Voice of The Cardinals

photo courtesy of azcardinals.comWell NFL agent Drew Rosenhaus has struck again. Yes, the same Drew Rosenhaus that's had Chad Johnson, Terrell Owens, Javon Walker, Lance Briggs, and others hold out of training camp, looks to be advising Arizona Cardinal wide receiver Anquan Boldin to hold out as well.

As fans we can't completely understand the importance of training camp. We know and have seen enough to figure out that it's not a good thing for a player to miss the offseason work outs. But the degree it actually matters is something I don't think we can comprehend. The players that do hold out usually come back slow and sluggish and sometimes never fully recover. When rookies hold out it can sometimes be so detrimental that they never recover. Luckily Anquan Boldin is no rookie but he is the leader of the Cardinals football team. Having one of your captains missing for the summer can be a bad start to a season. For whatever reason chemistry sometimes gets messed up and it causes this trickle down affect to the other players on the team. The Cardinals drafted a cornerback in Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in the first round and another wide receiver in Early Doucet in the third round. Both of these young players need to practice and be around Anquan as much as possible so they can learn and compete with a Pro Bowl caliber player. Yes, they have Larry Fitzgerald but they'll need the competition and leadership of Boldin there also.

It seems like every player Drew Rosenhaus comes in contact with holds out for money. I don't think this is a coincidence. Not all of these players are demanding more money from their teams, it's mostly Rosenhaus manipulating these players into thinking they should get that extra money. If anyone deserves a little extra money it's Anquan Boldin. But it still bothers me that some guy is out there controlling Boldin's career and affecting his play on the field with off the field issues. Agents ruin players more than they help them, I just hope this issue gets resolved before things get too serious. Boldin will eventually get the huge pay day that Larry Fitzgerald got but at what expense to the Cardinals and himself?

Like I said before, the trade rumors that linger around are nothing more than rumors. They were created by Rosenhaus so Anquan's value would increase. So everyone should just ignore those and stop asking questions about them. Boldin will be a Cardinal this season but when he'll show up is the question? Don't expect this Rosenhaus issue to go away soon, he's also the agent of DT Darnell Dockett who is also looking for more money. You got to admit that Drew Rosenhaus is a great agent, he always gets his players money. But to us football fans he really is the Antichrist.

photo courtesy of azcardinals.comThe Arizona Cardinals have come to terms with 5th round pick, RB Tim Hightower. Hightower’s 3 year deal is the first contract signed by any of the Cardinals 2008 draft picks. As the offseason begins to progress I expect the Cardinals to knock down a few more contracts from the 2008 draft class.

Signing players early is never a bad sign. When was the last time you heard someone say, “to bad that guy signed his contract so early, it really ruined his year.” It just doesn’t seem to happen that way. So hopefully we’ll start seeing more young guys sign early on like Hightower so they don’t have to make up the learning curve. It’s obviously very important to show up as early and often to offseason training when you’ve never played professional football before.

I don’t know how good Tim Hightower is going to be. At first I thought he might make a very minor impact for the Cardinals. But the more I see Tim play the more I think he could really contribute. Hightower’s powerful short burst and excellent hands could make him a very nice third down back this next season. On top of all that, Tim has showed that he could be a very effective special teams guy, and anyone that knows the Cardinals realizes the importance of having solid special teams players.

I don’t think Hightower will make an immediate impact in the first few games of the season, but as time goes on and he grows I think he could become a very important piece to the Cardinals puzzle.

SI's Peter KingThis was a post by Eli on MVN.com

Before I get into my post, I should tell you all that I'm a little frustrated right now because I'm watching a replay of the Chicago Bears vs Arizona Cardinals MNF game. Nothing has changed obviously, the Cardinals are still about to lose, Urlacher hasn't been blocked, Devin Hester still took it to the house, and yes, Neil did just pull the field goal wide left again. Bad idea on my part to write a post while watching this game. Lesson learned, I won't do that again.

Alright, that Bears loss was a thing of the past and the future is bright. But apparently Sports Illustrated's Peter King doesn't think so.  Peter just came out with his NFL power rankings for 2008(click here for link). King ranked the Arizona Cardinals 21st out of the 32 teams in the NFL. I don't know if I should be delighted or upset about this. 21st doesn't sound that great, but when you compare it to Mel Kipers prediction that Arizona will be the worst team in the NFL, and to the 30th ranking King gave the Cardinals last year, It's not that bad. When I saw King rank the Cardinals 30th last year I was livid. But I calmed down and remembered he doesn't decide who wins the games. The Cards were able to finish 16th and prove Peter wrong. I believe they'll do the same thing this season. Here's King explaining why he doesn't have Arizona ranked higher...

"Paul Zimmerman wanted me to put the Cards higher. But I don't know who's playing quarterback, nor how good that quarterback will be. I don't know how much Edgerrin James has left coming off a 3.8-yards-per-carry season. I do know a defense that allowed a gaudy 399 points will be a little better because of the arrival of Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie at corner. But every year for the past three or four, some wise man in the media (I think it was me two years ago) says, "This is Arizona's year.'' And in the last four of those Arizona years, the Cards have gone 6-10, 5-11, 5-11 and 8-8."

I think King makes a legit argument, who knows how well Matt Leinart will play. He could live up to the hype and take the Cards to the playoffs, or he could completely bomb and be replaced by Kurt Warner mid way through the season. Matt's really going to be the wild card this year. I know there's going to be other question marks on the team, but it's really going to come down to him. I personally see the Cardinals in the top 15 even with the instability at quarterback.  Arizona has their core players coming back from last season, plus a few additions to add some depth where they didn't have it last year. I'm not so much worried about Edgerrin James as I am with the offensive line. I love what Russ Grimm did last year but they're still not incredibly strong and deep across the line. Hopefully another year together will prove to be valuable.

I can see where Peter King is coming from and I think he was a little more fair with his prediction this season. But I'd have to disagree with old Pete and show my bias by putting Arizona in the top half of the league for the 2008 season. But what does it matter what him and I think, we're not the ones that get to decide the outcome. Even though I'm usually right and he's usually wrong. It's true!

Mel Kiper jr. rubbed Cardinal fans the wrong wayThis was a post by Mark on MVN.com

As I sat there watching TV last night I was reviewing on of the NFL Live wrap up’s that included Todd McShay, Mel Kiper jr. and a couple of other talking heads. As the show was coming to a conclusion they asked the panel one by one who they felt would have the number one pick in 2009, or in other words, which team was destined to have the worst season in the NFL.

Mel Kiper, and I still can’t believe he is serious, PICKED THE CARDINALS!

Mel, sorry big guy, you're a moron.

His comment was followed up by some nonsense about how “The Cardinals hadn’t taken care of the Matt Leinart situation” and failed to address the replacement of Edgerrin James. I almost had to check my clock to make sure I wasn’t dreaming because the panel just stared at him slack jawed and let him push this garbage out of his mouth. The implication was what? That they should have drafted a QB? Or taken Mendenhall when they desperately needed a CB?

Mel, I have no idea what you are talking about, neither does anyone who even remotely follows this team. This team is deep at QB, has a solid coaching staff, a rebuilt offensive and defensive line, three quality receivers and a very good secondary. What in the world would possess you to think that the Cardinals would end up with the WORST record in the NFL?

Someone please bottle and save this idiotic prediction so we can toss it back to Mel when the Cardinals finish 2009 above 500 and fighting for a playoff spot. I’m glad he makes a living doing what he does, because he obviously has no idea what is even remotely going on with the Cardinals and it was just an easy slam at an organization that probably doesn’t give him the inside scoop he needs to feed his draft publication.

What a dope.

LB Ali HighsmithThe NFL draft is over, but the Arizona Cardinals keep making calls to pick up the left overs. I shouldn’t call some of these guys left overs because a few of them are pretty good. I don’t think these players will be the only undrafted rookie free agents picked up by Arizona, but for the time being here’s the list.

Keilen Dykes is a DT from West Virginia University. Dykes was first team all Big-Easy in 2006 and in 2007. His production went down a little bit in 2007 but that’s because he was being double teamed. I’m surprised he wasn’t picked up by someone. This could be a nice back up especially since Gabe Watson is out with an injury. At his Pro Day, Dykes ran a 5.08 40 and did 33 bench reps. Keilen is 6′5″ 300 lbs. Nice pick up.

Bryan Robinson from Division III Wesley College was another pick up. Robinson is a Division III all American Defensive Tackle. Bryan is the Atlantic Central Football Conference’s all-time leader with 47 sacks and 92.5 tackles for loss. It looks like he could be another solid depth guy.

Offensive guard out of the University of Hawaii, Hercules Satele, who bench pressed 225 pounds 40 times at last month’s Pro Day, has also reached a deal with the Arizona Cardinals. This guys a monster, I’m excited to see what Russ Grimm can make out of him.

It looks like LSU linebacker Ali Highsmith was picked up by Arizona today. Highsmith was early on considered a first day draft pick. But after a slow 40 time at the combine, Ali’s draft stock dramatically dropped. I’m still very surprised Highsmith didn’t get drafted. I thought he’d go in the mid rounds especially after he redeemed himself by running a 4.7 at his Pro Day. Ali is a little small for an NFL linebacker (6-0, 230) so that didn’t help but he still was a First-Team All-American! He was a stud in college and produced in big games so you know he can play football. This could be a real steal to get him undrafted.

Penn State QB Anthony Morelli was another pick up by the Cardinals. I guess all I can say about this pick up is sure, why not? You never know who could be the next Kurt Warner right? Maybe they saw some encouraging things and maybe this could be a new back up.

I really like this pick up. Arizona signed massive 6-8 305 lbs OT, Thaddeus Colemen from Mississippi Valley State. Here’s a video of Colemen. Thaddeus is very raw having no position coach in college. Russ Grimm is probably salivating over this guy. With a little practice we could see Colemen be a starting OT.

Some other signing I just received word about are

OG Carlton Medder, Florida

FB Dionte Johnson, Ohio State

S Dennis Keyes, UCLA

CB Marcus Brown, VMI

All of these guys have great potential. Three of them are guys from big schools that have produced in their careers. Marcus Brown from what I hear had I great career at VMI. These all seem like very solid pick ups.  If I hear of anyone else, I’ll add them to the list.

photo courtesy of azcardinals.comAlright, after all the mock drafts and all the speculation, the 2008 NFL Draft is finally over. Now it’s time to analyze what the Cardinals did…

Arizona Cardinal Draft Grade: B+

Let me explain why I give the Cardinals this grade. Arizona needed to fill needs at cornerback, defensive end, offensive line, running back, and wide receiver. They filled all those needs during the two days of the draft, so that’s one plus right there. But not only did Arizona fill their needs, they did it while taking the best player on the board with each pick. I’m a guy who loves when teams take the best player available, so that made me excited to see them not drafting just for need. I know some of you including myself may wonder a little bit about some of the decisions made, but I actually trust the Cardinals with most of these picks.

It was a very tough decision when it came down to Rashard Mendenhall and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie in the first round. I felt it was a can’t lose situation and was glad I wasn’t the guy making the pick. I think Mendenhall is going to be a great player, but I’ve been on the Cromartie bandwagon for a while now and I’ve felt he would be the best player for the Cardinals. So while some of you are wishing we had Mendenhall, I think you should look at the great upside and talent DRC adds to the Cardinals defense.

In the second round I think a lot of Cardinal fans were expecting a running back here since Arizona passed on one in the first round. Well Whisenhunt and Graves stuck to their board and took the best player available in 6′8 295lb DE, Calais Campbell. I do believe Campbell was the best player at this spot, many scouts thought he was going in the first round but he slid all the way to the Cardinals in the second and I think it was an easy pick for Arizona to make. The Cards needed a DE and got one in a big way(pun intended). This looks like a real steal in the second round.

By now everyone assumed the pick here in the 3rd round had to be an offensive linemen or running back. Well the Cardinals surprised a lot of people by once again taking the best player available in LSU WR, Early Doucet. Doucet was another guy that many originally had going in the first round, but because of his average 40 time he slipped all the way to the middle of the 3rd. It blows my mind that Early went this late in the draft. He’s a very similar player to Anquan Boldin, and anyone similar to Boldin I want on my team. I know a lot of fans including myself wanted to see DE Cliff Avril drafted here. That would have been nice but I can’t complain with Arizona taking the best player and improving the depth at wide receiver. Doucet really is a stud and I’m happy he’s a Cardinal.

The 4th round pick was a bit of a surprise. The Cardinals took 6′4″, 275lb DE from Iowa, Kenny Iwebema. Kenny was not rated high on most peoples boards but defensive line coach Ron Aiken has worked with Kenny back when he was a coach at Iowa. So hopefully the inside information on this pick pays off. Myself and many others were hoping for an OT or RB with this pick but I think we have to trust the Cardinals and hope they know what they’re doing. With a little work, it seems like Kenny could be a very solid player.

The 5th round pick was not a surprise because the Cardinals finally drafted a running back, but it was a surprise because of who they drafted. Arizona took RB from AA Richmond, Timothy Hightower. At first this pick seemed a little weird because all the talk was that Arizona wanted a speed back and Hightower is more of a bruiser. But after reading up and looking at more film on Tim, I started to like this pick. Hightower has good, in game speed and great hands for a big RB. He should be a very nice special teams guy and a good short down back. He’s not a blazing fast RB like Chris Johnson but I think I might like this guy.

The 6th round pick was surprising to me because the Cardinals selected another DE in 6′5″ 275lb Chris Harrington. Chris was second team All-Big 12 at Texas A&M in 2007 which is always a plus. From what I’ve seen Harrington is a tough dude with a good nose for the ball. I expect the Cardinals to look at Chris as more of a 3-4 OLB. I’d say this was another good pick from what I’ve seen.

In the 7th round the Cardinals realized they needed an offensive linemen and filled that need by picking the very large Brandon Keith. Keith is a 6′5″345lb OT from Northern Iowa. Brandon is of course very strong and very fast for his size, running just over 5 seconds in the 40 during his pro day. His technique needs a little work but that can be fixed by Russ Grimm. Keith will add much needed depth to the Cardinals offensive line. I really like this pick.

I can’t really complain about much, we’ll see over time how these picks turn out, but for the moment I’m feeling pretty good about everything. I think the Cardinals coaches can turn some of these guys into very good football players.

photo courtesy of azcardinals.comThis was a post by Mark on MVN.com 

Finally one of “my boys” gets selected from my mock draft!

I’ve been on the Chris Harrington bandwagon for well over a month now and even with the prior selections of Calais Campbell and Kenny Iwebema the Cardinals, who clearly are reading my blog at this point, went and got one of my targeted picks in the DE from Texas A&M. His selection completes the transformation of the DE/OLB position on the Cardinals from one of weakness to one of strength and depth.

You can go back and look at my prior posts but Harrington is a 100% effort guy who plays when he’s hurt, is a leader and is perfect as a depth and rotation guy who might eventually turn into a starter in the NFL. What everyone needs to keep in mind is the team is looking at Antonio Smith becoming an unrestricted free agent next year and Dockett is looking for more money on his contract. If you don’t have depth and talent behind them you are held hostage by the player with no room to negotiate.

Harrington, in my read of his talent and the Cardinals hybrid scheme is probably going to be slotted behind Travis LaBoy and Bert Berry. Depending on how injuries and training camp go you could see further cuts given the depth that is being developed through this draft. The other great thing is you can see the team deciding to build the core of the team in the trenches and that is where games are won and lost.

Another solid selection here in round 6.

This was a post by Mark on MVN.com 

In a move that is sure to upset the Cardinals fan’s on the Internet the team selected a Division AA star out of Richmond, Timothy Hightower as their number five selection and as their running back choice in this years draft.

Everyone had been expecting and wanting the home run threat for a change of pace from Edge, but if you go back and look at last year their bigger issue was they really didn’t have a goal line/short yardage guy who could pound between the tackles, catch the ball out of the back field and give coach Whisenhunt the play action threat they needed. The fact is that the speed guys were gone early, the Cardinals had bigger needs on the defensive side of the football and in yet another solid move the team went with a Marcel Shipp replacement with Tim Hightower.

I would have liked to seen them grab an OT with this pick but I can certainly see the logic here. You save almost $1 million in cap space if Shipp is released, you gain a young set of legs on a power back and you still have the on going J.J. Arrington experiment to see if he ever gets over the hesitation and mistakes that keep him from being a true speed back for the team, which was what he was drafted for.

The proof will be in training camp but I again give this pick a solid grade of a B given what else was still on the board and the team’s needs. The staff clearly has decided who needs to be replaced off the current roster and if I were Joe Tafoya, Marcel Shipp, Jamacia Rector, Ahmad Merritt and even Bert Berry i’d not be signing any long term leases at the moment.

photo courtesy of azcardinals.comThis was a post by Mark on MVN.com

In a somewhat surprising move the Cardinals selected Kenny Iwebema the DE from Iowa with the forth selection.

However, upon doing some research and digging this is clearly an ” inside the family ” type selection in that Cardinals defensive line coach Ron Aiken’s was formerly the guys position coach at Iowa and obviously holds this player in high regard. He’s a big, 6′ 4″, 275 lbs, quick DE who is very strong against the run and has shown some pass rushing ability early in his career. The more I look into his back ground and check out his history this is a potentially another solid depth pick to the area of greatest concern from last year the DL.

You can now line up Dockett, Watson and Smith in the 3-4 and you have Branch, Campbell and Iwebema as your depth guys. Thats a very solid rotation and good young depth, and with the rebuild of the OLB position through the additions of Hagans and Laboy the front seven is really stocked and highly competitive now. Add in Okefor and Berry to the mix and this might be the kind of front seven that allows them to compete for a play off run this year.

I love what they are doing with this draft in beefing up the defense and taking value.

What i’d like to see in the next three selections is another CB, and offensive Tackle and the running back. I just saw that the Bronco’s took my guy Ryan Torrain in the early stage of the fifth, so he’s off the board. Time to go back and see who is left. By the way he’s going to be a huge addition to the Broncos.

photo courtesy of azcardinals.comThis is a post by Mark on MVN.com

In a move that only reinforces that a new day has dawned in Arizona Cardinals draft history the team continues to pick the best player available with the selection of Early Doucet from LSU.

In my final mocks I had the Cardinals looking for a WR in this round, specifically Jerome Simpson from Coastal Carolina. However, that was based on the assumption that a player like Doucet would be long gone by now. Quite simply this is a steal at this point in the draft based on his college production, skills as a receiver and physical ability. The only thing anyone could pick at with this guy, and please remember most experts had him as a first round guy pre-combine, was a somewhat slow 40 for a premier receiver.

The Cardinals desperately needed a true number 3 receiver who wasn’t a project, ala Jereme Urban or Steve Breaston, and who could step up to the number two position if either Boldin or Fitzgerald go down with an injury. ( Something that has happened every season for the last three years at one time or another.) The Cardinals addressed an area of key concern and depth with a top quality talent and this is a great pick.

I hated to see Cliff Avaril passed over but the value pick here clearly was Doucet and you have to imagine the QB’s are smiling over at Cardinals camp this morning.

photo courtesy of azcardinals.comFinally the first day of the draft and went. After all the waiting and anticipation the Arizona Cardinals drafted Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie with the 16th pick and Calais Campbell with the 50th.

I know a lot of Cardinal fans were hoping Arizona would pick Rashard Mendenhall when he fell to them. I wouldn’t have been upset at all if they decided to go with the stud running back, but I really like Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. I’ve been saying the Cardinals will pick DRC for the last 4 months and I’ve felt he’s a freak talent that you can’t pass up. This improves the Cardinals secondary dramatically right away. I’m very pleased with this pick as you can tell, I know some of you might not be too happy because Mendenhall was there, but I really feel Cromartie is going to be the real deal.

Arizona’s second round pick was DE Calais Campbell from Miami. I love this pick. The speculation was Arizona would take a running back at this spot, but DE was a need and Calais Campbell was the best player available. Most scouts and analyst including myself thought Campbell would be drafted in the first round. So I definitely see this pick as a steal. Campbell is a massive 6 foot 8 and 295 pounds, most of which is muscle. He has good quickness and leverage for a guy his size, so nobody should worry too much about that.

Things went better than I thought they’d go. I’m very encouraged and excited to see what happens tomorrow for Day two.  Here’s a couple guys you should pay attention to for tomorrow…

•  Jamaal Charles, RB
• Cliff Avril, OLB
• Oniel Cousins, OT
• Charles Godfrey, CB
• Dan Connor, ILB
• Kevin Smith, RB
• Antwuan Molden,CB
• Justin King, CB
• Mario Manningham, WR
• Reggie Smith, CB
• Early Doucet, WR
• Jeremy Zuttah, OG
• Xavier Adibi, OLb

photo courtesy of azcardinals.com

So here is my final mock draft. Even though it’s just too hard to tell whats going to happen, I should still do much better than Mark. I’ve said for months that I think the Cardinals will take Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie but I’m starting to think it actually could be Jonathan Stewart. So now I’m all screwed up, but since I’ve guessed DRC for months, I might as well stick with him. But Arizona taking Stewart would not surprise me. I’ll have all my answers in less than 24 hours so I’m not going to stress too much on this. But I take pride in being very accurate with my mock drafts every year. So will see how close I get.

1) Miami Dolphins- Jake Long, OT-Michigan

2) St. Louis Rams- Chris Long, DE-Virginia

3) Atlanta Falcons- Matt Ryan, QB-Boston College

4) Oakland Raiders- Darren McFadden, RB-Arkansas

5) Kansas City Chiefs- Glenn Dorsey, DT-LSU

6) New York Jets- Vernon Gholston, DE-Ohio State

7) New England Patriots- Keith Rivers, LB- USC (Look for trade with Saints to get Ellis)

8. Baltimore Ravens- Ryan Clady, OT-Boise State

9) Cincinnati Bengals- Sedrick Ellis, DT-USC

10) New Orleans Saints-Leodis McKelvin, CB-Troy

11) Buffalo Bills-Devin Thomas, WR- Michigan State

12) Denver Broncos- Chris Williams, OT-Vanderbilt

13) Carolina Panthers- Derrick Harvey, DE-Florida

14) Chicago Bears- Branden Albert, G-Virginia

15) Detroit Lions- Rashard Mendenhall, RB-Illinois

16) Arizona Cardinals- Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB-Tenn St.

17) Kansas City Chiefs–Jeff Otah, T-Pittsburgh

18) Houston Texans- Jonathan Stewart, RB-Oregon

19) Philadelphia Eagles- Mike Jenkins, CB-South- Florida

20) Tampa Bay Buccaneers- Aqib Talib, CB-Kansas

21) Washington Redskins-Limas Sweed, WR-Texas

22) Dallas Cowboys- Felix Jones, RB-Arkansas

23) Pittsburgh Steelers- Phillip Merling, DE-Clemson

24) Tennessee Titans- Kentwan Balmer, DT-North Carolina

25) Seattle Seahawks- Dustin Keller, TE- Purdue

26) Jacksonville Jaguars- Calais Campbell, DE-Miami

27) San Diego Chargers- Gosder Cherilus, OT- Boston College

28) Dallas Cowboys- Malcolm Kelly, WR- Oklahoma

29) San Francisco 49ers (from Indy)- James Hardy, WR- Indiana

30) Green Bay Packers- Brandon Flowers, CB- Virginia Tech

31) New England Patriots-Forfeited

32) New York Giants- Kenny Phillips, S- Miami.

Arizona’s second round I’m going to guess Jamaal Charles from Texas.

Third Round I’m hoping Mark’s second round pick actually slips to the third and they take Cliff Avril, DE from Purdue.

Fourth Round I’ll have them taking Tony Hills, OT from Texas.

Fifth Round- Lavelle Hawkins, WR from University of California

Sixth Round- Joe Jon Finley, TE, Oklahoma

Seventh Round- Tommy Blake- DE, TCU

Alright, those are my picks and all the speculation is gone. I’ll give some of my insight tomorrow after day one of the draft.

photo courtesy of azcardinals.comThis is a post by Eli on MVN.com  

By now most of you have heard that the Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles have offered trades to the Cardinals for Anquan Boldin. GM Rod Graves said, “We’re not interested in trading Anquan.” GM’s don’t always tell the truth, but I believe Rod when he says the Cardinals are not trading Boldin.

Anquan’s infamous agent Drew Rosenhaus met with Rod Graves and Ken Whisenhunt in December over Boldin’s contract. According to Graves, the Cardinals offered Anquan a contract that would put him among the five highest-paid receivers within three years. Rosenhaus rejected that offer and said he was going to wait until Larry Fitzgerald’s contract was done. I think this is good news because both teams are talking and interested in getting a deal done. Rosenhaus and many other agents always play the game and say that their player would welcome a trade. That’s nothing more than a bluff and no Cardinal fan should worry about it. The thing that does cause a little concern is all of Drew’s clients hold out for big money. There’s a chance Anquan may hold out until he gets offered a contract worth more than Fitzgerald’s. So that could cause some concern but I feel confident that a deal will be done and Anquan will be a Cardinal for the next few years.

The Cardinals know better than anyone how valuable Boldin is to this team. He’s one of the top players at any position and you can’t find a replacement for him. I’m guessing the Cardinals are smart enough to keep together the best receiving duo in the league. There will be no trade for Anquan Boldin, so don’t panic Cardinal fans.

This was a post by Mark On MVN.com  

In what will be my final complete mock draft now that we are one week away from the actual 2008 NFL draft I will look at all 32 first round picks and then take rounds 2-7 to look at what I think, or hope, the Cardinals might do in those selections.One of the first things to point out is that this mock will attempt to slot players to team on a prediction basis and not on a “what I think is best for each team” basis that is so common in most mock drafts. I might not agree it’s the best choice but I want to take a run at who I think will actually end up with which team so that I can better predict the Cardinals options. The problem is there is so much bluffing and calculated leaks of information the week ahead of the draft it makes figuring out a teams intentions pretty tough.

Miami- A lot has happened and is happening on this top pick, with the buzz as of today being that Vernon Gholston might be the guy the Dolphin’s have their eyes on. This after the Jake Long story was circulated and publications before that had Chris Long. I think the decision comes down to Parcells being able to sign one or the other but I think the recent Gholston talk is being used to generate pressure on Jake Long to take a below market contract. At the end of the day this pick is too important to screw up over money and I still think the Dolphin’s take the sure thing in Jake Long here.

St. Louis-The Ram’s would love to see Jake Long fall to them here and if he does he goes to the Rams. However, if gone I see them making a choice between Chris Long, Vernon Gholston and Glenn Dorsey to bolster their defensive line. I think Dorsey is the best defensive lineman in the draft by far but St. Louis is looking edge pass rushing talent. At the end of the day you don’t pass on a beast like Dorsey and I think Glenn Dorsey goes to St. Louis.

Atlanta- The Falcon’s want Glenn Dorsey badly and now that he’s gone the question is do they stock up the line or go for the QB? The tendency is to think that they go for line help but if you go best value at the most important position in the game you have to look at Matt Ryan in this slot. The Falcon’s can’t afford to get too cute and think a franchise QB will be there at the bottom of the round or in the second round so if Dorsey is gone I see them going with Matt Ryan here.

Oakland- I think Al Davis badly wants Vernon Gholston to drop and if he is here you might see the Raiders grab him. However, in this slot the choice is between McFadden, Long and Gholston, with the choice being McFadden as Al Davis knows rookie running backs can make immediate improvements in a team. I think the Raiders phones ring here for teams that want Gholston, Ellis or McFadden so a lot could happen with this pick, but if not traded this is McFadden’s slot.

Kansas City- The Chiefs want OL help and the big buzz is they have their eye on Brandon Albert, the OG from Virginia that has flown up the draft boards in the last weeks. I absolutely think this is a reach to take Albert here if you want him to play LT, a position he has only played for two games and if it were my call i’d want him mid round to be an all pro OG. However, the word is the Chiefs really like him, they need OL help badly and his versatility and athletic ability is intriguing, so much like Levi Brown last year, this slot gets filled by a bit of a reach at number 5 by Brandon Albert.

N.Y. Jets- The Jets have got to be pretty happy to see both Vernon Gholston and Chris Long here as one of their big areas of need is pass rush. The word has been that the Jets want Gholston badly, so badly the Dolphins are tossing his name in the conversation to possibly generate a trade with the Jets, so to find him in this slot makes for a very happy Jet’s war room. Vernon Gholston goes to the NY Jets.

New Orleans (Trade)- I think the Patriots trade out and like I said in my mock draft they have ammunition at this point to get it done. Chris Long and Cedrick Ellis sitting here is a gift and the Patriots can’t lose with either. DL help is a premium position and the Saints, Bengals and Bronco’s all badly want Ellis on their DL next year. This pick will be traded under this scenario, most likely to New Orleans, with Ellis being the pick in the 7th slot regardless of which team gets him.

Baltimore- The Raven’s will be looking hard at O-Line help but having Chris Long drop to the 8th slot, which quite frankly is about where I would think he is properly valued, is a good solid choice for Baltimore. They might be tempted to grab one of the corners or an LT but Chris Long is too good at this point to drop any further.

Cincinnati- The Bengals gamble and lose with both defensive linemen they badly want gone at this point due to trades made ahead of them. The next best value at this point are the OT’s and Ryan Clady is a top prospect. I think the Bengals will try to trade out of this slot if Ellis is gone, but failing that they take the best LT in the draft in Ryan Clady.

New England (Trade)- This will be a Patriots pick if the trade up takes place in my senario. The Saints badly want Ellis and only needed to move 3 slots to get him. The player I think the Patriots want all along is Keith Rivers the LB from USC. The Pats are thin at LB and Rivers is a prototypical Patriot who could man the position for the next decade.

Buffalo- I always have a tough time predicting Buffalo’s picks. They have a big need at WR and they have a big need at CB. The best value and biggest impact guy here would be Leodis McKelvin who is a top quality CB as well as a punt and kick return guy. I just don’t see Buffalo reaching for a WR despite everyone else’s mock draft and instead I see them taking the most pro ready CB of the group in McKelvin.

Denver- The Bronco’s need OL and DL help and three intriguing players are here. Derrick Harvey, Jeff Otah and Chris Williams. At the end of the day I think Shannahan opts to protect his young QB and selects Chris Williams, the smooth moving LT from Vanderbilt.

Carolina- The Panthers look hard at Mendenhall, Harvey and Otah here but at the end of the day the pass rushing stud from Florida fits the bill for the Panthers. I predict Derrick Harvey going in this slot to Carolina.

Chicago- The Bears are being talked up to be going offensive line and thats always a possibility but I think they really know they have a dog on their hands in Benson and won’t want to trust their backfield to him. Rashard Mendenhall is a fantastic talent and the Bears absolutely need to restock their skill positions this draft. I think all the OL stuff is a smoke screen to get teams ahead of them to take OL and let Mendenhall to drop.

Detroit- The Lions badly want Mendenhall and if he’s not there I think you could actually see Jonathan Stewart go at this pick. The Lions need a feature back but with Jeff Otah here and Harvey and Mendenhall gone it’s a question of whether they go CB or OL. Millen is incredibly unpredictable but I think they want one of the featured RB’s and they take a shot at Jonathan Stewart, particularly after hearing the Cardinals had him in for a visit this week.

Arizona- The Cardinals are a classic draft for need team, which is why they so often reach for players in the first round that flame out. Fortunately for them is under this mock draft scenario they have a choice of Mike Jenkins, Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie, Aqib Talib, Phillip Merling and Jeff Otah to choose from. This is what we call a “can’t miss” senario people. If it were up to me, I’m taking Phillip Merling to keep building the defensive line and pass rush, never mind the sports hernia injury that he had surgery on. Next I go with Jeff Otah the mammoth OT and build the offensive line depth as the Cardinals have virtually no one at back up OT at the moment. However, I believe the Cardinals take one of the CB’s, with Cromartie or Talib topping their list. I think at the end of the day they go for the potential of DRC.

Minnesota- I see the Vikins looking at Phillip Merling as a potential steal at this point in the draft but Jeff Otah being on the board intrigues them. Merling is a sleeper at this point and a very solid pick for the Vikings at this stage in the draft.

Houston- If by some fluke Otah drops this far, and there are many reason’s why he might not, I don’t see the Texan’s letting him get past them. Jeff Otah to the Texans.

Philadelphia-Not believing their luck, and with no top quality OL or DL here, the Eagles go get a top quality WR in Devin Thomas here.

Tampa Bay-Gruden knows a top quality cover two guy and nickle back when he see’s one. Mike Jenkins from South Florida goes to the Buc’s.

Washington- With Merling gone to the Vikings the Redskins look at a bit of a reach but physically impressive Calais Campbell the DE from Miami.

Dallas-Jerry Jones gets his Arkansas running back in Felix Jones.

Pittsburgh-Build the lines is the motto and an intriguing Steeler type is sitting here. Kentwan Balmer the DT from NC State.

Tennessee- Do you think this is the year the Titan’s get some recievers for their QB? I do too. Desean Jackson is explosive and fills the gap in special teams left by them getting rid of Pac Man Jones.

Seattle-This team needs a tight end and Dustin Keller from Purdue has totally caught their eye. Another prospect that might intrigue them is Gosder Cherlius but at the end of the day the play making ability of Keller and their gap at TE fits this need.

Jacksonville- I think the Jag’s might trade out of this slot if there isn’t a DL prospect that interests them here. If they stay I think they look at Gosder Cherlius at RT.

San Diego- Best player available for the stocked and loaded Chargers. They won’t be scared off by Malcom Kelly’s pro day or attitude.

Dallas-I see Aqib Talib finding a home here. Maybe Nate Newton can hook him up.

San Francisco- The 49′ers want LB’s and Jerrad Mayo is a fantastic looking prospect out of Tennessee.

Green Bay- They could be looking at Kenny Phillips here but I think they take the fast rising Tyrell Johnson at this slot instead.

N.Y. Giants- The Giants still need corners and Brandon Flowers is a very solid selection for the Giants in this pick.Ok, lets get back to the Cardinals.Again, remember this is who I think they WILL pick, not who I think they should pick.

Second round: Chris Johnson the speed back out of Eastern Carolina. I’m not sure he will still be here when they select, but if he is I think the desire for a home run threat so they can get rid of JJ Arrington makes this a no brainer. It wouldn’t be my choice but I think they want a pure speed guy and Johnson is a fantastic change of pace and third round back prospect.

Third round: They got a CB, a RB and now it has to be pass rushing DE/OLB prospects. The question is who drops to the middle of the third round that is a potential impact guy? Usually players with character risks, injury issues, tweeners or small school sleepers. I like Bruce Davis of UCLA in this slot. A bit of a tweener, but highly productive in college with a great work ethic. You could do a lot worse getting Davis here and building depth at the outside of the front seven where this team remains incredibly thin. Davis can get after the quarterback and as a weakside linebacker could make an immediate impact.

Forth round: Time to go OL. The three guys I think could be here are Kirk Barton, Ohio State, Tony Hills from Texas and John Greco from Toledo. I think Greco could be a great pick if he lasts this long. Two year captain, never missed a game, great character and the body to get bigger and stronger.

Fifth round: I’ll stay on the Chris Harrington band wagon, the DE out of Texas A&M. Just a highly productive, tough, solid DE with great college numbers and who stayed on the field. He could be a very solid back up and depth guy for a lot of years in the right system.

Sixth round: The Cardinals take a gamble on Jack Ikeqwuonu the CB out of Wisconsin. Before he got injured his was projecting as a second round type CB and if he makes it back from injury he could be a steal in this slot. I like looking at guys like this in this slot.

Seventh round: Special teams and depth at receiver. I dont think he will be here after a blazing fast pro day time but if I can get a player like Ryan Grice-Mullen the WR from Hawaii here I’d grab him. They need a slot receiver or speed guy and Mullen could be both if he drops to this slot.Ok, thats it. I’ll see how it holds up and of course a lot will happen between now and then. Hopefully this is a solid draft for the Cardinals as they can’t afford to have a thin one after last year.

photo courtesy of azcardinals.comThe complete 2008 NFL schedule is finally out, and it looks pretty good for the Cardinals. The highlights for this season will be a Monday Night Football game on November 10th, at the University of Phoenix Stadium against the San Francisco 49ers. The other national game the Cardinals got was a Thanksgiving day game against the Philadelphia Eagles. This game will be played on the NFL Network which doesn’t really bother me because I have the NFL network. But those of you who don’t, have a pretty legitimate reason to be frustrated. I’d invite all of you who can’t watch the game over to my parents house, but I’m embarrassed of my mother and all her dogs. I said to Mark last Thanksgiving,” I wonder if the Cardinals will ever play on Thanksgiving”? Well a year later our hopes and dreams of watching the Cards play while eating some Thanksgiving turkey came true.

2008 schedule for the Arizona Cardinals…

Preseason

New Orleans Saints Aug. 7

at Kansas City Chiefs Aug. 16

at Oakland Raiders Aug. 23

Denver Broncos Aug. 29

Regular Season

at San Francisco 49ers Sep. 7

Miami Dolphins Sep. 14

at Washington Redskins Sep. 21

at N.Y. Jets Sep. 28

Buffalo Bills Oct. 5

Dallas Cowboys Oct. 12

Bye Oct. 19

at Carolina Panters Oct. 26

at St. Louis Rams Nov. 2

San Francisco 49ers Nov. 10 MNF

at Seattle Seahawks Nov. 16

New York Giants Nov. 23

Philadelphia Eagles Nov. 27 Thanksgiving

St. Louis Rams Dec. 7

Minnesota Vikings Dec. 14

at New England Patriots Dec. 21

Seattle Seahawks Dec. 28

This is a post by Eli on MVN.com 

We are just under 2 weeks away now from the 2008 NFL draft. Around this time every year, Cardinal fans are able to narrow it down to about 2 or 3 players the Cardinals are likely going to draft. The fun part this year is we really don’t know where Arizona is going with this pick. So let’s try and narrow this down…

Possible positions the Cardinals could go with their first pick: RB, CB, OT, OG, DE, OLB. I could throw in WR but they have enough issues paying their WR’s so they won’t be drafting one here. I’d say TE but I don’t see the Cards taking Dustin Keller that early in the first round. Here’s the list of possible players that the Cardinals could draft at #16 that play the six positions of need for the Cardinals.

1. Leodis McKelvin, CB

2. Keith Rivers, OLB

3. Ryan Clady, OT

4. Jeff Otah, OT

5. Derrick Harvey, DE

6. Chris Williams, OT

7. Rashard Mendenhall

8. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB

9. Mike Jenkins, CB

10. Aqib Talib, CB

11. Branden Albert, G

12. Phillip Merling, DE

13. Jonathan Stewart, RB

14. Felix Jones, RB

15. Brandon Flowers, CB

16. Calais Campbell, DE

So 16 guys with possibilities of being drafted by the Arizona Cardinals. Let’s narrow it down some more. McKelvin will be taken before the Cardinals pick, so he’s out. There is no real chance that Clady drops to number 16. I think the same goes for Rashard Mendenhall who will be taken by the Bears or Lions. Brandon Flowers I like but he might not even make it in the first round. Jonathan Stewart’s stock is dropping since his injury and Felix Jones would be a reach at the Cardinals spot in the first round, so both of them are off the list. I think the Saints or Broncos would take Rivers before the Cardinals pick so lets cross him off. I also think Derrick Harvey is taken somewhere between 11-13. Braden Albert is starting to shoot up draft boards and looks like he’ll go before the Cardinals also, so lets get rid of him. That leaves us with 7 players that could possibly be there for the Cardinals at 16.

1. Leodis McKelvin, CB

2. Keith Rivers, OLB

3. Ryan Clady, OT

4. Jeff Otah, OT

5. Derrick Harvey, DE

6. Chris Williams, OT

7. Rashard Mendenhall

8. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB

9. Mike Jenkins, CB

10. Aqib Talib, CB

11. Branden Albert, G

12. Phillip Merling, DE

13. Jonathan Stewart, RB

14. Felix Jones, RB

15. Brandon Flowers, CB

16. Calais Campbell, DE

This is where it gets tough. Anything could happen at this point. But I’m going to use last years draft to help me out. Ken Whisenhunt is apparently a guy that drafts for need and not the best player available. Example of that would be passing on Adrian Peterson and taking the need with OT Levi Brown. I think that might take Phillip Merling and Campbell out. I think Ken sees bigger needs than the DE/OLB spot. That leaves us with 3 CB’s and 2 OT’s. The Cardinals are very thin at both OT and CB, so taking a player that plays one of these positions would make sense. Now it’s like were starting to throw darts. It all will depend on who picks who in front of the Cardinals, and who Rod Graves and Ken Whisenhunt like best. My guess is they pass on drafting an OT in the first round for the second straight year, and draft for their biggest need which is CB. That leaves Talib, Cromartie, and Jenkins. At this point who can tell which player the Cardinals like the best of the 3, and which would fall to 16. But my final guess and player I like the most is……

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie

I would be very happy if DRC fell to Arizona and the Cardinals took him. I think many fans would be happy with this pick also. It’s too hard to tell if this scenario will really happen, but I think it will at least be close. We do know we can definitely narrow it down to a few select players now. Time will tell which player that will exactly be.

I’ve laid it out for you, and what I think will happen. I’d like to hear what some of you readers think will happen. A lot of you have great insight and make good points. Tell me where you think the Cardinals are going with the 16th pick?

photo courtesy of azcardinals.comThis is a post by Mark on MVN.com 

A great deal of what the Cardinals might end up doing on draft day will be based on the decisions of teams ahead of them. The Cardinals rarely move up, with last years move to go get Alan Branch in the second round being the first move up I can remember in over a decade. Assuming they stand pat, which I believe they should unless they really have their eye on one of the left tackles that might drop to the 13th to 15th slot, we need to really take a good look at the team needs ahead of them and try to calculate who might be there for the Cardinals.

Of further consideration in this process is the fact that free agency is still moving along and the Cardinals are still shopping for linebackers and corner backs in the bargain bin, making it unlikely they will reach for need in those slots unless someone exceptional drops to them. That said lets do the 16 team mock in front of the Cardinals and then later this week take a fresh look at the Cardinals draft now that we know they have seven selection, instead of the hoped for eight.

1. Miami Dolphins: I think the Chris Long infatuation is a smoke screen. Nice player but not worthy of the number one pick. The safe pick here is the stud left tackle Jake Long of Michigan. The least amount of bust potential and possibly a future All Pro. I think the decision is Dorsey or Jake Long with the left tackle being the selection.
2. St. Louis Rams: The question is Glen Dorsey or Chris Long. To my mind, you can’t go wrong with either but if it were me, i’d grab Dorsey who a very rare player. If the Ram’s put Dorsey and Carriker at the tackles they would be exceptionally solid up the middle, but I could also see them taking a shot at Chris Long. I think the concerns about Dorsey’s legs are being circulated by teams praying he drops. The Rams take a franchise DT and grab Glen Dorsey here.

3. Atlanta Falcons: This team has a lot of needs but I don’t think they are sold on Ryan at QB. Their new GM is a Patriots system guy and I expect he has his board set and doesn’t care about pre-draft hype but has zeroed in on his type of player. I see Atlanta really wanting Dorsey but if the Ram’s take him they need to decide if they want Ryan or Long, or do they look to move down? In the end the hole at QB is too big to ignore and I see Ryan going in this slot if Dorsey is gone.

4. Oakland Raiders: Talk about a wild card. The Raiders spent their free agency money on the offensive side of the ball and we all know how Al Davis loves speed. I absolutely figure this to be the slot where someone trades up to get McFadden. The logical partner is Dallas, but I don’t see anyone bidding to come get McFadden and why would Jerry Jones bid against himself here? Regardless, i’ve changed my opinion on how high McFadden goes after his pro day and image rehab, so McFadden goes here to Oakland or Dallas.

5. KC Chiefs: It’s either going to be Chris Long or Ryan Clady here. I still think the Chiefs do as the Cardinals did last year and go get the guy they really want to be their future franchise LT and take Ryan Clady in this spot.

6. N.Y. Jets: This is a no lose deal for the Jets. Either Chris Long or Vernon Gholston is available at a position of need. I don’t think the Jets are sold on Gholston so Chris Long is the selection for the Jets.

7. N.E. Patriots: The Pats want to trade out, as always, and they have bait here with Cromartie, Gholston and Ellis on the board. I don’t see anyone eager to move up to this slot however so look for a Patriots type of guy here and watch them do what they always do and keep building their lines. Mostly likely Gholston in this slot.

8. Baltimore Ravens: Two premier corner backs on the board and I think Ozzie Newsome goes with the explosive threat of Leodis McKelven over the intriguing potential of Cromartie. Either way one of them probably goes off the board here, most likely Mckelven.

9. Cincinnati Bengals: Pinch your self guys, the NT you covet is here. Sedrick Ellis goes to the Bengals.

10. N.O. Saints: Back to reality last year as the defense got exposed. Look for either Keith Rivers, Phillip Merling or Dominque Rodgers Cromartie here. Rivers is the safe pick but Cromartie has super star potential and the Saints are known to grab for potential over college production. I think Cromartie is the pick.

11. Buffalo Bills: Ah, my old home town Bills, always a surprise on draft day. Known to reach for players they want you never really know with them and the conventional wisdom has them going wide receiver here. However, none of them look to be top 15 talents and all have holes in their games. As badly as they need a receiver the value here isn’t at that position. This is where it gets tricky for Cardinals fans. I see a logical spot for some team to trade up to get OT Chris Williams ahead of Denver, and Buffalo to trade down and still get their WR at a lower price. Either way I see Chris Williams as the value here.

12. Denver Broncos: Tough call here as the Imperial Leader just got his GM fired and will be calling the shots on draft day. He needs an OT but the best value here is Phillip Merling the DE from Clemson. An immediate boost to a Bronco’s defense that couldn’t stop anyone last year.

13. Carolina: Another tough read on a coach who needs to rebound from a really bad season. They need a wide out opposite Steven Smith and they need linebackers. I think you could see either Mayo from UT here or Rivers from USC. Rivers is the safer pick and seem’s like a John Fox kind of guy. Rivers goes here.

14. Chicago: Conventional wisdom has them picking Rashard Mendenhall here. It makes the most sense and he’s the best value so lets not buck conventional wisdom now.

15. Detroit Lions: Why does it always seem the Lions draft right in front of the Cardinals and always make some totally unexpected move that messes with their draft board. In the case of Matt Leinart, that was a good thing. The Cardinals and Lion’s have similar needs, CB, RB, OT, DE so who ever the Lion’s take will have a big impact on the Card’s options. I’ve heard they are intrigued with Talib, Otah, Jenkins and Harvey depending on what publication you read. No one knows what Matt Millen might do but I suspect he wants a corner badly as the Lion’s secondary is a disaster. It’s either Talib or Jenkins here with my guess being it’s Talib.

What does that leave the Cardinals on the board here? Mike Jenkins the CB from South Florida, Jeff Otah the huge OT from Pitt, Derrick Harvey who is a prototype OLB/DE combo and Mayo the fast rising OLB from Tennessee. I think it will be either Harvey or Otah if this scenario unfolds, with either being a very solid option. You’d have one really BIG set of bookends at OT but I think Harvey is the guy who is getting a lot of buzz pre-draft. Tune in for the next mock draft and i’ll lay out the seven picks.

photo courtesy of azcardinals.com

On this weeks Voice of the Cardinals podcast, Eli and Mark talk about the NFL Draft and the potential draft picks that will be available for the Arizona Cardinals with the 16th pick. You will also here their opinions on the recent signings and other Arizona Cardinal news.

If you have any comments or questions for Eli and Mark, email them at voiceofthecardinals@gmail.com

 
To listen to the show click here

photo courtesy of azcardinals.comHey everyone, Eli here. Mark and I are going to be doing an off season podcast on Friday. Kind of a pre draft podcast to discuss possibilities for the Cardinals draft and where they're likely to go with the 16th overall pick. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to submit them and will do our best to answer those questions on the show.

It looks like we may be getting some more Arizona Cardinals players and coaches to come on the show soon. So pay attention for those updates as they come in. If you have any suggestions for the show, don't be affraid to yell at us. Thanks Everyone!

This was written by Mark on MVN.com 

If there is one thing you can count on with the Arizona Cardinals each year is that they will almost always draft for need on most of their picks and not go with the best player available in the early rounds. They tend to reverse trends in the later rounds and start picking based on best player or scout recommendations, which is why you often see them strike out on their high picks but have some very good mid round talent that ends up playing. If only they would hold to the best player approach for all seven rounds!

Anyways, leading up to the draft now that the Larry Fitzgerald contract is resolved and free agency shopping has pretty much come and gone, it’s time to look at the holes in the roster and use those as clues as to where the team might be headed in the bargain shopping phase of free agency and then in the draft.

1. Corner back and secondary. The club has made clear through several interviews and media outlets locally that they intend to resign Matt Ware and Oliver Celestin once the Fitzgerald contract is approved by the league office and they have the cap room. Both are key special teams players and as last season showed they can step in and provide depth at safety, even though the drop off is pretty steep from the starters. The move of Antrel Rolle to free safety and the return of Aaron Francisco and Adrian Wilson now creates what could potentially become one of the strongest groups of safeties in the NFL. If only the situation at corner back was so rosy! With Eric Green returning from injury and a solid 07, coupled with Rod Hood’s productive year the Cardinals have decent starting cornerbacks. No all pro’s for sure but neither did the NY Giants. The issue is there is zero depth, particularly with Rolle moving to FS. This team absolutely must draft at least two CB prospects in my opinion and look to make a bargain acquisition in the late stages of free agency to find someone to challenge Ralph Brown for the nickel or dime CB position. Look for the Cardinals to use at least two picks this year on CB prospects in what is shaping up as a deep, but not superior, crop of draftable corners.

2. Defensive line. The team continues to build depth in it’s front seven but as the NY Giants showed this year, you can’t have enough premier D linemen to stuff the run and pressure quarterbacks. A great DL makes average corner backs look pretty good. The Cardinals are set at Nose tackle with Gabe Watson and Alan Branch manning the position. I’m hoping Branch makes the same kind of strides that Watson did in year two and that they can form a dynamic and tireless push up the middle of the line. At the under tackle you have Pro-Bowl Darnell Dockett hitting his prime and the surprisingly solid Rodney Bailey backing him up, creating another solid tandem but if Dockett goes down there is going to be a big drop off here. At the LDE position the team gave a tender offer to the Antonio Smith and at the RDE slot they reworked Bert Berry’s contract and signed Travis LaBoy to most likely start in front of Berry. However, the depth is exceptionally thin at DE with only Joe Tafoya, a solid journeyman type, to be possibly resigned so I would look for the team to jump all over Phillip Merling or Derrick Harvey if they some how drop to the 16th slot in the first round. As last season showed this team is exceptionally thin and just above average at DE and they need a substantial upgrade in talent and speed.

3. Linebacker. While the team locked up Gerald Hayes last year and put the franchise tag on Karlos Dansby, this is another area that is solid at the starting position’s but has a huge drop off in talent once the starters are out. The SLB will be manned by Chike Okefor who was poised for a huge season under the new defensive scheme, but who lost the entire season due to injury. His injury opened the door for Calvin Pace to show his stuff, but I really think that in this scheme that Chike is going to be a monster. MLB is held down by Hayes and the WLB is going to be the home for potential pro-bowler Karlos Dansby. The problem becomes there is almost zero depth and talent behind these three and the team lost out on the services of Brandon Chillar due to the Fitzgerald contract so they are now going to be looking for a versatile LB in the draft as well as another vet to provide some depth and experience. Watch for a top five rounds pick at the linebacker position as well as one more signing as this team is exceptionally vulnerable if any of the three starters goes down to injury.

4. Offensive tackle. The addition of Levi Brown and the solid play of Mike Gandy gives the Cardinals a decent tandem. Elton Brown demonstrated that both he and Reggie Wells can move to tackle in a pinch, but I don’t think anyone wants to see either of them as our starters at tackle for any length of time. The Cardinals desperately need another young stud tackle to develop, particularly with Oliver Ross being cut and few if any prospects at the position on the roster. If a potential franchise LT slips to the 16th slot, such as Chris Williams of Vanderbilt I think the Cardinals would be crazy to pass on him. They are a torn ACL from total chaos at the tackle spot and even if they don’t get a guy like Williams at 16 you can count on them grabbing a prospect in rounds 3 through 6 on draft day.

5. Running back. I personally don’t think it’s a huge area of need as Edgerrin James is one of the most durable and reliable running backs in the NFL. Sure they would like to add a break away change of pace back, but thats a result of J.J. Arrington never panning out as a second round pick because he should be filling that role but he just has never gotten it done. I see the RB spot as one where you look for a mid to late round steal to put in the mix so you can release Arrington or Shipp and put some fresh legs in there to back up edge. I definitely don’t see the team taking a high pick at RB but in the late third to sixth round I would expect them to take advantage of an incredibly deep group of running backs to find a prospect here. As mentioned before I think Ryan Torrain is going to be the steal of the mid round and I’m hoping the Cardinals grab him.

6. Wide receiver. While set at the starting slot I listened to a radio interview with OC Todd Haley two days ago when he talked about who the guys are that could fill the third and fourth receiver slots for this team now that Bryant Johnson has left via free agency. I get the impression this staff really likes the potential of Jereme Urban and that Steve Breaston has made real strides in his rookie year. However, I will be shocked if the Cardinals don’t make a mid to late round pick at WR to add a slot receiver or some real speed to the mix. The big risk of having so much money tied up in Fitz and Boldin is if they go down to injury you don’t have much money to spend on depth to back them up, so you better find some cheap free agents or rookies to fill that void. Watch for at least one pick to be used at WR.

Well, that pretty much sum’s up the team needs. They are getting very strong up the middle on both sides of the line, at MBL and safety and have the key skill players at QB, WR and RB to compete. This is going to be a draft that builds depth, upgrades the defensive line, CB and pass rush and hopes to find a solid RB. Who those players will be and where they take them is always the intrigue.

Once again i’ll make my prediction that this staff will want to build the lines first so you can look for Chris Williams the OT from Vandy, Phillip Merling the DE from Clemson or Derrick Harvey the DE from Florida to be the picks for the Cardinals depending on who is there when they get to the 16th slot.