CB Bryant McFadden signs 2-year contract with Cards

March 9, 2009

In the closing seconds of Superbowl XLIII, starting CB Bryant McFadden of the Pittsburgh Steelers lifted his arms triumphantly as the clock ran out on the Arizona Cardinals season. Just 35 days later, McFadden will try to bring his Superbowl winning ways to the team he bested.

“It seems to be a good situation,” said McFadden, “It’s an up-and-coming organization, which you’d love to be a part of.”

McFadden will compete with veteran Rod Hood for a starting job opposite second-year CB and former first-round draft pick Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. McFadden’s signing adds another big-hitter to the Cardinals increasingly physical defensive backfield:

“He’s coming in to compete, but much like the other veteran players we have brought in, he brings the mentality of what we have tried to have here,” coach Ken Whisenhunt said. McFadden’s 4.1 tackles per game for the Steelers in 2008 would have been the third highest average in the Cardinals defensive backfield behind only Antrel Rolle (5.6 tackles/game) and Adrian Wilson (5.0 tackles/game).

Here is the full breakdown on McFadden’s game from ESPN’s Scouts Inc:

McFadden has a strong well-defined body and adequate height. He plays the run well, is physical near the line of scrimmage and doesn’t back down from a physical challenge. McFadden has decent instincts, plays the ball well and is a quick learner. He sees plays develop well and shows excellent competitiveness. He is a good tackler and gets his hands on the ball quite a bit.

His speed is just slightly above average and could be exposed against the faster wideouts in the league. His hip turn and change-of-direction skills are also just slightly above average, but he has very good body control and rarely takes false steps, which make up for some of his potential shortcomings. He can be overly aggressive at times going for the big play and will sometimes bite on double moves, although he has improved in this area.

McFadden is effective in press or off-coverage and may be at his best playing in a Cover 2, where he can stay close to the line of scrimmage and mix it up. He also does a nice job in off-coverage and sees the play develop in front of him well. He is a valuable member of the secondary, but needs to step up all areas of his game to be considered a solid starter. He also contributes on special teams and is a young player with an ample amount of upside.

McFadden’s 2-year, $10 million contract is straightforward: he’ll earn $5 million in 2009, and an additional $5 million in 2010.

Said Whisenhunt, “We’re never going to close the door on opportunities to make our team better. Our goal is to get back to the Super Bowl and win it.”

Category: 2009 Season, News | Tags: Bryant McFadden, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Rod Hood

One more year: the case for keeping Boldin

February 13, 2009

It’s laughable to me that people forget how quickly things change in today’s NFL. The Cleveland Browns were an up and coming team after the 2007 season; they’re not today. Back in 2005 the Bengals rode the hot arm of young Carson Palmer into the playoffs; Palmer suffered a season ending knee injury on his first pass of the game and the Bungles have never been the same.

It’s the NFL, it happens. A star player one year may not be a star player the next. Coaches leave. Free agents bolt. The schedule toughens. Heck, a team can even lose it’s star quarterback on the first few snaps of the first series of its first game. Just ask Bill Belichick about that one.

The 2008 Arizona Cardinals came within 2:37 seconds of winning Superbowl XLIII, but without their star wide receiver Anquan Boldin, a return to the playoffs in 2009 is unlikely. Here’s why:

1) Teams will figure out how to stop Larry Fitzgerald.
It’s just one of those things, but players don’t go crazy in the NFL (especially in the Superbowl, the NFL’s grandest stage) without every defensive coordinator out there losing sleep in the offseason muttering to himself, “Oh no he doesn’t. Not when we play him, not against us.” So for everyone out there that thinks Fitzgerald’s “special talent” will allow him to rise above the double-coverage, triple-coverage, etc. that he’ll face in 2009, I present to you the case of Randy Moss’s record breaking 2007 season: 98 receptions, 1493 receiving yards (15.2 yard average), 23 TDs, and no Superbowl rings.

Moss took the league by storm in 2007, but in certain games the opposing defense figured out how to take him away. Consider these 4 games from the regular season:

As you can see, there were 4 games (25%) during Randy Moss’s record setting 2007 campaign where he was relatively invisible. And guess what? The Patriots vaunted offense, the juggernaut that went 16-0 in the regular season (winning 14 games by an average margin of 22 points), only managed to beat Philadelphia and Baltimore by 3 points each when Moss was contained.

Even worse, look at Randy Moss’s stat line during the Patriot’s 2007 postseason:

Randy Moss was neutralized, and eventually the Patriots lost to the Giants in Superbowl XLII. I’m not saying Fitzgerald is or isn’t a better player than Moss, I’m just providing a cautionary tale about what works well one year in the NFL may not necessarily work well the next.

2) Kurt Warner won’t have the same year.
Maybe he’ll lose his arm strength like Brett Favre. Maybe he’ll throw a bunch of picks or struggle to adjust to the new schemes cooked up by whoever is the new incoming offensive coordinator, but for whatever reason, don’t expect Warner to come back in 2009 with another MVP-like year. If he does, more power to him, but I sure as heck think his chances and the Cardinals’ chances to return to the Superbowl in 2009 are vastly improved if they have TWO explosive WRs on the field with Boldin and Fitzgerald.

3) If Fitzgerald were to be hurt…
I know, it’s horrible to say, but how confident would you be if our starting WRs in 2009 were Steve Breaston, Jerheme Urban, and Early Doucet? Injuries are a reality in the NFL, and although Breaston, Urban, and Doucet played vital roles on the 2008 Superbowl team, the reality is that together as starters they wouldn’t strike fear into opposing teams or alter defensive gameplans.

Look at it this way: if the Eagles and Giants rumored interest in acquiring Anquan Boldin indicates they believe they’re one superstar WR away from reaching the Superbowl, that would mean losing Anquan Boldin would leave the Cardinals with only one superstar WR on the roster, and one injury to Larry Fitzgerald away from falling out of the playoff picture altogether in 2009. Look at what happened to the Giants this year: they lost Plaxico Burress, were unable to fill the void, couldn’t spread the field, and lost in the playoffs.

4) Anquan Boldin can play.
Boy can he ever. I didn’t follow a lot of college football, so I had no idea who Anquan Boldin was when the Cardinals drafted him in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft. I didn’t have to wait long to find out, as Boldin set a rookie receiving record with 10 catches for 217 yards and 2 TDs against Detroit in the Cardinals season opener. Nevermind they lost the game 42-24, or that they’d go on to finish Boldin’s rookie season 4-12, but suddenly Cardinals fans had hope, “Hey, we’re that team that found some awesome guy in the second round who’s going to be a superstar!” In his rookie 2003 season Boldin went on to grab 101 receptions (tying the Cardinals franchise record at the time) for 1377 yards and 8 TDs.

He’s been better ever since.

Boldin is the quarterback’s best friend, a guy who can turn a quick WR screen or crossing pattern into a 75-yard TD pass. Boldin takes the big hits and keeps on trucking. Over the past six seasons he’s averaged 83 receptions, 1082 receiving yards, 52 first downs (62.5% of catches), and 6.6 TDs per year.

Boldin’s injury shortened 2008 season was his best yet, where he overcame a horrific early season concussion to catch 89 receptions for 1038 yards and 11 TDs in only 12 games. When his 2008 stats are projected out over an entire 16 game NFL season, Boldin would have finished 2008 with 118 receptions for 1383 yards and 14 TDs.

Playoffs? Who could forget Boldin converting Warner’s short crossing pass into a 71-yard TD scamper down the sideline past Lawyer Milloy in the Cardinals 30-24 Wildcard victory over the Falcons. Certainly not the Eagles or Steelers, who were forced to respect Boldin’s big-play ability and allowed Larry Fitzgerald to have monster receiving games.

Boldin is a guy you want on your team. He’s the Hines Ward of the NFC, and that’s a compliment. Both guys are hard working, blue collar leaders on the practice field and in games, who aren’t afraid to get hit, and accept the punishment that follows the big catch over the middle or throwing a key block in the running game.

Affectionately called “Q”, Boldin is a consummate teammate, quiet leader in the Phoenix community (Anquan Boldin Foundation), and a guy I’d want on my team.

5) Reward your own.
Momentum is such a fickle thing. Suddenly the team that nobody thought was going to do anything won a few playoff games, and the next thing you know the 2008 Arizona Cardinals were confident and hungry and for all intents and purposes should have beat Pittsburgh in the Superbowl. Believe me, I loved every minute of it, but jeez, where did that come from?!

Everything came together perfectly: the leadership of a seasoned veteran quarterback, continuity on the offensive line, two superstar wide receivers hitting their prime, a rookie defensive back playing man-to-man defense out of his mind, a defensive front seven fighting for respect, and a capable coaching staff motivating the team to prove everyone wrong.

Will that happen again this year? Probably not. History shows that the losing team in the Superbowl has only made the playoffs once the following season since 2000, including the 18-1 Patriots team just one year removed from their last second loss to the Giants in Superbowl XLII.

Sure Tom Brady got hurt, but that’s the whole point. Something bad happens. Teams lose momentum. They lose coaches. Players leave via free agency.

Basically, it’s no cakewalk to get back the following year.

That’s why I’m saying reward Boldin now. Stem the tide that opened with the loss of offensive coordinator Todd Haley to the Chiefs (new head coach), the firing of defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast, and all the negative talk revolving around Boldin’s contract and Warner’s potential retirement. Commit to putting a winner on the field by signing Boldin and unrestricted free agent Karlos Dansby and your odds of talking Warner out of retirement increase immensely.

Boldin wants to be part of a winner, but the Cardinals must commit to winning now. Beyond 2009, Warner will almost certainly retire, and who knows how successful the Matt Leinart era will be.

But with Boldin and Warner back next year, the stars could align again. The NFC West will be improved, but the Cardinals are still probably the team to beat. Warner probably won’t repeat his 2008 performance, but with Fitzgerald and Boldin hitting their prime while second year players Tim Hightower, Calais Campbell and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie improve, who knows, maybe the Cardinals can find the playoff magic again.

The Cardinals proved people wrong with great success in 2008. Let’s hope they do it again in 2009.

Category: 2009 Season, Editorial | Tags: Anquan Boldin, Calais Campbell, Clancy Penderg, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Early Doucet, J.J. Arrington, Jerheme Urban, Karlos Dansby, Ken Whisenhunt, Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, Matt Leinart, Steve Breaston, Todd Haley

Road to the Superbowl: Years of futility led to success in the NFL Draft

January 24, 2009

Imagine you were building a NFL team. You’d want to mix in a few savvy veterans, but largely you’d look to build a foundation of success through the draft.

While drafting NFL players is an inexact science, generally speaking players drafted on the first day are better players than the guys drafted on the second day, and players drafted early in round one, say pick #7, are theoretically better football players than guys picked 28th.

Is it any surprise then, that the Arizona Cardinals, perennial losers who between 2000-2007 averaged only 5.4 wins per season (second worst in the league behind only Detroit’s 5.0 wins per season average) were able to build a Superbowl caliber team through the draft? Since 2000 the Cardinals have averaged a top-10 pick in the first round of the NFL Draft:

Year _ Record Pick Player:
2000 __ 6-10 _ #7 Thomas Jones RB (Jets)
2001 __ 3-13 _ #2 Leonard Davis OG (Cowboys)
2002 __ 7-9 __ #12 Wendell Bryant (no longer in football)
2003 __ 5-11 _ #17 Bryant Johnson WR (49ers)
2004 __ 4-12 _ #3 Larry Fitzgerald WR (Cardinals)
2005 __ 6-10 _ #8 Antrel Rolle FS (Cardinals)
2006 __ 5-11 _ #10 Matt Leinart QB (Cardinals)
2007 __ 5-11 _ #5 Levi Brown OT (Cardinals)
2008 __ 8-8 _ #16 Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie CB (Cardinals)

Four out of the past five Cardinals’ 1st round draft picks will start against the Steelers in Superbowl XLIII in Tampa. Fitzgerald already set a NFL Record for receiving yards in a postseason (419 yards, surpassing Jerry Rice), Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie has 15.0 tackles, 2 INTs, and 7 passes defensed, Antrel Rolle has an INT and scored on a 27-yard fumble recovery in the NFC Wildcard win over Atlanta, and Levi Brown has helped pave the way toward a league best 333 rushing yards this postseason.

Len Pasquarelli sensed the shift in the Cardinals fortunes with his column titled Solid drafts move Cardinals, Vikings forward immediately following the 2005 NFL Draft:

You don’t want to look behind you very often, since someone could be quickly gaining ground. With what transpired this weekend in the NFL draft, the 2004 division champion Seattle Seahawks might consider heeding that advice and avoid swiveling too quickly. Stare too long into the rear-view mirror, and the Seahawks are going to find an ascendant Arizona Cardinals team creeping up from behind.

Green went into the draft wanting to get quicker, and he accomplished that with most of his early choices, in particular cornerback Antrel Rolle. The Cardinals are not shy about throwing rookies into the fray — four of their seven draft picks from a year ago started as rookies — and Rolle has already been penciled into the lineup. Second-round tailback J.J. Arrington, a player the sometimes transparent Green has been touting since the combine workouts, could start as well. Linebacker Darryl Blackstock and guard Elton Brown were flat-out steals, respectively, in the third and fourth rounds.

The following season, Todd McShay glowingly recaps the Cardinals 2006 draft:

Best pick: Matt Leinart, QB, USC. Leinart’s fall quickly became the Cardinals’ fortune as the tenth pick. The former Trojans southpaw will get a year to learn behind Kurt Warner before being given the keys to a car that is already fully loaded with running back Edgerrin James and wide receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. Other great values include tight end Leonard Pope (Georgia) in the third round and defensive tackle Gabe Watson (Michigan) in the fourth round.
Worst pick: Deuce Lutui, OG, USC. This is the worst pick of an outstanding draft from top to bottom. Lutui was a good value in the second round but the Cardinals could have addressed another position of need here and got a quality guard later in the draft.
Work to do: One of the Cardinals’ top areas of need entering this year’s draft was in the defensive secondary, yet they failed to select a cornerback or safety with any of their seven picks. Depth is especially thin at safety behind strong safety Adrian Wilson and aging free safety Robert Griffith.

John Clayton identified the Cardinals as winners in the 2007 draft:

Cardinals assistant head coach Russ Grimm is one of the best offensive line teachers in the NFL and he usually doesn’t go into the personnel office asking for high draft picks. But Grimm believed Levi Brown of Penn State was a better fit for his offensive line than Joe Thomas. With the fifth pick, Grimm got his tackle. Remember, the Cardinals are a left-handed team because they have a left-handed quarterback in Matt Leinart. Brown can protect his blindside at right tackle. Plus, he gives Edgerrin James a bigger, more powerful blocking style to get some power runs to the right. Thomas might be the better long-term pass-blocker and probably would have beaten out Brown for the No. 5 pick if he was available. But Grimm got the guy he wanted. The Cardinals also came out ahead in getting defensive tackle Alan Branch in the second round. The team is moving to a 3-4 alignment in 2007 or 2008, and he can be the nose tackle to eat up space and draw extra blocking attention.

Recent draft success is mostly attibuted to general manager Rod Graves, who starting in 2004, has brought a succession of starting players to the Cardinals through the draft.

In the line of people receiving credit for the Cardinals’ remarkable rise to Super Bowl status, one is at the rear. Low-key general manager Rod Graves seldom receives praise for much of anything. Yet it was Graves who:

• Ran the team’s 2004 draft along with coach Dennis Green, now inarguably the best in the team’s Arizona era.

• Grabbed quarterback Kurt Warner off the scrap heap when nobody else appeared to want him.

• Selected Ken Whisenhunt as the team’s head coach before the Steelers had a chance to wrap up their own coaching search that resulted in the hiring of Mike Tomlin.

• Ran this year’s draft, which landed cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromarite, already a star, and such promising players as defensive end Calais Campbell and running back Tim Hightower.

Category: 2008 Season, Editorial, NFL Draft | Tags: Adrian Wilson, Alan Branch, Anquan Boldin, Antrel Rolle, Calais Campbell, Deuce Lutui, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Edgerrin James, Elton Brown, Gabe Watson, J.J. Arrington, Ken Whisenhunt, Larry Fitzgerald, Leonard Pope, Levi Brown, Matt Leinart, NFL Draft, Rod Graves, Russ Grimm, Tim Hightower

NFC Championship: Player Props/Player Knocks

January 22, 2009

This weekly segment focuses on players gettin’ props, and players gettin’ knocked for their hustle or lack thereof on the football field.

Player Props: Kurt Warner #13

Why: After watching the Eagles erase an 18-point deficit to take a 25-24 fourth quarter lead, Kurt Warner calmly led his team on a 14 play 72-yard TD scoring drive that erased 7:52 off the clock and demoralized the Eagles defense. Warner finished the game 21 of 28 (75%) for 279 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs, and a clutch 2-point conversion to put the Cardinals up 32-25 with 2:53 left to play.

Player Props: Adrian Wilson #24

Why: Does anyone deserve a trip to Superbowl XLIII more than Adrian Wilson? The Cardinals safety plays with a punishing passion that keeps opposing teams honest. Against the Eagles, Wilson recorded 7 solo tackles, two sacks, and a forced fumble in the NFC Championship game. He single-hardedly covered Brian Westbrook out of the backfield, holding the Eagles superstar to 2 catches for 26 yards.

Honorable Mention: Ben Graham #5

Why: It’s hard to downplay the positive contribution Ben Graham has made to the Cardinals playoff success this postseason. Graham has been pinning Cardinals’ opponents inside their own 20-yard line a shocking 60% of the time. Compare that to his career 30.9% and Indianapolis Colts punter Hunter Smith’s 2008 league leading average of 43.4%, and you can see that Graham is playing extraordinarily well. Field position is everything in the playoffs, and it’s infinitely harder to score on the Cardinals when the opposing team has 80+ yards to go.

Player Knocks: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie #29

Why: I’m a huge fan of Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, but the NFC Championship was not one of his better days. DeSean Jackson repeatedly beat Rodgers-Cromartie to the outside, and caught a 62-yard TD bomb over Rodgers-Cromartie’s outstretched arms to give the Eagles a 25-24 4th quarter advantage, almost destroying the Cardinals’ Superbowl dreams. A bad day at the office alone won’t get you in the Player Knocks section, but a half-hearted arm-tackle of Kevin Curtis certainly will. It won’t be a pretty film session for Rodgers-Cromartie this week.

Category: 2008 Season, Props/Knocks | Tags: Adrian Wilson, Ben Graham, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Kurt Warner

Tim Hightower and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie: Cardinals’ super rookies lead the league on offense/defense.

January 21, 2009

Tim Hightower #34 had 10 TDs during the regular season, tying him with Chris Johnson, Steve Slaton, and Jonathan Stewart for second place amongst all rookies behind Matt Forte (12 TDs). But the postseason belongs to Hightower, who has scored in three straight games, giving him 13 total TDs for the year.

2008 Cumulative Rookie TDs:
1 Tim Hightower 13
2 Matt Forte 12
3 Chris Johnson 11
4 Jonathan Stewart 11
5 Steve Slaton 10

Similarly, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie #29 has distinguished himself defensively by leading the league in rookie interceptions and passes defensed.

2008 Cumulative Rookie INTs:
1 Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie 6
2 Aqib Talib 4
3 Chris Horton 3
4 Brandon Carr 2
4 Antoine Cason 2
4 Brandon Flowers 2
4 Leodis McKelvin 2

2008 Cumulative Rookie PDefs:
1 Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie 32
2 Dwight Lowery 17
3 Brandon Flowers 15
4 Aqib Talib 13
5 Antoine Cason 9

Category: 2008 Season, NFL Draft | Tags: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Tim Hightower

NFC Divisional Playoffs: Player Props/Player Knocks

January 15, 2009

This weekly segment focuses on players gettin’ props, and players gettin’ knocked for their hustle or lack thereof on the football field.

Player Props: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie #29

Why: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie held Steve Smith to 2 catches for 43 yards and 1 TD, baited Jake Delhomme into a red zone interception, and knocked down 4 other passes from Delhomme, including one ball to Smith that Rodgers-Cromartie tipped into Antrel Rolle’s arms for another interception.

Player Props Part II: Antonio Smith #94

Why: Smith changed the momentum of the game when Delhomme dropped back to pass on Carolina’s first offensive play after Tim Hightower’s 3-yard TD catch evened the score 7-7 in the first quarter. Smith spun off an offensively lineman, slapped the ball out of Delhomme’s hands, and fell on the loose ball at his feet. Two plays later, Edgerrin James scored on a 4-yard TD run to put the Cardinals ahead 14-7. They never relinquished the lead.

Honorable Mention: Larry Fitzgerald #11

Why: Kurt Warner is great, but Fitzgerald makes him look even better. Down 7-0 early and facing a 3rd and 1 from the Arizona 49, Warner threw deep into double coverage, a jump ball that a lesser receiver might not have come down with. Instead, Fitzgerald outjumped both defenders, and turned a possible interception into a 41-yard gain. Three plays later the Cardinals scored, tying the game, and destroying the Panther’s early game momentum.

Category: 2008 Season, Props/Knocks | Tags: Antonio Smith, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Larry Fitzgerald

AZ Cardinals Preseason Report Card

September 3, 2008

Tim Hightower video “highlights” from an exciting preseason

Improved offensive and defensive line play helped the Arizona Cardinals finish the 2008 preseason with a record of 2-2, tied for second place behind 3-1 Seattle.

2008 Preseason NFC West Standings
TEAM________W L T PF PA
Seattle______ 3 1 0 103 77
San Francisco__2 2 0 94 74
Arizona_______2 2 0 75 69
St. Louis______2 2 0 61 71

The Cardinals had the stingiest defense (17.3 points per game), but finished second to last in offense (18.8 points per game). Division leader Seattle allowed a division worst 19.3 points per game, but scored a robust 25.8 points per game.

The quarterback competition between Kurt Warner and Matt Leinart was the biggest headline of the preseason, but several players made notable impacts, including six out of seven rookies from the 2008 draft class. The below is a quick recap of notable players and contributions.

OFFENSE:

Kurt Warner = B+

Warner completed 12 of 17 passes 142 yards (8.4 yard avg), 0 TDs and 0 INTs, for a passer rating of 95.7. He looked solid.

Matt Leinart = C

Leinart completed 28 of 45 passes 354 yards (7.9 yard avg), 2 TDs and 3 INTs, for a passer rating of 73.8. Leinart actually played much better than his 73.8 rating in three out of the four games played, but had one disastrous start against the Raiders, completing just 4 of 12 passes for 24 yards (2.0 yard avg), 0 TDs and 3 INTs that ultimately cost him the starting job.

Brian St. Pierre = B

St. Pierre faced third string competition in most games, but completed 24 of 37 passes 233 yards (6.3 yard avg), 2 TDs and 0 INTs, for a passer rating of 100.4.

Tim Hightower = B+

Hightower rushed 28 times for 107 yards (3.8 yard avg) with 3 TDs and 2 fumbles. He also caught 4 passes for 14 yards (3.5 yard avg) and 0 TDs. He ran with authority, displaying a good one-cut slashing style, and looks to be a fantastic 5th round draft pick.

J.J. Arrington = B+

Arrington made the most of his preseason touches and thensome. Arrington rushed 11 times for 123 yards (11.2 yard avg) with 2 TDs and 0 fumbles. He also caught 2 passes for 10 yards (5.0 avg) and 0 TDs. Arrington broke TD runs of 67 and 27 yards in his final two preseason games, displaying the quickness and straightaway speed that made him a 2nd round draft pick in 2005.

Leonard Pope = B

Pope made the most of his preseason touches, catching 4 passes for 44 yards (11.0 yard avg) for 2 TDs and 0 fumbles. Pope looks to increase on his 5 TDs from 2007, and after a strong preseason that included TD catches of 18 yards and 17 yards in back-to-back games against Oakland and Denver, he certainly seems poised for a strong season in 2008.

Brandon Keith = ?

Hard to say. The 6-5″ 343 lb rookie offensive tackle selected in the 7th round from Northern Iowa made the team, so I’m guessing that’s a good start.

Early Doucet = C

Doucet had 1 catch for 7 yards in his first three games, but ended the preseason on a high note, recording 3 catches for 45 yards (15.0 yard avg) against Denver.

DEFENSE:

Calais Campbell = A-

The first of the Cardinals two rookie DEs had a monster preseason, leading the team with 15 total tackles (12 solo), and 0 sacks. At 6-7″ and 282 lbs, Campbell looks to be an instant contributor in 2008.

Kenny Iwebema = B+

Iwebema was also a preseason rookie DE force, displayed a tremendous bull rush, and recorded 9 total tackles (8 solo), and 2 sacks (tied for the team lead with Travis LaBoy and Clark Haggans).

Chris Harrington = F

Unfortunately, Harrington did not survive final roster cut.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie = B

The Cardinals highly touted 1st round draft choice, Rodgers-Cromartie was steady in preseason play, recording 2 solo tackles in each of the first three games, and ended with 3 solo tackles and 1 pass defensed against Denver. His preseason totals were 9 tackles (9 solo) with 0 INTs and 1 pass defensed.

Category: 2008 Season, Editorial | Tags: Brandon Keith, Brian St. Pierre, Calais Campbell, Chris Harrington, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Early Doucet, J.J. Arrington, Kenny Iwebema, Kurt Warner, Leonard Pope, Matt Leinart, Tim Hightower

Cardinals 2008 NFL Draft - addressing three concerns

May 5, 2008

Concern #1: The Cardinals drafted no impact players for 2008

Answer: This concern at face value is valid: rookie cornerbacks develop slowly, rookie running backs can rush for 1341 yards and 12 TDs (Adrian Peterson).

Running backs are almost surefire rookie sensations. Do you remember Anthony Thomas, the “A-Train”, who broke in with Chicago in 2001? He’s bounced around between several teams but never recaptured the promise he showed during his… [you guessed it!] rookie year, when he rushed for 1183 yards and 7 TDs.

So a first round draft pick like Rashard Mendenhall or Felix Jones would definitely work with the first team offense throughout the 2008 season.

But the Cardinals needed help on defense. The team ranked 27th in the league in 2007 against the pass, which effectively nullified the success of the passing offense:

Cmp Att Cmp% Yds TDs Int
2007 Kurt Warner 281 451 62.3% 3417 27 17
2007 Opposing QB 361 570 63.3% 3716 26 18

Kurt had a great year in 2007, but so did all the opposing team’s quarterbacks playing the Cardinals, including:

Alex Smith (57.2% QB rating for 2007)
Gus Frerotte (58.3% rating for 2007)
Vinny Testaverde (65.8% rating in 2007)
Trent Dilfer (55.1% rating in 2007),

The above are not top-ranked quarterbacks, so the Cardinals should have dominated them in those games.

Hopefully 2008 will be different. If Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie has an amazing rookie year, we could hope for numbers like Aeneas Williams put up in 1991: 48 tackles and 6 interceptions.

If Calais Campbell can help defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast apply pressure in third-down packages, he should see significant playing time as well. With good speed from the end and a 6′ 8″ frame, you can imagine how Campbell will be able to clog the passing lanes.

In short, each of the top two draft picks should contribue immediately.

Concern #2: The Cardinals did NOT select a “speedster” running back

Answer: The Cardinals J.J. Arrington ran the fastest major-college 40-yard dash with a 4.40 in 2005. Miami’s Frank Gore (49ers), with his college history of knee injuries, finished 54th with a 4.65. Since then, Arrington has yet to break 1,000 yards from scrimmage, while Gore has the most yards from scrimmage than anyone in the ‘05 class. As for the most rushing touchdowns from the ‘05 class, that’s Marion Barber, who ran the 21st-fastest pre-draft 40.

The 40-yard dash time does not always predict NFL success. But the Cardinals already have a “speedster” on their roster, so let’s hope Arrington becomes the home run threat the Cardinals expected him to be.

Concern #3: The Cardinals drafted Early Doucet to replace Anquan Boldin

Answer: Thank goodness the Anquan Boldin wants to be traded story has blown over. I’ve never taken this story seriously because Boldin is an irreplaceable component of the Cardinals offense — they’d be fools to let him get away.

Bucky Brooks from Sports Illustrated explains below why the Cardinals drafted Doucet:

Early Doucet, WR, Arizona Cardinals: The loss of Bryant Johnson in the offseason created a huge hole in the Cardinals’ three-receiver sets, but the team has identified the perfect candidate to fill the void. Doucet posted his most impressive production at LSU as a junior while playing the slot alongside first-round picks Craig Davis and Dwayne Bowe and now enters an eerily similar situation in the desert. With defenses forced to double the Pro Bowl tandem of Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, Doucet will get a chance to reprise his role as the big play threat in the middle of the field.

Although rookie wide receivers notoriously start slowly (Anquan Boldin the exception!), I believe Doucet will be an upgrade from Bryant Johnson, so this is a brilliant pick.

Without knowing yet if Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie will fulfill his athletic promise, or if Calais Campbell will regain the dominance he flashed during his sophomore season, I think we can safely give the Cardinals 2008 NFL Draft a B Grade.

The Cardinals didn’t pull off any spectacular trades, and didn’t have a flashy top-10 pick. The true value of their draft will take time to assess.

Do you remember how many pundits praised the Patriots in 2000 for drafting Tom Brady in the sixth round with the 199th pick? Do you remember how they received an A+ Grade from all the pundits? I don’t, because it didn’t happen.

Nobody realized what a steal Tom Brady was until years later.

The truth is, all we can do is hope the Cardinals drafted well, but we won’t know if they found any “Tom Brady” steals until 2010.

And by that time, everyone will have forgotten about the pundits.

Category: 2008 Season, NFL Draft | Tags: Anquan Boldin, Calais Campbell, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Early Doucet, J.J. Arrington

Round 1 Pick - Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie

April 26, 2008

The Arizona Cardinals solidified the defensive secondary today by selecting Tennessee State CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie with the 16th pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie started 39 games for the Tigers, allowing opposing quarterbacks to complete just 55 of 161 passes (34%) thrown in his immediate area.

Rodgers-Cromartie is a physical specimen that performed extremely well at the Draft Combine:

Height: 6′ 1 1/2″
Weight: 184 lbs.
Age: 21
Speed: 4.33 40-yard dash
Vertical: 38 1/2″
Bench: 17 reps @ 225 lbs.

Rodgers-Cromartie won Senior Bowl Defensive MVP honors, which helped alleviate concerns that playing NCAA Division I-AA football for Tennessee State did not expose him to NFL caliber competition. Watch NFL.com’s Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie Draft Combine video here.

The 2007 Cardinals finished the season with the 7th best scoring offense in the league (404 points scored), but ranked only 27th in the league defensively (399 points allowed). Rodgers-Cromartie will be expected to contribute immediately to the Cardinals defensive backfield that was ranked 28th and 25th respectively in the league for passing yards allowed and passing TDs allowed.

Rodgers-Cromartie’s cousin, 2006 First Round pick, CB Antonio Cromartie led the league with 10 interceptions last year for the San Diego Chargers. That bodes well for the Cardinals, especially when you hear he’s been picking up tips from his cousin and ex-Washington Redskins CB Darrell Green.

Category: 2008 Season, NFL Draft | Tags: Antonio Cromartie, Arizona Cardinals, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, NFL Draft, Tennessee State, Tigers