|
Special guest contributor Mike Harmon of FoxSports.com & SwollenDome.com previews the 2009 Arizona Cardinals.
The Arizona Cardinals experienced a storybook season in 2008, finally shedding the perennial “sleeper” tag to put up huge weekly point totals en route to a Super Bowl appearance. The offense became the stuff of legend, with Kurt Warner deploying a trio of talented receivers to thrill fans and fantasy players as if operating on a video game.
Arizona tied for third in offensive production, averaging a dominant 26.7 points and 365.8 yards per game. The big push for 2009 is to find some semblance of balance in the attack, as the Cardinals averaged a league-worst 73.6 rushing yards per game.
The defense felt the pressure that comes off of such a fast-paced offense. The lack of a consistent pass rush put the cornerbacks on a proverbial island, and the team finished 28th in total defense, allowing 26.6 points per game.
OFFENSE
Quarterbacks: What else needs to be said about Kurt Warner? As long as he’s upright, the Cardinals will be in every game and he’ll post ridiculous numbers while distributing the ball to his fearsome threesome. Warner has averaged 4,000 passing yards with 57 passing touchdowns over the past two seasons.
It gets dicey at the backup slot. Former first-round pick and college football god, Matt Leinart, is battling hard to hold off journeyman Brian St. Pierre for the second slot behind Warner. Leinart changed his offseason workout structure, adding MMA training under the tutelage of Randy Couture and Jay Glazer, to build up his mental toughness and prepare himself for the rigors of the NFL season. So far, it’s working, and the Cardinals are optimistic that the rededicated Leinart would be ready to keep the chains moving if an injury should befall Warner.
Running Backs: The Cardinals drafted Chris “Beanie” Wells to boost a ground game that sputtered quite frequently in 2008. Edgerrin James, who ran well down the stretch and during the playoffs, is gone. That leaves Wells and bulldozer Tim Hightower, who struggled mightily as a full-time featured back last season. Hightower averaged 2.18 yards per carry during the final eight weeks of the season.
Wells should have every opportunity to ascend the depth chart and become the every-down back in Arizona, provided he picks up his blocking assignments quickly and gets past an ankle injury that has hobbled him throughout camp. I expect Wells to assume the lead role in short order, but for Hightower to vulture some of the goal-line and short-yardage work, a role in which he excelled as a rookie last year. Former Cleveland back Jason Wright will see reps while Wells returns from his injury.
Wide Receivers: This is clearly the high point of the squad. Last year, Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston each topped 1,000 receiving yards in the all-out aerial assault. Boldin’s contract squabbles have drifted into the background for the time being, putting this trio together for another year. The only question about Boldin is how many games he’ll be available to the Cardinals given his style of play and injury history. There are few tougher players in the game.
When Boldin went down with an injury last season, second-year receiver Breaston stepped up admirably alongside the unstoppable Fitzgerald. The former Michigan Wolverine is an explosive downfield threat who should continue to thrive in this attack. It should be noted that Breaston sustained a knee injury in the first preseason game, something that should be monitored as camp progresses.
Jerheme Urban quietly excelled as a fourth option for Warner last season, averaging 13.2 yards on his 34 receptions with four touchdowns. He has the lead over 2008 draft choice Early Doucet III, a downfield speed option that has been slowed by a shoulder injury in camp.
Tight Ends: The Cardinals have a seemingly endless parade of tight ends in camp. Veteran Anthony Becht and Stephen Spach (returning from an ACL injury) are stellar blockers, but neither represents much of a downfield receiving threat. Leonard Pope, a 6-foot-8 third-round pick in 2006, and Dominique Byrd, who did not play in 2008, can both catch the ball, but their technique in finishing off blocks is lacking. Still, Byrd has impressed coaches with his playmaking ability and could work his way into the rotation.
 Third-year tight end Ben Patrick has a solid combination of skills, but will miss four games because of a positive test for a performance-enhancing drug. In the interim, the team is hoping to find some combination of receiving and blocking skills from this quartet to bridge the gap. There’s a re-tooled offensive line, but a blocking option to seal the edge, protecting Warner and opening holes to bring balance via the run game, is paramount.
Offensive Line: The offensive line was hit with a number of injuries during last year’s training camp. Happily for the Arizona staff, its fans and Kurt Warner, the injury bug stayed at the training facilities in Flagstaff.
Center Lyle Sendlein grabbed hold of the center job and anchored a unit that played together for the full 20-game run to the Super Bowl in Tampa. Levi Brown, the right tackle out of Penn State, grew immensely alongside Deuce Lutui, Reggie Wells and Mike Gandy. Gandy is, of course, charged with the task of protecting Warner’s blindside, and did a fantastic job in 2008. The comfort level is clearly there with this young unit, and Russ Grimm certainly knows how to tweak a system to get the most out of his players. There is some cause for concern behind the starters, as many of the backups were acquired during the past two years' drafts.
DEPTH CHART
| |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
CB |
FS |
LOLB |
ILB |
ILB |
ROLB |
SS |
CB |
| |
D. RODGERS-CROMARTIE |
ANTREL ROLLE |
CHIKE OKEAFOR |
KARLOS DANSBY |
GERALD HAYES |
CLARK HAGGANS |
ADRIAN WILSON |
BRYANT MCFADDEN |
| |
MICHAEL ADAMS |
MATT WARE |
BERTRAND BERRY |
VICTOR HOBSON |
ALI HIGHSMITH |
CODY BROWN |
AARON FRANCISCO |
WILREY FONTENOT |
| |
GREG TOLER |
DENNIS KEYES |
WILL DAVIS |
PAGO TOGAFAU |
REGGIE WALKER |
CHASE BULLOCK |
KEITH LEWIS |
RALPH BROWN |
| |
K |
RASHAD JOHNSON |
|
|
|
|
|
JAMEEL DOWLING |
| |
NEIL RACKERS |
|
|
LDE |
NT |
RDE |
|
|
| |
P |
|
|
CALAIS CAMPBELL |
BRYAN ROBINSON |
DARNELL DOCKETT |
|
|
| |
BEN GRAHAM |
|
|
KENNY IWEBEMA |
ALAN BRANCH |
KEILEN DYKES |
|
|
| |
COACH |
|
|
|
GABE WATSON |
RODNEY LEISLE |
|
|
| |
KEN WHISENHUNT |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
WR |
LT |
LG |
C |
RG |
RT |
TE |
WR |
| |
LARRY FITZGERALD |
MIKE GANDY |
REGGIE WELLS |
LYLE SENDLEIN |
DEUCE LUTUI |
LEVI BROWN |
LEONARD POPE |
ANQUAN BOLDIN |
| |
JERHEME URBAN |
ELLIOT VALLEJO |
CARLTON MEDDER |
BEN CLAXTON |
ELTON BROWN |
BRANDON KEITH |
BEN PATRICK |
STEVE BREASTON |
| |
SEAN MOREY |
BRANDON PEARCE |
OLIVER ROSS |
MELVIN FOWLER |
HERMAN JOHNSON |
TREVOR CANFIELD |
STEPHEN SPACH |
EARLY DOUCET |
| |
ED GANT |
FB |
|
QB |
|
RB |
ANTHONY BECHT |
MICHAEL RAY GARVIN |
| |
|
DAN KRIEDER |
|
KURT WARNER |
|
TIM HIGHTOWER |
DOMINIQUE BYRD |
LANCE LONG |
| |
|
TIM CASTILLE |
|
MATT LEINART |
|
CHRIS WELLS |
|
|
| |
|
REAGON MAUI'A |
|
BRIAN ST. PIERRE |
|
JASON WRIGHT |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
TYLER PALKO |
|
LAROD STEPHENS HOWLING |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
DEFENSE
Defensive Line: The Cardinals will be banking on a more consistent push in 2009. Calais Campbell played well as a rookie, and coaches are hoping that another year of training and technique refinement will translate into a solid push opposite Darnell Dockett. Dockett collared 49 tackles with four sacks. To put the decided lack of a pass rush in perspective, the unit allowed a league-worst 36 passing touchdowns last year—nine more than the 31st ranked team.
The unit ranked in the middle of the pack against opposing rushers, allowing 110.3 yards and 0.81 touchdowns per game. Arizona has a deep rotation at nose tackle, with Bryan Robinson edging out Alan Branch and Gabe Watson for the start.
 Linebackers: Once again, Bertrand Berry was limited by injury, but he still managed to lead the team with five sacks. His availability is paramount to sustaining a persistent pass rush to aid the secondary.
The linebacking corps is replete with steady veteran options. Karlos Dansby and Chike Okeafor man the middle. Both are steady tacklers, and Okeafor offers another pass-rushing option as the blitz packages expand. The team is banking on healthy returns from Victor Hobson and Clark Haggans (a former Steeler), both of whom missed extensive time during the 2008 Super Bowl run.
Defensive Backs: The defensive backfield didn’t receive much support from the front seven last year, and were subsequently torched downfield. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, last year’s first-round pick, grew quickly into a solid option on the edge, and the experience he gained during the playoffs was invaluable. Bryant McFadden, a former Steeler, joins the fray to help continue the overhaul of this unit to keep pace with the potent offensive attack. He offers a veteran presence opposite Rodgers-Cromartie, and replaces Rod Hood, who now resides in Cleveland. Antrel Rolle is a steady tackler on the back line, while hard-hitter Adrian Wilson helps change pace as a blitz option.
Depth could be an issue in this unit.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Australian punter Ben Graham, who played for two teams before finishing with the Cardinals last year, re-signed with the squad for 2009. Graham laid 10 of his 37 punts inside the 20 (three inside the 10) with eight fair catches. He netted 42.5 yards per punt in 2008.
Veteran Neil Rackers enters his seventh year with the team. Rackers remains a PAT machine behind Warner and company. Last year, he was not required to be a long-distance operator, attempting only two field goals from beyond 50 yards after averaging eight such attempts in the previous four years.
Third receiver Steve Breaston serves as the team’s top returner for both kickoffs and punts, backed by safety Antrel Rolle. He fills the kickoff role vacated by J.J. Arrington, who averaged 25.6 yards per kickoff return. Breaston averaged 7.2 yards per punt return last year.
2009 ARIZONA CARDINALS OFF-SEASON TRACKER
Acquisitions
RB Jason Wright (FA, Browns)
FB Dan Kreider (FA, Rams)
FB Reagan Mauia (FA, Bengals)
TE Anthony Becht (FA, Rams)
TE Dominique Byrd (FA, Rams)
OT Oliver Ross (FA, Patriots)
OC Melvin Fowler (Free Agent)
CB Bryant McFadden (FA, Steelers)
SS Keith Lewis (FA, 49ers)
Drafted
RB Chris “Beanie” Wells, Ohio State
RB LaRod Stephens-Howling, Pittsburgh
OG Herman Johnson, LSU
OG Trevor Canfield, Cincinnati
DE Will Davis, Illinois
LB Cody Brown, UCONN
CB Gregory Toler, St. Paul’s
FS Rashad Johnson, Alabama
Undrafted Free Agents
WR Justin Brown, Hampton
OT Brandon Pearce, Memphis
OL Khalil El-Amin, Cincinnati
LB Reggie Walker, Kansas State
CB Tony Davis, Penn State
CB Jameel Dowling, Hawaii
CB Michael Ray Garvin, Florida State
Re-signed
QB Kurt Warner
QB Brian St. Pierre
TE Leonard Pope
OG Elton Brown
OG Carlton Medder
OL J.J. Jansen
DL Bertrand Berry
DL Gabe Watson
LB Karlos Dansby
LB Clark Haggans
CB Ralph Brown
Departures
RB J.J. Arrington (FA, Broncos)
FB Terrelle Smith (FA, Lions)
DL Antonio Smith (FA, Texans)
LB Monty Beisel (FA, Chiefs)
CB Eric Green (FA, Dolphins)
CB Roderick Hood (FA, Browns)
Unsigned
RB Edgerrin James (cut)
FB Tim Castille (ERFA)
WR Justin Brown (cut)
WR Shane Morales (cut)
TE Ben Patrick (ERFA)
OC Lyle Sendlein (ERFA)
DL Travis LaBoy (cut)
PROJECTION
The Cardinals' offense is potent, to be sure, but they are one hit from things potentially being torn asunder. Can Leinart or St. Pierre lead this squad should Warner suffer a setback from his hip surgery or another injury? The NFC West has improved and the Seahawks should be back to push the Cardinals for the divisional crown. Additionally, battling the teams of the AFC South should prove difficult. I’m putting them up for a final 8-8 record as a potential Wild Card squad.
For more from Mike Harmon follow him on Twitter or tune-in to The Swollen Dome on The Fantasy Sports Channel.
|
