them out. As we said last week, if you’re new this site and/or game, first of all shame on you, but welcome nonetheless. Secondly the rules are simple and the more active everyone is in creating your option caption and voting for your favorite, or favorites, the more fun it is for everyone. We’ve been getting more and more active, especially with the voting, as the week’s go by so let’s set a new record this week. As always, the winner will receive bragging rights about all things Cardinals until the next ‘caption this pic’ contest. Instructions for recommending are after the jump. Enjoy.
To recommend a comment, all you have to do is click on the link that says “actions” under a comment and then “recommend.” Got it?
The first practice of the 2009 Arizona Cardinals training camp is now in the past, welcome to football season. The team, practicing in helmets, shirts and shorts, worked for about 90 minutes in front of one of the largest crowds ever to attend day one of training camp. The buzz from last year’s success could be heard every time a popular player stepped on the field or made an eye-opening catch. The good news for the most part is that there really wasn’t much news. Larry Fitzgerald made a nice one handed catch and no one got hurt, so all in all, so far so good. Some observations from practice #1 after the jump:
Stephen Spach and his surgically repaired ACL held up nicely during his first practice. He wasn’t limited and was running with the first team offense during 7-on-7 drills. He even participated in the blocking sessions against the defensive lineman without any problems. He’s not expected to practice this afternoon but that’s a case of the team being cautious as opposed to there actually being a problem.
Fullback Justin Green was running with the first team during some of the 11-on-11 sessions which is pretty surprising considering most think he’s third on the depth chart. Dan Kreider was shaken up for a portion of practice though so that could have been the reason why.
During punt return drills Steve Breaston proved why he’s the returning starter and favorite to keep the job. His sure hands were on display as he didn’t drop a single attempt while his competition, Michael Ray Garvin (2 drops) and Ed Gant (one drop) can’t boast the same results.
The team is expected to practice in full pads this afternoon so it should be a more spirited session. We’ll see who is the first guy knocked to the ground.
Our division preview moves to the outside linebackers today and after seeing how strong the division was at inside linebacker with the likes of Lofa Tatupa, Patrick Willis and Karlos Dansby, we were expecting big things. The Cardinals outside linebackers are tough to analyze because this should be the first year in a true 3-4 defense, meaning that guys like Chike Okeafor, Bertrand Berry and a couple of rookies will be learning on the fly. Still though there is quite a bit of experience talent at the position but how do they measure up to their NFC West rivals?
Much like the Niners, the Arizona Cardinals boast above average starts at inside linebackers and meagerly mention their outside linebackers. The Cardinals OLB’s certainly have experience on their side but that also means that the clock is ticking against these 30-something’s.
The projected starters are 33 year old Chike Okeafor and 32 year Clark Haggans. Together they’ve appeared in 255 games in this league and recorded 82 sacks but Okeafor spent the entire 2007 season on the IR and Haggans finished the 2007 season on the IR. In the 2008 season the two combined for a grand total of 5.5 sacks which is not exactly what you’re looking for in a pair of OLB’s in a 3-4. The Cardinals hope is that a return the aggressive, attacking style particularly with Okeafor will result in an uptick in his sack totals. If both Okeafor and Haggans can stay healthy, the hope is that they can approach 15 sacks combined with guys like Darnell Docket, Karlos Dansby, Adrian Wilson and the backups (conveniently listed below) picking up the slack.
The primary backup should be second round pick Cody Brown, formerly of the University of Connecticut. Few question Brown’s ability to rush the passer, but it’s pretty universally accepted that it takes a full year to grasp the responsibilities of the position as a whole. That should leave Brown in the same boat as veteran pass rusher Bertrand Berry. Both excel at rushing the passer but would appear to have a hard time playing a complete OLB this season. The result, at least right now, appears to be two players who are basically situational pass rushers, but in that role could rack up between four and six sacks. Further down the depth chart is sixth round selection Will Davis who has proven to be quite an interesting prospect. A former wide receiver turned defensive end turned defensive tackle (after injuries by others at Illinois), Davis has the physical ability to play almost anywhere on the field but he’s raw and would most likely need a solid camp to make the roster.
Sadly that’s the entirety of the depth at outside linebacker, Three veterans trying avoid the ‘washed up’ label and two rookies hoping that potential isn’t the only thing in their bag of tricks. Maybe the Cardinals strike gold and their veterans stay healthy while Brown and Davis come along slowly or maybe the kids get thrust into the fire before they are ready. I could easily see the Cardinals out preforming this grade by a mile but realistically, I can’t go much higher than D.
Whereas the 49ers have established, proven talent at inside linebacker, the outside linebackers bring a mix of production and question marks. I would argue the 49ers outside linebackers could end up just about anywhere on the spectrum from crap to great and it wouldn’t surprise me at this point.
Parys Haralson was by far the most productive OLB for the 49ers last season, leading the team with 8 sacks. While Nolan was running things Haralson would get jerked on and off the field and was not getting consistent playing time until Singletary took over. The question surrounding Haralson is what kind of development the 49ers will see in 2009. Haralson is entering his 4th season and has shown continued improvement each year as a pass rusher. If he continues to improve the 49ers will move towards a more consistent overall pass rush. Part of that of course depends on the development of….
Manny Lawson. I would not categorize Manny Lawson as a bust or even a disappointment at this point. Drafted the same year as Haralson, only as a first round pick, Lawson has had a rather tumultuous first three seasons. He had a decent enough first year before getting knocked out for the season with a nasty knee injury in practice after week 2 of the 2007 campaign. He was back last season but lacked some of the burst and athleticism fans were expecting. And of course there was Mike Nolan’s ridiculous use of the Big Sub defense that sometimes involved Manny Lawson spending most of a game on special teams. Up to this point Lawson has shown he can handle the coverage duties of a linebacker, usually ending up covering the opposing tight end. He has not been given nearly as much responsibility in the pass rush game. Mike Singletary has said that will change this season and Lawson get his chance to rush the passer. The ball is officially in Lawson’s court to make something happen. I think no matter what Lawson’s numbers will go up simply because of increased opportunities. The question is whether he will become the second pass rusher the 49ers need.
The 49ers depth at outside linebacker is a mix of production and potential. The three primary backups competing for roster spots are Marques Harris, Ahmad Brooks and Jay Moore. Harris played in San Diego under then linebackers coach Greg Manusky (now 49ers DC). He’s a pass rush specialist who will get a long look given the fact that Manusky was comfortable bringing him up here. Brooks is a guy most agree is immensely talented, but also a head case of sorts. He can play some as an ILB, but will get his chance at legit playing time as an OLB. Moore is a guy the 49ers drafted in 2006 as a defensive end out of Nebraska that they intended to convert to a pass rushing OLB. Unfortunately he’s gotten hurt in the preseason each of the last two seasons and spent the seasons on injured reserve. I have an affinity for Moore that really has no basis in reality, so I’m rooting for him. Due to practice squad eligibility, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him end up there.
As I mentioned initially, the 49ers could run the spectrum of production this season at outside linebacker. They’ve had production from Haralson, but how this unit grades out at the end of the season will depend a lot on what Manny Lawson brings to the table in the pass rush. Accordingly, I’m splitting the difference for now and giving the unit a C, but expecting so much more.
In a division trademarked for its linebackers, the St. Louis Rams were embarrassingly substandard last year, thanks to poor decision making that left Will Witherspoon in the middle and arrogantly allowed an emerging Brandon Chillar to flee for greener, more frozen pastures. Addressing the situation at linebacker has been a top off season priority for the defensive-minded new regime led by head coach Steve Spagnuolo and defensive coordinator Ken Flajole.
The Rams made their first big move of the off season when they announced that Will Witherspoon would be moved back to his natural position on the weak side. That move was deemed so important, it happened before the free agent free for all and well ahead of the draft. The move will free up the athletic Witherspoon from having to take on huskier linemen and lead blockers in the middle, where he was long miscast with the Rams. Besides giving the team a more effective LB in coverage and pursuit, Witherspoon’s presence on the outside gives them another threat to rush the passer. He won’t likely top his career high 7 sacks from 2007, but he’ll get plenty of work in the attack-first system. He’s also being reunited with Ken Flajole, his linebackers coach with the Panthers.
The Rams have desperately needed a true middle linebacker and snagged their man, James Laurinaitis, with their second round pick. He has the size and ability to read and react well to action in the gaps in front of him, and displayed real talent against the run and in coverage. Most importantly, Little Animal has the intelligence and football acumen to be the “field general” that Spagnuolo has traditionally asked his middle linebackers to play. Laurinaitis won’t be known for bone crushing hits like Rey Maualuga, the other top MLB in this year’s draft, but he’s a solid tackler and a tough player. Lots of draft pundits felt like NFL success early on was a realistic expectation for Laurinaitis. He’s currently working out with the second team, but no one expects him to stay there. Early reports have been very positive.
On the strong side, the picture gets muddled after the release of Pisa Tinoisamoa, deemed a less-than-perfect fit for the new defensive scheme. Though Pisa was a contributor, it’s easy to forget that he battled consistency from week to week and often had trouble with blown gap assignments and bigger, more physical blockers. Right now, three players are vying for the SLB spot in the starting lineup. Veteran Chris Draft tops the list at the moment, but his ability to play all three positions likely keeps him in the all-important utility role. Larry Grant, a 49ers cast off picked up to bolster special teams last year, is another candidate for the job thanks to an impressive work ethic (a commodity valued immensely by the new coaching staff), a good spring and strong, yet unheralded performances with the team last year. Don’t discount the something-to-prove factor at play here as Grant gets the chance to see the 49ers twice a year. He was also a teammate of Laurinaitis at Ohio State. The third entrant in the SLB sweepstakes is last year’s Mr. Irrelevant, David Vobora. The former Idaho Vandal saw action on special teams last year and in the LB rotation for 8 games. He ended up starting a game down the stretch - partly for an audition, partly out of need - and racked up 5 tackles, 4 solo, in a tight game against the Dolphins.
Vobora and Grant should both make the roster, regardless of who gets the starting job. After those five, the depth chart is rounded out by Quinton Culberson and Chris Chamberlain. Culberson was tapped to start on the strongside at the beginning of last year, but was promptly replaced. He has talent that needs to be honed into a more consistent product. He’ll have the chance to do that in camp this year, but if he can’t put it together Culberson will be another casualty of regime change. Chamberlain is another seventh round pick from last year. He may get some work in the rotation given his play in coverage, but he’ll be counted on to step up his strong special teams play from last year. There are a couple of other names in the mix from undrafted rookie pool, the most intriguing among them being Mississippi State’s Dominic Douglas, who led the SEC in tackles last season.
The Rams are in a much better place with their linebackers than they have been in a long, long time, thanks mostly to the addition of Laurinaitis and Witherspoon’s move back to his natural spot. There are still very real concerns about depth here, and it would surprise no one to see the team pluck a roster casualty when teams start making cuts this fall. Spagnuolo and Flajole have reputations for finding diamonds in the rough among defensive players and their success with linebackers is being counted upon here.
The easy answer is “A”. A sub-Pro Bowl starter in his prime, Leroy Hill, and a once in a generation talent at linebacker, Aaron Curry - that’s got to be an “A”.
Leroy Hill struggles in zone coverage. He’s an after the fact tackler that is lucky to track down whatever receiver just blew by him. He hasn’t has been a consistent pass rusher since his rookie season, and though that might be because boneheadedness on John Marshall’s part, it might be that like Lofa Tatupu, he can’t find gaping inside rush lanes absent monstrous Marcus Tubbs. Hill has missed time every season since his rookie season with injuries.
Aaron Curry is a rookie. Even given the better than average success NFL GM’s enjoy drafting linebackers, first overall linebackers have less than a 60% chance of ever making a Pro Bowl (http://www.advancednflstats.com/2009/04/drafting-linebackers.html). They have a less than 40% chance of ever making two Pro Bowls. Curry wasn’t highly recruited out of high school and wasn’t a standout throughout his college career. He was an amazing senior and his stock exploded after an amazing Combine. He was never a great pass rusher at Wake Forest. Curry is projected to be a good pass rusher, but projections that don’t accord with reality have a way of disappointing. He’s a little stiff in his swivel and though much younger, probably less agile than departed Seahawk Julian Peterson.
So, then…
Both are monster run stoppers. Not tackle - tackle - tackle run stoppers, but jam the fullback into his locker, atomic wedgie the tight end and rip through the ball for a loss of four…teeth, run stoppers.
Both shutdown the screen pass and make a fumble as likely as a completion.
Both have rare closing speed, good agility, sound and sometimes punishing tackling technique and good field awareness.
Curry has the skills and tools to be Lance Briggs caliber pass defender.
Hill has the skills and tools to be a Chad Brown caliber pass rusher.
But there’s still too much locked into potential and not enough known about how they will be played and how they will develop, so though Hill and Curry comprise the most talented duo of outside linebackers in the entire NFL, they are not yet an “A”, they are a “B” with crazy upside.
D.D. Lewis, David Hawthorne, Will Herring and Lance Laury make up the depth we know. I’ve spoken of Lewis and Hawthorne. Herring is a former safety that’s a linebacker electron. His speed and agility give him potential as a coverage specialist, but he needs to add bulk and strength to not be a liability against the run. I’m not sure Laury makes the team.
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After seeing how strong the division was at inside backer, it’s surprising to see how many question marks each team has at outside linebacker. The Niners and Cardinals are making the 3-4 transition, the Hawks are counting on an awful lot from a rookie and the Rams are playing musical chairs. Where would you rank the Cardinals OLB’s and how good do you think they can be?
Check out NFL.com’s story on ROTB favorite Lance Long. He sounds like a confident, yet oddly soft spoken guy. From Long:
“When you don’t get drafted it’s like being a walk-on,” Long said. “You have to continually prove yourself. It’s a dream for all of us. I am not the only one. Really, it’s everyone in the NFL. But you see it more in guys like us who are kind of on the bubble. It’s a dream.”
The first full day of Arizona Cardinals training camp is almost underway with the first practice set to begin in just over two hours from now. Today will be the first, of six, two-a-day practices. Yesterday everyone completed the conditioning test and it was the first year, under Whiz’s watch, that every single player passed and some were even able to let up at the end. Yesterday’s story lines basically boiled down to Chris “Beanie” Wells and Anquan Boldin, although there are several mentions about Alan Branch impressing some people during the conditioning test. According to Darren Urban, Branch was even leading the pack of lineman during a portion of the drill. On to the bigger stories:
Beanie Update: Negotiations were ongoing last night and talks were “substantive.” There is hope that a contract is close and some have suggested that the two sides wouldn’t have talked into the night if a deal wasn’t close to being completed. I’d expect the deal to get done very soon, maybe even sometime today, but even if they’re signing on the dotted line right now, Beanie would miss both of today’s practices. Saturday and Sunday are afternoon practices and Monday will be the second two-a-day so him being ready by Monday at the latest would be ideal.
Boldin Happy?: Boldin spoke to the media yesterday and his demeanor was much different than the ‘trade me now’ procloamation from last year’s training camp. Here’s roughly
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from his exchange, thanks to KTAR. Overall it doesn’t really sound like anything has changed in Boldin’s stance but I think he’s finally accepted that there isn’t much he can do to change his situation right now. With that in mind, he sounds like he’s just going to leave it up to his new agent and focus on being one of the best players on this team. I wouldn’t look for him to be hosting Rod Graves or Michael Bidwell at dinner any time soon but at least he won’t be spouting off to the media everytime someone sticks a microphone in his face. Maybe seeing Adrian Wilson rewarded for his loyalty has struck a cord with Q and he’ll follow the same path.
Stay tuned and we’ll have some wrapups from the early practice today and hopefully some news on the Beanie front. It’ll be interesting to see if Spach and Iwebema are on the practice field and if Gabe Watson is limited at all.
Seems like he is looking forward to this season despite not getting his new contract. This will be great news as it takes away distractions from the team so they can focus on getting back to the playoffs and the SuperBowl.
That is truly a beautiful thing (via the official site)
In case you spent all day doing actual work or living under a rock, the Arizona Cardinals reported to training camp yesterday. The first actual practice won’t take place until Friday but the players took physicals yesterday and they’ll have a conditioning test today. The good news is that everyone who is under contract (yes that’s Boldin, Dockett and Berry) reported on time and in relatively decent spirits. The bad news is that first round pick Chris Wells is not there yet although his contract talks are ongoing. It’s worth remembering that last year’s first rouder Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie missed a practice or two as well, it’s just the nature of the beast. With all that being said there is new aplenty so we’ll jump right in (also there is a ton of audio from yesterday’s media sessions after the jump)….
Cards Getting Started - Some news is routine. First-round draft pick Beanie Wells remained unsigned and hasn’t arrived yet. General manager Rod Graves said Wednesday evening a deal wasn’t imminent but that progress had been made during the day. With the first practice still more than a day away, Wells still has time to get a deal and not miss any time. But, as expected, everyone showed up. Everyone is healthy heading into practice. And now – unlike many other seasons – success for this particular group will be rated not on wins and losses only but reaching the postseason.
Berry, Triple Q and Health - Yes, Bertrand Berry didn’t attend any of the organized team activities this offseason. No, Berry insisted, it wasn’t because he was – or is – unhappy with his contract. “Rest. I just needed rest,” Berry said during a good-natured media session Wednesday as the Cardinals checked in for training camp. “People have all kind of theories of why I wasn’t there, I was upset about this that, or the other. It was just rest. As I said at the end of the season, I’m not a spring chicken, I’m a summer duck. So you have to treat your body accordingly. You can’t do everything going on out there. You have to pick and choose your spots.”………………..Anquan Boldin was late but he had a good reason, considering that he doubled back to pick up Ali Highsmith and Early Doucet after their car broke down…………..For the most part the team passed their physicals with flying colors. Stephen Spach will be monitored closely and probably won’t participate in two-a-days while the team will also keep a close eye on Kenny Iwebema, but both players did officially pass their physical.
Wrapping up move-in day - Yadda, Yadda, Yadda, the Cardinals received their NFC Championship rings (pictured above) during a ceremony Tuesday night.
Opening day - Consider this a grab bag of news and notes - Everyone made ‘weight’ including Alan Branch who tipped the scales at a trim 332 (lowest weight since he was drafted)…..Boldin and Dockett are present and accounted for and they didn’t report any mysterious injuries…..Interesting note on Keilen Dykes looking especially impressive and in fantastic shape.
Coaches adjusting to their new roles - Coaches adjusting to their new roles, success brought about many changes on the Cardinals coaching staff this off-season.
One of the things that ROTB hopes to bring more of this year is audio directly from the players and coaches. The greatness of KTAR has agreed to send us some audio from time to time and in exchange you can read some ROTB stories on their website. In the end, we hope everyone enjoys the audio and if nothing else you can put in some ear buds and hear Whiz talking about winning Super Bowls instead of your boss yelling at you. Here’s what we got from yesterday.
Of course Ken Whisenhunt was the main attraction and he talked about the
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, receiving the
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and
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to pick up his stranded teammates (with a nice little play on words that deserved a rim shot.
Kurt Warner, always a talkative guy, touched on his
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this season,
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to camp and
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for new contract and he fin shed up with why he shouldn’t have to participate in the
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today.
Last but certainly not least is a guy who generated some head scratching here, Bertrand Berry and he explains
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e during OTA’s, why he’s
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of training camp and lastly, why there is a
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The NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals will report to training camp later today, although the first actual practice will not take place until Friday morning. When the team takes the field, most of last year’s squad will be intact but several players will be facing critical seasons in their career. Some veterans are trying to prove that they still have enough gas in the tank for another great season while some young players are trying to turn potential into production. The team can always count on solid, if not downright spectacular, production from the likes of Warner, Fitzgerald, Boldin and Adrian Wilson, but the following five players could be the difference between another successful playoff run or a January spent watching other teams run to glory.
Chike Okeafor: The Cardinals have Pro Bowl caliber talent at every level of the defense (A-dub, Dansby and Dockett) but Okeafor might just be the difference between a top 10 defense or a unit that struggles to support a high powered offense. Okeafor is entering his third season as a stand up outside linebacker (if you count the 2007 season in which a triceps injury in training camp landed him on IR), but there will be a major change this year. During the 2008 season, Okeafor played on the opposite side of the defense mirroring the ‘predator’ position created by Clancy Pendergast. In his scheme the ‘predator’ (Travis Laboy and/or Bertrand Berry) was essentially a pass rusher on almost every down while Okeafor often dropped into coverage, playing a role similar to a 4-3 outside backer. While this new role did lead to a career high in tackles, it also neutralized Okeafor’s best asset as a defender, rushing the passer. His 4.5 sacks were his lowest total since 2001 and, rightly so, left a feeling among some that Clancy Pendergast’s ‘hybrid’ system never quite utilized Okeafor’s attacking skill set. The defense is reportedly going to look and act much more like a traditional 3-4 unit this season and that should result in Okeafor returning to an attacking role, but at the age of 33 can Okeafor still be an effective pass rusher? Not only are the Cardinals banking on the fact that Okeafor can still turn the corner against more offensive tackles, the rest of his career might hinging on the answer to that question. Entering the final year of contract, Okeafor needs prove that he can still perform at a high level. The Cardinals secondary, on paper, looks much improved from a year ago but they’ll need Okeafor lead a consistent pass rush.
Lyle Sendlein:Sendlein is entering his third season as a pro and his second season as a starter so it might seem premature to call this a critical season in his career, but 2009 could be a turning point for young Lyle. After being thrust into the starting lineup after an injury to Al Johnson and suffering an early season shoulder injury, Sendlein struggled with larger defensive tackles and even got manhandled in several games. After a rough season most ‘outsiders’ considered the center position to be one of the team’s biggest needs but Coach Whisenhunt spent most of the off season singing the praises of his young center and backed it up by not selecting an interior lineman until late in the seventh round. With the team’s goal of becoming more balanced on offense in 2009, Sendlein will be one of the guys in the trenches that must improve in order for the ground game to be more effective. It’s way to early in his career to say that this is a ‘make or break’ season for Sendlein but how much he improves could just make or break the Cardinals’ plans to become a balanced offense.
Gabe Watson:At the end of the 2007 season, Watson looked like a player who was ready to have a breakout season. He started all 16 games in his sophomore season with the Cards and most thought that he’d have a breakout season in 2008, cementing himself as the Cardinals nose tackle of the future. All of that hope was quickly dashed by a freak treadmill accident that left Watson with a fractured knee cap. Off season surgery and rehab left him with numerous pins and screws in a knee that was right in 2008. The resulting pain and discomfort caused Watson to miss the first four games of the season and he didn’t start a game all season until the Super Bowl. Shortly after the season ended Watson underwent a second operation on the knee to remove some of the pins that were causing his discomfort. The new hope is that Watson can return to his 2007 form and again reclaim the starting nose tackle job. That would not only solidify the middle of a defense that struggled against opposing running games last year but also set Watson up for a lucrative contract next off season. A true nose tackle in a 3-4 defense is a hard position to fill and if Watson can prove that he’s a wide-bodied run stuffer, his future could be filled with plenty of dollar signs and the Cardinals defense could be quite formidable.
Co-Offensive Coordinators: The co-offensive coordinator title is a rare sight in the NFL but that’s what the Cardinals will employ in 2008. With the loss of Todd Haley in the off season, head coach Ken Whisenhunt decided that the best way to fill that void was to look in-house. The result was assistant head coach/offensive line coach Russ Grimm adding the title ‘running game coordinator’ to his door and former wide receivers coach Mike Miller now wears the ‘passing game coordinator hat. To top that a third coach, Whisenhunt himself will call plays. That’s quite a few voices trying to form a cohesive vision on the offensive side of the ball, but everyone has plenty of incentive to make this work. Whisenhunt is looking to follow up the most successful season in franchise history and quite possibly solidify himself as the most successful coach in franchise history (in a mere three seasons). Russ Grimm will certainly be watched by any team that could be looking for a new head coach next off season. Grimm, a long time highly regarded assistant coach, will get a shot at head coaching in the near future and another effective season with the co-coordinator title could be enough to push him over the top. Miller is hoping that a season as the co-coordinator leads to him stepping into the lone offensive coordinator next season, complete with play calling duties. While everyone is motivated to make this three-way work, it’ll be an interesting dynamic to watch as the season progresses.
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The Cardinals, as a whole, enter the season with unprecedented expectations and it will take a concerted effort from 53 players and an entire coaching staff to return to the sacred ground of January football in the NFL, but this group of players and coaches will go a long way to deciding the fate of the 2009 Arizona Cardinals. How do you see these guys performing? Who would you add to this list?
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