Posts belonging to Category Cardinals

GM Rod Graves proved in this draft why he is one of the most under-appreciated draft decision makers in the business. The Cardinals had glaring holes at quarterback and on the offensive line; but without any elite players at those positions in the draft, Graves made the wise decision to simply target the best player on the board.

In the 1st round that player was clearly Patrick Peterson. He was the No. 1 prospect in the draft in my opinion, and getting him at No. 5 is an absolute steal. Peterson and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie have the potential to form one of the league’s most feared cornerback duos.

I was surprised by the selection of Ryan Williams in the 2nd round, but when you consider the struggles of Beanie Wells through his first two seasons it makes sense. They probably aren’t giving up on Wells, but Williams is a smaller, more athletic runner and will be a nice compliment to Wells’ north/south style. Tim Hightower is a free agent and will likely be the odd man out.

In the 3rd round Rob Housler was a reach, but fills a glaring hole at tight end. Stephen Spach and Ben Patrick simply aren’t threats in the passing game and both are free agents. Housler is still very raw, but has the size and athleticism to be a matchup nightmare for opposing linebackers and safeties. He may take some time to develop, but has a very high ceiling.

I love the selection of Sam Acho in the 4th round. He’ll backup Porter and/or Haggans at outside linebacker and will likely be given an opportunity to win a starting job down the road. Additionally, he’s a high character guy that will be a great addition to their locker room. It was an excellent value pick at that point of the draft.

The selection of Anthony Sherman is somewhat confusing, especially because Arizona now has four fullbacks on the roster – and that’s four more than some teams. I’m not particularly high on him, but it’s tough to judge the selection until we see how they use him.

I was shocked to see Quan Sturdivant fall to the 6th round. There are some injury and character concerns (arrested for marijuana possession) but I certainly never expected this free fall. The fact that he tumbled so far makes me wonder if some red flags were raised in interviews – but whatever happened, he’s still well worth the risk in the 6th round.

David Carter only has one year of starting experience and I don’t think he’s a particularly good fit for the Cardinals 3-4 defense. He doesn’t appear to have the athleticism to play end, but isn’t big enough to be a true nose tackle. They also didn’t have a great need for depth at the position, which may make it difficult for him to find a spot on the roster.

Demarco Sampson has shown some talent, but has very little upside. He missed two consecutive years due to injury while at San Diego State and will turn 26 during his rookie year. He’s going to have a hard time finding a spot on the 53-man roster.

Overall, this was a solid draft for the Cardinals. I really like Rod Graves’ approach in the early rounds. However, at some point you do have to address your needs. If the plan is to bring in a veteran quarterback, that’s fine, but it doesn’t excuse the fact that the offensive line went untouched. No matter who you have under center, you can’t expect him to have Kurt Warner’s lightening-quick release and pocket presence. Until the line is upgraded, the offense is going to struggle to regain their form.

Yesterday I speculated that the 49ers could be a candidate to trade up for the No. 1 pick in an effort to land Blaine Gabbert. Another team in the mix to move up No. 1 is the Arizona Cardinals.

The Cardinals have made their interest in Gabbert very clear, and I believe there is a 99% chance they would select Gabbert if he falls to No. 5.

However, I also believe there is a slim chance that he gets past the Panthers, Bills and Bengals. In order to land Gabbert, they may need to move up, and the only safe way to assure he’s on the board they would be to move to No. 1. (more…)

Von Miller‘s stock has been on the rise throughout the offseason and it appears as though he’s headed towards a spot in the top five or six picks.

Miller has reportedly already scheduled workouts with the Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Browns – who own three of the first six picks in April’s draft.

The fact that Miller could go in the top five isn’t a surprise, but it is interesting that he’s drawing interest from nearly everyone at the top of the draft.

A fourth team in the top six, the Arizona Cardinals, may actually be the team most likely to draft Miller. They’re desperate for youth at linebacker and Miller would be a perfect fit in their 3-4 scheme. In my latest mock draft I have Miller going 5th overall to Arizona.

Update: Miller worked out for the Cardinals on March 15

Matt Peterson tracks the offseason needs of every team in the league. Today’s franchise, the Arizona Cardinals. [full archive here].

Season Recap - Just one season removed from a divisional playoff loss, the Kurt Warner-less Arizona Cardinals struggled throughout the 2010 season. Expected Warner replacement, 2006 first round draft pick and former Heisman Trophy winning QB Matt Leinart was released one week before the start of the season. The unexpected move placed the offense in the hands of Quarterbacks Derek Anderson, Max Hall, and John Skelton. No player seized the job, and as a result Arizona finished the season 5-11. Head coach Ken Whisenhunt has a long to-do list in attempts of putting Arizona back into the winning column.

Needs:
1. Quarterback – Besides Skelton’s successful drive to beat Dallas in week 16, there were few positives from the position. Arizona finished the season ranked 31st in passing yards and will need to find an upgrade at QB to improve. There have been talks of possibly trading for Kevin Kolb or Donovan McNabb, but the Cardinals could also decide to see if prospects Blaine Gabbert or Cam Newton fall to #5 in the draft. A veteran QB is probably the best option due to Fitzgerald entering the final season under contract. (more…)

On Tuesday morning on Mike and Mike, ESPN football analyst John Clayton suggested that the Eagles would expect at least a 1st-round pick in exchange for Kevin Kolb. He then went on to name the Cardinals as a team potentially willing to part with their 1st-round selection, the 5th overall pick in this year’s draft.

My initial reaction is to laugh this off, but there are only a handful of people out there that know as much about the NFL – specifically NFL transactions – as John Clayton, so I’ll at least entertain the possibility.

With Kolb, the Cardinals immediately become playoff contenders

The Kolb-Cardinals rumor is certainly nothing new. Ken Whisenhunt openly lobbied for a veteran quarterback last offseason (he was reportedly interested in Marc Bulger) and this offseason will be no different after the failed Derek Anderson experiment.

The rumors grew when Larry Fitzgerald endorsed him as a potential candidate to come to Arizona, and Kolb later said he would welcome a trade to the Cardinals.

But the 5th pick for an unproven quarterback who will turn 27 in August? It seems a little too steep.

That said, the Cardinals just might consider it. In the wide-open NFC West Kolb would make the Cardinals instant playoff contenders and help them re-sign Fitzgerald who is set to become a free agent following the 2011 season.

So while I wouldn’t normally endorse a trade such as this, I think this one is worth considering. If they enter 2011 without a viable long-term option at quarterback they stumble through another losing season and likely lose Fitzgerald to free agency. That series of events could send the Cardinals into a tailspin back into irrelevancy.

Nearly one-third of the league could have new starting quarterbacks by September. Due to a greater demand than supply, it’s likely that not all of these teams find themselves a new signal caller, but here are the top 10 teams we’ve identified as most likely to have a new quarterback in 2011.

10. Broncos
It sounds as though Josh McDaniels was the lone Tebow support in Denver, and with him gone it seems likely that the Broncos will consider other options. John Fox has indicated that he likes Tim Tebow, but he also isn’t ready to commit to a starting quarterback. They’re unlikely to address this need in the draft, but signing a veteran is a strong possibility.

9. Raiders
Jason Campbell is still under contract but their other four quarterbacks (seriously, they have four other quarterbacks on the roster) are free agents. Keeping Campbell is a definite possibility, but you just never know what Al Davis as in mind. I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of them trading up into the 1st-round (they already traded their own 1st-round pick) in an effort to land Cam Newton or Jake Locker.

8. Seahawks
Matt Hasselbeck is a free agent and may return, but he doesn’t have much left in the tank. They would certainly love to have Hasselbeck around to groom a young quarterback, but I don’t expect the Seahawks to commit to him as the starter. If he wants a guarantee that he’ll be a starter for the next year or two, he may need to go elsewhere.

7. Dolphins
Owner Stephen Ross has stated that he wants a creative, hurry-up offense in 2011, and that won’t be happening with Chad Henne under center. The Dolphins have grown tired of his slow development and seem ready to move on. Drafting a quarterback (possibly Newton) is a possibility, but they may prefer to bring in a veteran in an effort to turn things around quickly.

6. Bills
With the 3rd pick in the draft the Bills could have their pick of the quarterbacks, and Blaine Gabbert is a definite possibility. But the reason I don’t rank them higher is because I think they’ll strongly consider bringing Ryan Fitzpatrick back for another season. He was one of the biggest surprises of the 2010 season. The Bills may even draft Gabbert, or someone in the 2nd or 3rd round, and let them sit for a year behind Fitzpatrick.

5. Titans
Vince Young is as good as gone, and Kerry Collins is a free agent. However, I wouldn’t rule out Collins’ return. The Titans are in position to draft a quarterback (Gabbert, Newton or Mallett) and I suspect Jeff Fisher will prefer to keep Collins around to help groom their future franchise quarterback.

4. Redskins
After getting benched in favor of Rex Grossman, it’s hard to imagine Donovan McNabb returning to Washington. It’s equally difficult to image the Redskins sticking with Grossman for 2011. With the 10th pick in the draft Mike Shanahan is in position to select his quarterback of the future. Ryan Mallett and Newton are both strong possibilities.

3. Vikings
We know Favre won’t be back (and I actually believe him this time) and Tarvaris Jackson is a free agent. Joe Webb performed far better than anyone could have expected of a guy who was drafted as a wide receiver, but I can’t imagine Leslie Frazier sticking with him for 2011. The Vikings will either draft a quarterback (Newton or Mallett) or bring in a veteran (possibly Kevin Kolb).

2. Cardinals
Ken Whisenhunt wasn’t happy with the Cardinals quarterback situation entering last season and I’m guessing he’s even less pleased after seeing how it played out.  Drafting Blaine Gabbert is a possibility, but I suspect Whisenhunt would prefer to bring a veteran aboard, as he did last offseason. Either way, their opening day starter is definitely not on the current roster.

1. 49ers
Alex Smith and Troy Smith are both free agent and I would be very surprised if either returned.  I currently have them selecting Gabbert in my mock draft, but trading for Kevin Kolb is also possibility. Another option is signing a veteran, such as Matt Hasselbeck or Seneca Wallace, to keep the seat warm for whoever Jim Harbaugh choses to groom for the position.

Every year the NFL draft projections change as free agents sign and players get traded, but nothing changes the landscape of the draft – and the league, for that matter – more than a starting quarterback finding a new home.

This year the man on the move is Kevin Kolb.

Everyone expects the Eagles to either re-sign or franchise Michael Vick, and when that happens Kevin Kolb is likely to demand a trade. Where he winds up could have a ripple effect on the draft.

Here’s a look at a few possibilities:

The Bills own the 3rd pick, but it is entirely possible that they would prefer to avoid taking a quarterback. There are a number of 1st-round options, but no one jumps out as an obvious franchise quarterback. They may be content to trade for Kolb and use that pick on A.J. Green – a move which may actually have a more immediate impact on their rebuilding process. If that happened, it would mean the first quarterback wouldn’t come off the board until the 5th pick at the earliest.

The Cardinals, who own the 5th pick, are another option. I believe Ken Whisenhunt would prefer to fix their quarterback situation with a veteran, rather than with a draft pick. He knows he’s on a short leash, and drafting a quarterback would lead to a full rebuilding process which he likely wouldn’t survive. Adding Kolb would immediately put them back in the playoff picture in the NFC West.

The 49ers are in a good position to land a quarterback in the draft, but there’s no guarantee – especially if they have their heart set on someone in particular. In order to avoid the drama, they may prefer to trade for Kolb. That could cause for someone to fall to the Titans and/or Redskins.

The Titans are in a similar position to the Cardinals. They need a new quarterback, but their coach may not be around to see him develop. As a result, Jeff Fisher may push for the franchise to trade for Kolb or someone else who can help them win immediately. That could allow for someone to fall to the Redskins.

The Redskins don’t seem interested in extending the Donovan McNabb era, but they also aren’t in a position to feel comfortable about landing a quarterback in the draft. Trading for Kolb may be a smart move (if the Eagles could justify another trade within the division). If they trade for Kolb, it would increase the chances that a top quarterback falls out of the top 10, which the Vikings and Dolphins would be absolutely thrilled about.

If Andrew Luck enters the draft as expected, Panthers GM Marty Hurney has an incredible easy job… or so we think.

Obviously no one would fault the Panthers for taking Luck. He is the consensus top available player and arguably the best quarterback prospect to come along since Peyton Manning.

But what if they don’t want Luck?

Passing over Luck isn’t an option – it would be a public relations nightmare which could haunt them for years and ultimately could cost Hurney his job. Trading the pick, however, is a very real possibility.

The Panthers are starving for NFL talent, and aren’t going to get much from this draft. Remember, they inexplicably traded their 2011 2nd-round pick for a 3rd-round pick in last year’s draft which they used on Armanti Edwards. Hurney needs to find a way to add more picks in this year’s draft, and trading the top selection would net him a nice package.

Any trade for Luck would have to look a lot like the Eli Manning trade in 2004. In that deal the Giants gave up their 2004 and 2005 1st round picks (Phillip Rivers and Shawne Merriman) as well as their 2004 3rd-round pick (Nate Kaeding) and 2005 5th-round pick (traded to Tampa Bay).

Considering the fact that the Panthers wouldn’t be getting a franchise quarterback in return such as Rivers, I would expect the price tag for Luck to be even higher. The Bills have the best chance to work out a deal, which I expect would require their 2011 and 2012 1st-round picks, as well as 3rd round pick this year and possibly a 3rd in next year’s draft as well.

Additionally, the Panthers benefit from the fact that multiple teams will be in the bidding to trade up for Luck. The Bills are an obvious option, as well as the Cardinals, 49ers, Titans and Redskins. Anyone outside the top-10 probably doesn’t have the ability to move up, unless they throw in a proven NFL starter as well.

Don’t be fooled by the recent statements that the Panthers intend to draft Luck. All that does is help ensure that Luck enters the draft. In no way does it mean they have actually settled on him. They simply know that they want the option to either take him or trade him – either way, with Luck in the draft the Panthers are big winners.

It seems like every day a new reporter finds “sources” to tell him that Andrew Luck is leaning toward staying in school. I’m inclined to call “BS” on anyone who says Luck is leaning towards staying at Stanford, especially since it sounds as though Jim Harbaugh is as good as gone. But I’ll humor those who think he’s staying for a moment and throw together a quick mock draft based on the scenario that he stays. Here’s the top 10 of the “what if Luck stays” mock draft…

1. Panthers – Da’Quan Bowers – DE – Clemson
The Panthers don’t need a quarterback, so they won’t take one unless Luck is there. Their pass rush was abysmal this season, and they missed Julius Peppers even more than anyone could have anticipated. Bowers is coming off a monster year and should be an instant-impact pass rusher at the next level.

2. Broncos – Patrick Peterson – CB – LSU
With Josh McDaniels gone, the Broncos may be ready to give up on Tim Tebow after just three games. However, I don’t think they’ll reach for someone like Newton or Mallett with the second pick. The safe bet is to take Peterson, the best available player. Champ Bailiey may not return, and even if he does he’s on the downswing of his career.

3. Bengals – A.J. Green – WR – Georgia
One of the biggest decisions any team has to make this offseason is the Bengals’ looming decision about Carson Palmer. They could cut him loose and draft a new franchise quarterback here. I don’t think they’re willing to give up yet, however. A.J. Green is an elite talent and could be the young receiver Palmer needs to get the offense back on track.

4. Bills – Ryan Mallett – QB – Arkansas
The Bills need a quarterback to build around and should be able to get one in this year’s draft. But who will it be? Mallett, Locker and Newton are all worth considering. It’s pure speculation at this point, but I think Chan Gailey and Buddy Nix will lean toward the strong-armed Mallett.

5. Cardinals – Prince Amukamara – CB – Nebraska
The Cardinals are another team in need of a quarterback, but I expect Ken Whisenhunt to push for them to bring in a veteran.  As a result, they’ll turn their attention to the defense in the draft, landing either Amukamara, Cameron Jordan or Nick Fairley here.

6. 49ers – Cam Newton – QB – Auburn
Until a GM and a coach are in place it’s tough to predict how the 49ers will handle the draft. But one thing is certain: they need a quarterback. If they need to make a decision between Newton and Locker, expect Newton to be their guy.

7. Cowboys – Cameron Jordan – DE – California
Jordan isn’t nearly the most well-known of the top 3-4 defensive ends, but I believe he is the best of the bunch. The Cowboys will be looking to improve the defense, making Jordan a strong possibility here.

8. Texans – Nick Fairley – DT – Auburn
The Texans need to address their secondary, but with Peterson and Amukamara off the board they must turn their attention to the defensive line. Fairley is an elite pass-rushing interior lineman who reminds me of Ndamukong Suh.

9. Lions – Robert Quinn – DE – North Carolina
The Lions offense is progressing, but the defense still has some holes. Kyle Vanden Bosch hasn’t worked out and the Lions will likely look to upgrade their pass rush this offseason. Quinn may be the best pass-rushing end available in this draft class.

10. Browns – Julio Jones – WR – Alabama
The Browns are now committed to Colt McCoy, but now they need to supply him with some weapons. Jones, Justin Blackmon, Michael Floyd, Jon Baldwin and Torrey Smith could all be options depending on who leaves early for the draft.

Cardinals – Need a lot more than one aging receiver to fix their quarterback situation.

Falcons – Why mess up a good thing between Matt Ryan and Roddy White?

Ravens – No room with Boldin, Mason and Housh. Moss would pout, ruin chemistry.

Bills – Ryan Fitzpatrick has been pleasantly surprising. Don’t mess with a good thing.

Panthers – Think Moss will be a good soldier on a team competing for the No. 1 pick?

Bears – Lovie and Martz have their hands full already with Jay Cutler in the locker room.

Bengals – T.O.  and Moss in the same locker room? No thanks.

Browns – If Mangini can’t get along with Braylon Edwards, how would Moss fit in?

Cowboys – The last thing they need is another distraction.

Broncos – Do you really think McDaniels will get along with Moss better than Marshall?

Lions – Can you picture Moss accepting role as a No. 2 receiver on a 2-5 team?

Packers – Chemistry on offense seems to be great. Don’t mess it up.

Texans – See above.

Colts – Manning prefers his no-name receivers. And it works just fine for him.

Jaguars – Last place Jags aren’t going anywhere. Don’t waste the money.

Chiefs – Already hold a big lead in a weak division. Why mess with what’s working?

Dolphins – Marshall and Moss is too much ego for any coaching staff to handle.

Vikings – Been there. Done that.

Patriots – Been there. Done that.

Saints – Brees seems to be doing o.k. for himself without an elite receiver.

Giants – Can you picture Moss backing up Nicks and Smith?

Jets – I think they’ve learned their lesson with Braylon Edwards.

Raiders – Been there. Done that.

Eagles – Been there. Done that.

Steelers – After trading Holmes, adding Moss would be a step backwards.

Chargers – Vincent Jackson is back.

49ers – Can you picture Moss being happy in last place in the worst division?

Seahawks – The last thing Mike Williams needs right now is a bad influence.

Rams – Last thing this young, overachieving team needs is a bad influence like Moss.

Bucs – See above.

Titans – Kenny Britt has enough issues to overcome without Moss influencing him.

Redskins – McNabb and T.O. didn’t work. Why would it work with Moss?