Cardinals Sign Veteran LB Paris Lenon To Three Year Deal
Shorty after hearing the news that linebacker Larry Foote returned to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Arizona Cardinals have signed inside linebacker Paris Lenon to a three year contract on Monday.
Lenon spent last season with the St. Louis Rams where he recorded 43 tackles and three forced fumbles in a starting role. Before then, he was a starter with the Detroit Lions where he compiled 103 tackles per year and totaled 9 passes defensed, 3.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles and 1interception. He also spent time in Green Bay where he was part of the depth chart in four seasons.
The 32-year old isn't a replacement for the recently departed Karlos Dansby. He isn't a threat against the pass or intimidating rusher, and he'll likely be assigned to the reserve role where he can provide veteran relief should a starter be lost to injury.
The Cardinals have had their sights set on Foote to start as the TED inside linebacker, but now that he isn't an option, they can focus on drafting one for the future. They can also focus on Joey Porter and Derek Anderson, who visited with the team last week.
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Paris Lenon
Sounds like a decent signing – as a competent roleplaying LB. We still need a high-end starter, hopefully Porter is still around since Foote went back to Pitts. With all of our defensive needs it would also be nice to tie up a quality veteren QB sometime soon. Wonder if a trede could be worked out for Kolb?
Porter is still a free agent....
"What I've achieved now is something that I always figured I would as a kid. I've had that type of determination since I was a youngster playing around the playgrounds, getting dirty after school." - Amare Stoudemire
What?
Porter would not go back to Miami. He’s still a free agent.
What? I didn't break it, I was just testing its durability, and then I placed it in the woods becuase it's made out of wood and I just thought he should be with his family.
Revenge of the Birds
seriously
What? I didn't break it, I was just testing its durability, and then I placed it in the woods becuase it's made out of wood and I just thought he should be with his family.
Revenge of the Birds
I'm guessing this means Beisel is done here
And, if we get Porter, definitely pushes ILB above OLB for the draft…
It has to. Unless the Cardinals pursue Andra Davis, which I highly doubt.
I hope Sean Weatherspoon is available at 26.
What? I didn't break it, I was just testing its durability, and then I placed it in the woods becuase it's made out of wood and I just thought he should be with his family.
Revenge of the Birds
I have only one thing to say about this signing.
Booooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. Go get a real player to step in and replace Dansby! Not some scrub whos nothing more then a warm body in the middle!
I say boo too
I think we should have spent on Foote. I am not one for over spending but we do have a huge hole in the middle right now.
I hope something happens because this signing doesn’t really doesn’t do much for our D
They are who we thought they were!
I'm not sure about this..
I was hoping they’d pull the Foote deal out. He’s what? 28 Lenon is 32. I don’t know about this…..I’m sure we’ll learn at some point why Foote got away. It better not be money. I’m interested to see everyone’s thoughts on this.
I like it...
The guy is a proven vet in the league in a position we will need some help at throughout the year. He has spent most of his career on some dog-meat teams so no doubt he will come in with a good attitude and work his tail off to crack the starting line-up. If it takes an unfortunate injury or two to get him in there, at least he will be game ready mentally and more importantly fresh/rested. I’m thinking of it as padding the position for the season, just in case the defense is on the field a little more than usual.
Useless signing!
Why would they even bother signing this guy?! I suspect it had to do something with money.
by lifelongcardfan on Mar 15, 2010 3:11 PM MDT reply actions
i'd say it was a health issue with foote not being signed by az. or the f.o. didn't see much difference between him and lenon.
i think this is definitely a depth/special teams signing which – i’m on board with. to me it looks as though the cards will make ilb top priority in the draft or at least 2nd priority.
WTF IS THIS?
we signed this guy to the same deal foote got with the steelwhores?
I thought foote wanted to get something like 15 mil out of us?
anyone?anyone?
by fansincejakenrob on Mar 15, 2010 5:57 PM MDT reply actions
Not the same
I don’t know the contract details but I am sure its not the same deal as Foote. I am actually ok with this as long as we bring in porter or andra davis. If we bring in Davis then we draft OLB in the 1st. If we bring in porter then let’s get ready to welcome Weatherspoon!
Never do card tricks for the group you play poker with.
by sc464 on Mar 15, 2010 6:28 PM MDT via mobile up reply actions
EW!
EW!
Even in a reserved role, get him off the team. Fuck.
We should look into Morrison or Thomas Howard now, fo sho.
I
like the pick up of Lenon. It is a good deal for added depth without spending too much money on Foote. He shouldn’t be the starter but could help out when needed until probably a draft pick becomes ready to play. Cardinals are getting smarter how to utilize the draft and free agency picks.
me too
kj…I think the Cards have been very savvy, and shrewd with their expenditures so far.
and like 3nOUT said, he is is likely to come in pumped to be playing on a good team, and work his butt off.
I was just checking out the Cards’ additions at LB/DE, Stevie Baggs, Mark Washington, Paris Lenon, and getting back Cody Brown, Will Davis, Reggie Walker, I think we are gonna be fine, plus a #1 or #2 LB in the draft
http://undrafteds.com/
Rod Graves says,
“Lenon actually fits the hole left by Karlos Dansby’s departure better than Foote”. What else is he going to say?
This signing is very worrisome
Lenon seemed to be a very solid contrubutor for 3-4 years for a very bad Lions team that played a base 4-3 . He then signed a 3 year deal in May of last year with the Pats as a backup in their 3-4, as needed depth behind Jerod Mayo and Ted Bruschi. NE was lacking in this area due to injury. Problem was, he got cut before the start of the season. Although I don’t know the specifics, how well could he have been playing?
He then gets signed by another horrible team that plays a 4-3 and does end up getting numerous starts due to injury to David Vobora and then the trade of Will Weatherspoon. But his numbers fall dramatically in his starts. And even though STL OLB situation is worse than ours, they make no attempt to sign him. So we do, to play a position he couldn’t handle as a backup in NE. AND THERE IS A CHANCE HE MIGHT START FOR US!
The drafting of Weatherspoon is even more imperative now. And he better be ready to start from day 1.
Agreed
I don’t see this as a positive for our defense whatsoever. I see this as a reactive move. We need LB’s and, since Foote wasn’t working out, we took the leftovers.
Lenon started for the Lions and Rams—two horrible teams. He didn’t have stellar stats for either team. It seams as though most of his playing time was as a backup or because of an injury to another player. I understand we need depth at the position, but think about this for a moment. I haven’t researched if toolman is right, but did he really get cut by NE? Has ANY team that this guy has played for made an attempt to keep him on the roster? He is a drifter going from team to team. I don’t want scraps from teams cemented in the losing category. If he wasn’t good enough to be a starter on the Packers, why would we want him? I know he is being brought in to add depth. I don’t care, though. We needed to make moves to make this defense better. We aren’t doing that.
The Rhodes signing did that for the safety position. This signing, as of now, seems more like a waste of a roster spot. I hope he proves me wrong.
Got beat out for a spot by someone named Eric Alexander...
a special teams LB for Pats
Doesn't sound all bad to me
Check out Sando’s report on the topic, if you haven’t:
http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcwest/post/_/id/15557/cards-add-ex-rams-starter-lenon
And remember, we were going after both Lenon and Foote simultaneously
It’s not like the FO just grabbed someone random off the wire because Foote went to the Steelers.
Yeah the FO went fishing and it was a case of who bit first.
The salmon or the grouper. Regardless we are going to eat well when the rest of the entree is brought to the table.
Life's too short. Be a fan. Orlando Magic, Arizona Cardinals,Tampa Bay Rays and of course "the U"! What a winning combo.
by hevchv on Mar 16, 2010 3:21 AM MDT via mobile up reply actions
I am ok
with the pickup of Lenon for now. I will withold any criticism until after the draft. the acquisition of Rhodes prior to this gives me the confidence that the FO has a plan. If they can sign Porter and/or Andra Davis, although it looks like the Bills are going to get Davis. Then I would bet the FO will draft a LB with their first pick. I’ve also read that the Cards are interested in the Steelers DE, Nick Eason. Anyone else read that? Also, why are the Cards so interested in Charlie Whitehurst? They would have to give up a 3rd round pick for a guy whos never played a game.
Badgers! Badgers! We don't need no stinkin badgers!
My only concern with Lenon is his size.
6’2" 235lbs vs 6’1" 230lbs. Not much of a difference between him and Highsmith. And both are kinda small for the ILB position.
Life's too short. Be a fan. Orlando Magic, Arizona Cardinals,Tampa Bay Rays and of course "the U"! What a winning combo.
by hevchv on Mar 16, 2010 3:28 AM MDT via mobile reply actions
small
I agree, he’s probably too small for the inside. it’s a decent signing if he doesn’t start barring injuries. You still need an ILB. If we don’t get one, or draft a starting one, then this is a poor signing. You can pick up backups anywhere, that’s what this is, just a little earlier than expected.
LaRussa makes too much sense too little of the time.
Welcome to ROTB FlintCardsFan
What? I didn't break it, I was just testing its durability, and then I placed it in the woods becuase it's made out of wood and I just thought he should be with his family.
Revenge of the Birds
Weakside ILB are usually a little smaller
They are usually quicker and faster. They are expected to play sideline to sideline and are used more in coverage. I’m not worried about his size. He’s started 70 games in the league. He’s good. I’d be more worried about his age.
When Rolando McClain plummets to the 26th spot
that won’t be a concern for long. Ha Ha. But seriously, they need a bad ass ILB in the first 2 rounds.
I little bit of pee just came out
Never do card tricks for the group you play poker with.
by sc464 on Mar 16, 2010 1:50 PM MDT via mobile up reply actions














