Robert Mathis + Arizona Cardinals = Perfect Match?

by Jess Root on Feb 19, 2012 8:00 AM MST in NFL Offseason/Free Agency

We have not yet started the free agency period in the NFL, but that does not mean we can't start speculating as to who will sign where. While the Arizona Cardinals are trying to work out a long-term deal for defensive end Calais Campbell, they may be looking for more help on defense.

Pete Prisco from CBS Sports attempted to find the perfect team/free agent matches in this article from Thursday. According to him, Robert Mathis would be the perfect match for the Arizona Cardinals.

Why would he be perfect for Arizona?

The Cardinals need to find somebody who can rush the passer from the outside linebacker position. Mathis has been a down end, but he could easily make the transition to rush linebacker with his speed.

These are probably fairly accurate assessments, but would the Cardinals want a guy who will have to make a big adjustment to not only a position change, but also a complex defensive scheme?

He would be a great player to add, but he will not come cheaply and his impact might be immediate in the pass rush, but he would likely give up other plays because of the learning curve.

But what to you say, ROTB community? Would Robert Mathis be truly a perfect fit?

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He'd be good fit but not perfect. At least not for some time.

by Alex Mann on Feb 19, 2012 8:13 AM MST reply actions

I think

he might be. He would have an entire offseason to learn the defense, but it depends on how smart/committed he is. Acho caught on fairly quick with no offfseason, but Scho took longer…..

by frankbob8 on Feb 19, 2012 8:15 AM MST reply actions

Acho also has been praised for his intellegence by the coaches

and he won some sort of academic award during his college career.

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by GreaZzy on Feb 19, 2012 9:11 PM MST up reply actions

He's a vet so he should catch on quicker than our defense did.

by Alex Mann on Feb 19, 2012 9:34 AM MST reply actions

If that is true...

and it does happen we would add to our team from the colts instead of the steelers. Possible we could get Manning, Garcon or Wayne, and now Mathis. We got one piece already with Reich.

by NATIVEWOOD on Feb 19, 2012 9:36 AM MST reply actions

Jurecki also said something about Kameron Wimbley from the Raiders being a possible target for us

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by JoeCB1991 on Feb 19, 2012 10:37 AM MST reply actions

Kam would be great

I wasn’t happy when the Raiders signed him in the first team. However, I am pretty sure they gave him a sizeable extension last year — did something change?

by tw3kr on Feb 19, 2012 1:37 PM MST up reply actions

This is the thing I saw

Rotoworld

Mike Jurecki of XTRA Phoenix floats the possibility of the Cardinals pursuing OLB Kam Wimbley should the Raiders release him.
Jurecki notes that Arizona had interest in Wimbley two years ago, before he was traded from Cleveland to Oakland. The Cardinals reportedly would have been “in the mix” had the Raiders not offered a second-day draft pick. Oakland is trying to shed salary quickly, and Wimbley’s is a prohibitive $11 million.

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[I have always lived in Arizona, dad is from Chicago].

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by JoeCB1991 on Feb 19, 2012 3:51 PM MST up reply actions

Interesting bit of speculation there.

Who knows what will happen in Oakland now that Al Davis is gone? Nothing would surprise me.

by hadrarius on Feb 19, 2012 4:16 PM MST up reply actions

I forgot it was a trade, yeah

Poor, stupid Oakland.

If he is released I’d be very interested. We’d have to start dealing with the “Cleveland West” moniker but at least that’d be something fresh and different, right?

by tw3kr on Feb 20, 2012 3:03 AM MST up reply actions

he's pretty good...

not worth the contract he signed, but he’s a good pass rusher.

by forget on Feb 20, 2012 11:42 AM MST up reply actions

Ehhhh......

Not sure if I am on board with this.

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by Airwave on Feb 19, 2012 2:50 PM MST reply actions

Not perfect but viable

He will be 31 next season and would be making the adjustment to a new position. I don’t doubt that he could do well at it. He has very respectable career sack stats.

by hadrarius on Feb 19, 2012 4:25 PM MST reply actions

I remember the Bertrand Berry and Chike Okeafor experiment finishing in a lackluster fashion.
What guarantees do we have it wouldn’t be the same?
Admittedly, they were older when they made the transition.
But outside my own snap judgement, what do they have in common?
Size wise: not a ton. Both Bert and Chike are taller and heavier than Mathis.
Mathis’ measurables do have more in common with what the Steelers (and by extension what we assume the Cardinals want) target in outside linebacker.
He’s also fresher at 30 than most as he has limited starting reps than a lot of guys his age.

by superpsck on Feb 19, 2012 9:45 PM MST up reply actions

Share the same reservations.

Mathis is a bit past the ideal age range for a free agent. An infusion of younger talent would be preferable.

by hadrarius on Feb 20, 2012 6:49 PM MST up reply actions

I wanted this,

before the lockout ended, Mathis is nothing more than a one trick pony, but as the Giants have showed us in two superbowls, a nasty pass rush will win the big game.

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by INSOMAN1ATIC on Feb 19, 2012 5:14 PM MST reply actions

Now that I think of it... Acho, Mathis, Campbell, and Dockett... Who do you block?!

by Alex Mann on Feb 19, 2012 5:28 PM MST up reply actions

Don't forget Schofield or Carter

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by INSOMAN1ATIC on Feb 19, 2012 8:22 PM MST reply actions

Ehhh not sure about Carter. I like him but I don't think he'll apply alot of pressure.

And I didn’t name Schofield because Mathis would probably take that side of the Defense.

by Alex Mann on Feb 19, 2012 9:18 PM MST up reply actions

Carter

will be REALLY good. He is explosive! He’s got a burst that a lot of guys don’t have.

by forget on Feb 20, 2012 11:44 AM MST up reply actions

Carter is nasty

He’s 25 and only started his senior year at UCLA which is why he was overlooked. He was viewed as a project player with huge upside going into the draft and we nailed that pick. He can play NT and DE because he is a superior athlete with amazing explosiveness.

He’s is very raw and undeveloped as of now which is scary because of the dominance he already shows. He is gonna be Docketts replacement in about 4 years IMO.

by cgcardzfan on Feb 20, 2012 4:59 PM MST via mobile up reply actions

Agreed, Carter’s been a nice surprise at nose.

by superpsck on Feb 21, 2012 5:20 PM MST up reply actions

Too expensive?

I’ve heard that the Colts might consider using their franchise tag on him. Even if they don’t, it’ll probably take a lot of money to match their contract offer?

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by Thomaldo on Feb 20, 2012 9:51 AM MST reply actions