For the first time this season the Arizona Cardinals had JJ Arrington active against the Bills and while his snaps were limited, he did make a couple of decent plays. Tim Castille was the active-roster casualty and Coach Whisenhunt said that the move was made primarily to keep Steve Breaston from having to return kicks while he filled in for the injured Anquan Boldin. While it's possible that both Arrington and Castille could be active on game days, it would be unlikely because there's not much reason to have five runningbacks/fullbacks for a given game. So who is the better option?

The Case for Tim Castille: Castille's a versatile player who can play fullback or running back and the coaching staff even likes to split him out wide in spread formations. He's a tough runner who could be used in short yardage or goal line situations, if Hightower were to go down, and he's a capable reciever out of the backfield. Castille, a former college running back, isn't the pure fullback that Terrelle Smith is but his blocking has improved and there was some thought during training camp that Castille would win the starting job. Castille also contributes on coverage units where he's logged three tackles in four games. Overall, Castille is what you're looking for in a backup player because he can play multiple positions and has a diverse skill set.

The Case Against Castille: While Castille is capable of doing many things well, he's doesn't do any one thing particulary great. If the Cardinals are looking for a blocker, Terrelle Smith is a better option. If they're looking for a guy to convert around the goal line or in short yardage situations, Hightower is the better option. If they're looking for a reciever out of the backfield, Hightower and Edge are better options. Another thing working against Castille is that the Cardinals don't use a fullback very much outside of goal line situations. So while Castille is versatile, he doesn't really excel at any one thing.

The Case for JJ Arrington: Arrington's been a big disapointment since he was drafted four years ago, there's no denying that. But he still brings something to the table that no other running back on the roster has on their resume: speed. His ability to run through contact has always been questioned but he looked much better in the preseason when he broke multiple long runs and scored a couple of touchdowns. He's also a legit threat out of the backfield and he actually led the running backs in receptions last year with 29. Arrington's also the team's best kick returner, although you wouldn't have been able to tell by last week's performance, and having him back there also allows Steve Breaston to focus on punt returns and receiving.

The Case Against JJ Arrington: If you read the paragraph above, you might be able to guess what works against JJ, he's pretty much a one-trick-pony. He's got outstanding, game changing speed but that's about the only area that he's an upgrade over anyone on the roster. He's also weak runner and he's got the tendency to dance too much in the backfield instead of finding a hole cutting up field. I know there's also a certain segment of Cardinals fans that have already given up on Arrington ever being a legit NFL player, much less a legit running back, and they're just counting down the days until his contract expires at the end of the season.

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My Take: It's possible that I've played too much Madden over the years, but I'm a guy who's loves speed. Truly game breaking speed can change the outcome of a game in the blink of an eye and that's what JJ Arrington possesses. I really like Castille's versatility but he doesn't upgrade any area of the roster other than depth. Depth is very important on a roster, so I'm not discounting his value, but if we're talking about one game, I'd rather have JJ. He's the best kick returner and he adds something to the backfield that Edge and Hightower can't. 

Thoughts? Agree/Disagree? Who would you rather see active? Did Arrington look like an improved player on Sunday or were his third down conversions just fluke plays?

The Arizona Cardinals came back home and moved north of .500 with a big win over the previously undefeated Buffalo Bills on Sunday. The offense and defense both looked impressive as they jumped on the Bills early and didn't throttle back until the game was well out of hand. The Cardinals passed a big test and remained perfect at home in 2008.

Kurt Warner: Warner worked the short passing game to perfection in front of the home crowd and even though he didn't have a completion over 20 yards, he was amazingly efficient. He completed passes at a 78.6% clip and notched his second game of the season with a QB rating over 100. It was also his third game of the season in which he didn't turn the ball over (all three games resulted in Cardinals' 
wins). He survived a rough hit in the second quarter that left his chin bloodied and even scampered for 11 yards on a drive right before halftime to avoid the rush and pick up a first down. He also completed at least one pass to nine different receivers and overall, it's hard to ask too much more of your quarterback. Grade: A+

Running Backs: For the first time this season the Cardinals had three running backs active and they each got some work in, combining for 113 rushing yards and 54 receiving yards. Edgerrin James was the workhorse with 21 carries but all of his work only amounted to 57 yards (2.7 ypc), although he did add another touchdown. Tim Hightower continues to impress as a rookie with 37 yards on seven carries (5.3 ypc) and he added two touchdowns, giving him five through his first five games. His best run came on nice 17 yard burst through left side of the offensive line on a 3rd and one. I'll continue to say that he may lack some top end speed but he's got the quickness to hit a hole that Edge lacks at times. JJ Arrington got his first action of the season and for the most part played pretty well. He wasn't spectacular but he did have a good series in the third quarter where he converted a 3rd and 13 with a 13 yard reception and a 3rd and nine with a 14 yard draw play. I'm not really a JJ fan but I'm not sure that Hightower or Edge could have made those two plays. As for the fullbacks, Tim Castille was inactive but Terrelle Smith had several critical blocks, especailly around the goal line. Overall, the running game took quantity over quality with 123 yards on 34 carries (3.6 ypc) but we'll take what we can get. Grade: B-

Wide Receivers: We were wondering who would pick up Anquan Boldin's slack, but I don't think anyone expected the answer to be everyone. Nine different players caught passes and eight of them caught multiple passes. It was pretty clear that the Bills wanted to limit the big play and control Fitzgerald so Warner took exacty what he was given. He spread the ball all over the field and Breaston and Fitz ended up tieing for the team lead with seven receptions. Early Doucet, making his first appearance of the season, had six catches for 42 yards. Ben Patrick and Leonard Pope only combined for 15 yards on 3 receptions but they were better contributors in the running game. The receivers didn't break any big gainers but they were reliable and consistent throughout the entire game. Grade: A-

Offensive Line: The offensive line was fabulous in the passing game but they were just about average in the running game. The line didn't allow a sack for the first time this season and they didn't even allow very many hits on Warner. In the running game though they weren't as good, considering that the offense averaged just 3.6 yards per carry but the average was dragged down by the fourth quarter numbers when they ran 13 times for just 29 yards (2.2 ypc) You'd like the offense to be able to grind out yards to end a game but this offensive line isn't much of a mauling group. For the record though, they did average 4.5 yards per carry for the first three quarters and the Bills knew the Cardinals would be running in the fourth to milk the clock. Grade: B

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Thoughts? Agree/Disagree on the grades? How much confidence do you have in the running game?

The Arizona Cardinals are already be in our nation's capital and solely focused on
defeating the Redskins to start the season 3-0. The injury report for the Cardinals good news for the most part but there's one big question: Travis LaBoy. He returned to practice yesterday but only on a limited basis, which is a better sign but not real encouraging. Darren Urban seems to think that he'll at least try to play but that it could come down to a game time decision. If he's unable to play, it wouldn't be as catastophic as losing Karlos Dansby or Adrian Wilson because Bertrand Berry would take his place. The interesting part is who would give Berry a breather from time to time and if I had to take a guess it would be Clark Haggans, who's the backup to Chike Okeafor on the other side. As for Steve Breaston and Levi Brown, they both took part in a full practice and will be good to go tommorrow. To be official, Laboy is questionable, Breaston and Brown are probable.

The Redskins report doesn't look as promising though with Khary Campbell (Thigh), Kareem Moore (Hamstring), James Thrash (Ankle), Marcus Washington (Hamstring) and Malcolm Kelly (Ankle) all listed as questionable, although Kelly was the only one who was limited in practice on Friday. London Fletcher (Not Injury Related), H.B. Blades (Knee), Carlos Rogers (Groin), Mike Sellers (Hamstring), Fred Smoot (Hip) and Jason Taylor (Knee) are all listed as probable. 

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As for keys to the game, I'll try to avoid the obvios cliches as much as possible such as win the turnover battle or win time of possession. I think we all understand how important it is for Kurt Warner and the offense as a whole to continue to protect the ball. So here's my keys:

1. Contain Clinton Portis: Portis is one of the better backs in the league when he's healthy and he's the heart of this Redskin offense. He's a complete back who's competent out of the backfield and has the speed to turn a small crease into a huge gain. The Skins' offense isn't prolific though and they depend on Portis moving the chains. Since he came to Washington in 2004, the team is 16-3 when he rushes for 100 yards or more and 21-10 when rushes for 75 yards or more. In other words, they need him to have a good game in order to win a ball game. They've got other weapons but he's the key.
2. Pressure Jason Campbell: This serves two purposes because Campbell is still a young quarterback trying to learn a new system, but it also prevents the passing game from being able to beat the secondary deep. This is Campbell's first year in the West Coast Offense and he's still picking up all of the intricacies, but he's always had a problem when teams blitz him. For his career, he's been sacked almost twice a game (1.7) in games that he lost, but less than a sack (.89) in games that he won. Bringing pressure would almost give his receivers less time to get downfield. Santana Moss is a good receiver but his strengths don't correlate to the West Coast system, he's a deep threat and thrives when he's able to stretch the field. Bringing pressure on Campbell will rattle him and limit what the passing game is able to accomplish.
3. Protect Kurt Warner: This may sound like a given but I still think it's crucial. The Redskins have hinted all week that they know Warner is turnover-prone when he's facing pressure and I wouldn't be surprised to see them bring pressure early and often. They don't respect the running game and I'd imagine they'll focus thier attention on Warner. They can protect him one of two ways: establish a ground game that the defense will have to contend with or keep in an extra tight end or back during passing situations. When the Skins start to blitz too often, I'd imagine we'll see Todd Haley try to use some of the draws and screen that they've working so hard on since the start of training camp. A couple of big gains on draw plays will slow down a pass rush pretty quickly. They could also keep Leonard Pope or Tim Castille to help protect against extra blockers, since neither have had big roles in the passing game yet. However they get it down, if Warner has time in the pocket, he'll be able to shred this secondary.

Thoughts? Agree/Disagree? Predictions?

With the roster finalized, it's time to figure out exactly where everyone fits into the mix. With the first game just six days away, here's how I see the offensive depth chart playing out:

QB - Kurt Warner, Matt Leinart, Brian S. Pierre

We all know the situation at quarterback. Warner's the guy but no one expects him to play all 16 games. Leinart will get on the field at some point.

RB - Edgerrin James, Tim Hightower, JJ Arrington

Edge is still the workhorse but Hightower will see his share of work, especially in short yardage situations and around the goal line. If Arrington continues to impress he'll warrant some carries as well.

FB - Tim Castille, Terrelle Smith

This is the first position that isn't clear yet. Whiz hasn't named a starter but I'd imagine that both would play in different situations.

WR - Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Steve Breaston, Jerheme Urban, Early Doucet, Sean Morey

The top two are set but the next three are all somewhat close and should see the field. Breaston will start the season as the #3, but given the injury status of both Fitzgerald and Boldin, Urban and Doucet will see playing time.

TE - Leonard Pope, Ben Patrick, Jerame Tuman

Pope won the job by default but when Patrick gets healthy, he could still push him for the job. Either way, they'll both see the field and are decent pass catching options. Tuman's a blocking specailist but could snag some goal line catches on play action passes.

RT - Levi Brown, Elton Brown, Brandon Keith/Elliot Vallejo

Elton Brown is the primary backup at almost every position on the line, but if Brown is already playing a guard position then either Keith or Vallejo would step into the spot.

RG - Deuce Lutui, Elton Brown, Brandon Keith

Lutui's on the hot seat but it's still his job for now. Brown was close to winning the job but he'll up on the field at some position. Keith's a promising rookie who's show the versatiilty to play multiple positions.

C - Lyle Sendlein, Al Johnson, Reggie Wells, Elton Brown

Sendlein stepped in when Johnson went down and he may not give the job back when AJ is back. Reggie Wells is the emergency center and primary backup until AJ returns but Brown is also taking snaps at center this week.

LG - Reggie Wells, Elton Brown, Brandon Keith

The top three are pretty much set in stone. The only wild card here would be if Elton Brown beats out Lutui, then Lutui would be the primary backup.

LT - Mike Gandy, Elton Brown, Brandon Keith

The top three are pretty much the same as left guard. Elliot Vallejo could also figure into the mix if multiple injuries occur.

Thoughts? Agree/Disagree? 

With half of the preseason behind us and just one more week in Flagstaff, the Cardinals coaching staff doesn't have much more time to make decisions concerning position battles. This weeks game is often considered the 'dress rehearsal' for starters and most of them will play into the second half meaning that playing time for those further down the depth chart will be limited. This will also be the final week of practice and game for a handful of players because teams must cut their roster down to 75 players next week (Aug 26th). Here's how the position battles are shaping up heading into the final week of training camp:

Quarterback: Before last week, I probably wouldn't even have listed this as a battle and I'm still not convinced that it is a legitimate competition, but last week put it back on the radar screen. Warner and Leinart looked awful close in terms of performance Saturday night, but if I had to give an edge to one guy it would probably be Warner. Leinart looked very sharp in the first game and if he continues to perform he should be the starter on September 7th. It'll be very interesting to see who takes the field first this week and how long they play. If one guy plays the entire first half or a little more then the battle is over, but if they both play in the first half, that's an indication that the coaching staff is still undecided.

Fullback: Terrelle Smith started the first preseason game and had a couple of very good plays including a nice catch and run. Tim Castille started the second game and also had a couple of good plays including a touchdown reception. It's possible that both could make the final 53, but teams don't normally carry two fullbacks. Smith is the better blocker but Castille is younger, cheaper and more versatile. Just like with the quarterbacks, keep an eye on who starts this week and how long they play.

3rd Wide Receiver: Steve Breaston has grabbed a hold of this job and he doesn't look like he'll relinquish it anytime soon. He hasn't had much competition because Doucet has been out with a hamstring injury but Breaston has looked explosive and elusive out of the slot and could end up being the perfect compliment to Fitz and Q.

Free Safety: We weren't sure how much competition there would be between Rolle and Francisco, but it looks like the Rolle is entrenched as the starter. Francisco will get on the field quite a bit though in nickel and dime situations. Instead of bringing in a nickel back the Cardinals are going to bring in Francisco and move Rolle into the third corner position. DRC's development throughout the season could change that but for now Rolle and Fransisco will each see significant playing time.

Outside Linebacker: Before Saturday's game, this didn't really register as a competition and truth be told both Bertrand Berry and Travis LaBoy will see plenty of snaps regardless of who starts. LaBoy made a case for himself on Saturday though with six tackles and two sacks. Berry doesn't have much to show for in the preseason yet but his playing time has been pretty limited. LaBoy is still learning the position but if he can continue to rush the passer like he did Saturday, they'll have to find a way to get him on the field early and often.

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That's just about every position battle that I can think of but did I miss any? How do you see these playing out and how will they impact the Cardinals in 2008?

The Cardinals got off to a slow start yesterday but exploded for 14 points in the third quarter to get their first win of the Ken Whisenhunt era. Here's a quick summary of the game according to various reports.

The Good

Travis LaBoy and Defensive Pressure - LaBoy led the team in tackles and added two sacks. Considering that he backs up Bertrand Berry who didn't record a single tackle, LaBoy could be making a serious push for the starting job. Also picking up a sack for the second week in a row was Joe Tafoya. He was considered a 'bubble guy' coming in but if he continues to make plays, they might have to find a spot for him. Clark Haggans also picked up his first sack as a Cardinal.

Penalties - After last weeks performance (6 for 52) the coaching staff has to be pleased with just three penalties for 20 yards. The penalties consisted of a two offsides/neutral zone infractions and a holding. The only penalty that was committed by a starter was an offside penalty by Calais Campbell, who was starting in place of Darnell Dockett.

Quarterback Play - Warner got the start and eventually overcame a slow start (2 incompletions on the first drive) to finish with solid numbers (6 of 9 for 54 yards). He looked a little rusty but shook it off and led the Cardinals to their first touchdown. Leinart would take over on the third offensive series and would almost be picked off on his third pass attempt but a challenge flag overturned the call. He'd continue his slow start for the rest of the first half and his three series of the first half would end up totaling just two of six passing for 13 yards. He'd come out of halftime on fire though (5 of 5 for 49 yards) and his only drive would end in the first passing touchdown of the preseason. St. Pierre and Morelli would play the rest of the game without throwing an incompletion (5 for 5) and St. Pierre would add a TD.

JJ Arrington & Tim Castille - Arrington didn't do a whole lot for the offensive unit with just 18 total yards (13 rushing and 5 receiving) but his 78 yard kickoff return in the 3rd quarter set up the offense with great field position. The beneficiary of Arrington's kickoff return was Tim Castille who would catch the first pass after the return and take in 24 yards in the endzone.

Dennis Keyes - Keyes put the nail in the Chiefs coffin last night.  With Kansas City driving deep into Cardinal territory in the fourth, looking to pull within a score, Keyes picked off a Tyler Thigpen pass and returned it 84 yards for a touchdown.

The Bad

Running Game - The running game never really got going last night. Edge fumbled his first attempt, although it was recovered by Lyle Sendlein, and he'd end up carrying three times on the next drive for 20 yards before giving way to Tim Hightower. Hightower would score the first touchdown of the game from four yards out but his final numbers wouldn't look great (9 carries for 28 yards). The Cardinals as a whole finished up with 76 yards rushing on 21 carries (3.6 yards per carry), but with the lack of depth in the offensive line it's not surprising that the running game struggles once the starters leave the game.

Run Defense - We knew that the front seven would get tested more this week and the results weren't overly promising. They got off to a decent start against Larry Johnson (7 carries for 19 yards on the first three drives), but on the fourth offensive drive for the Chiefs the running game took off with eight carries for 57 yards. The final rushing numbers for the first half, not including the Chiefs' backup QB who scrambled all over the defense, was 76 yards on 15 carries (5.06 avg).

Kickoff Coverage - For the second week in a row the kickoff coverage units allowed the opposing returners to run wild. Last week against the Saints they allowed five returns for 111 yards and this week the Chiefs racked up 139 yards on four returns (34.8 avg). The average starting field position for the Chiefs after a kick off was their own 32 yard line.

The Ugly

Special Teams - Any time a team can say that they missed an extra point and kicked a kickoff out of bounds, they're certainly not bragging. Rackers had a poor game although punter/holder Dirk Johnson said that a bad hold caused the missed extra point. Johnson had a decent game punting though and ended up with a 47.7 yard average and a net average of 41.3. He could have been even better had two punts not gone out of bounds at the 30 yard line. 

Our continued pre-training camp breakdown of each position for the Cardinals, brings us to the fullback position and even though it may be a dying breed there are still some decent options left in Arizona. So far we've looked at tight ends, wide receivers and running backs but the fullback is a player that gets much less attention or praise. For the most part the traditional fullback is nearing extinction and is being replaced by more versatile players. The Cardinals seem to have a decent option either way they choose to go but teams rarely carry more than one fullback on the 53 man roster so the training camp battle at fullback could be one to keep an eye on.

Terrelle Smith: Smith is the prototypical fullback in that he excels at one thing and one thing only, lowering his head and opening holes for his running back. Only once in his eight year career has he had double digit carries (rookie season) and only twice in his career has he had double digit receptions (2000 & 2005), but he has led the way for six 1,000 yard rushers in his eight year career. At 6'0 250, Smith isn't built to run around or by anyone but he is the guy that you want in front of your tailback when you're trying to get one yard for a crucial first down or touchdown. He turned 30 years old this year so it's worth questioning how much longer he can continue punishing his body, but he has been very durable throughout his career (only missed 5 games in 8 years). Smith's experience gives him a significant edge over Castille considering his eight seasons and over 120 games of NFL experience greatly outnumber Castille's one season on the practice squad.

Tim Castille: In the ever-changing world that is the NFL, the newest fad is replacing a traditional blocking fullback with a more versatile weapon who can attack defenses with more than just his blocking. The coaching staff has praised Castille for bulking up a bit during his season on the practice squad after signing him as an undrafted free agent out of Alabama. Castille started at fullback his first two years at Bama but morphed into their short-yardage specialist his junior and senior seasons. By the end of his collegiate career he had totaled 21 touchdowns on 161 carries and added another 60 receptions. Many compared him to Zack Crockett after his senior season and thought that he could have the same kind of impact in the NFL . Castille's already made some news in mini-camps when he was running with the first team ahead of Smith, but Coach Whisenhunt and Castille himself were quick to point out that mini-camp practice were non-contact drills and that it was too early to make much out of the switch. His age and lower cap value could give him an edge over the older and more expensive Smith, if they're play is similar during camp and the preseason.

Dionte Johnson: Johnson is an undrafted free agent out of Ohio State and is will most likely follow in Castille's footsteps by spending at least one season on the practice squad if the team wants to keep him after camp. His forte is straight ahead run blocking and even though he isn't as big as a traditional fullback (6'0 238), he was the lead blocker for the Buckeyes and was also utilized on special teams as a wedge setter on kickoff returns. Johnson's young, even for a rookie (22), so a year or two of seasoning on the practice squad could be what he needs to make the transition to the professional level. Being that he's a blocking fullback he could also add another 10 to 15 pounds to his frame without hurting his athleticism to much.

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The battle for starting fullback isn't one that will garner much attention but it could end up being the only position on the offensive side of the ball that has a new starter on opening day. Terrelle Smith is the best blocker, but if the coaching staff wants a more versatile option they'll likely turn to Castille. Teams rarely carry two fullbacks but the Steelers went through the same predicament last season when they kept Dan Kreider (traditional fullback) and Carey Davis (versatile fullback) on the roster, so it could happen. The idea of a goal line package with Smith leading the way for Castille is awful tempting, but we'll just have to wait and see. Either way, don't forget about the fullback when your watching the preseason, the coaching staff certainly isn't. Anyone care to make any predictions? Would you rather have a 'traditional fullback' or a more versatile option?

Since the Arizona Cardinals have several players who want new deals, I thought it would be a good idea to look ahead to the 2009 offseason to see just how much work the front office will have in front of them.

Kurt Warner - As we've already mentioned, the team is already working on an extension. It's reportedly to be a two year extension, which isn't too bad as long as the cap number isn't too exorbitant.

JJ Arrington - He's never lived up to his second round draft status and with the emergence of Steve Breaston on kickoff returns, his role was reduced in 2007. As a running back he's pedestrian at best with less than 1,000 combined yards in three seasons and a career yards per carry of 3.1. Arrington's is still young, but he's not anything more than a situational role player who can contribute on special teams.

Tim Castille - If he does end up beating out Terrelle Smith for the starting fullback job, he'll likely get an extension sometime during the season. Since he's was undrafted out of Alabama, he'll be cheap and he's a restricted free agent anyways.

Terrelle Smith - Smith's day in Arizona are likely numbered. Teams rarely carry two fullbacks and Castille seems to have a leg up in the early competition. If Smith does make it through camp without being cut, it will certainly be his final season in the desert.

Ahmad Merritt - Merritt signed a one year deal since he was restricted free agent heading into this offseason. He turned 31 earlier this year and hasn't had a reception in the NFL since 2003, but Merritt has stuck around because he's a decent special teams player. I can't imagine they'd resign him again after this season. At some point a 32 year old special teams player seems like a waste.

Ben Patrick -The seventh round pick just one season ago ended up starting several games at the end of the year and he'll only be a restricted free agent. He'll be back in 2009, even it's only on a one year deal.

Leonard Pope - The incumbent starter at tight end, will be a restricted free agent if he isn't extended before the end of the season. Pope still has some areas of his game that need improvement, most importantly blocking, but the Cardinals finally utilized his size in the red zone in 2007 and this season should see an expansion of his role in the passing game.

Elton Brown - He's been an admirable backup (14 starts in 3 season) since being a 4th round pick out of Virginia. Whether or not he returns depends on several things: do the Cardinals view him as a future starter and is Brown willing to wait until a spot opens up?

Lyle Sendlein - The previously undrafted free agent will be an exclusive rights free agent after 2008, so he'll be back in 2009. The backup center made two starts in 2007.

Bertrand Berry - Berry restructured his contract in order to give the Cardinals some cap relief and lessen the chance of being cut. The 32 year old is trying to play his first full season since 2003 when he had 14.5 sacks. At his age it'll be interesting to see if there's a market for his services after this season.

Antonio Smith - Smith should be a big name in the free agent market after this season. He had his best season as a pro in 2007 totaling over 40 tackles and 5.5 sacks in his first season as a starter. I can't imagine that he's in the Cardinals future plans considering that they drafted Campbell in the second and another DE in the fourth round.

Clark Haggans - The former Steeler signed a one year contract this offseason but he'll be 32 after this season. He should provide some veteran depth but I wouldn't think that they'd be very interested in bringing him back next season.

Monty Beisel -  Beisel's a decent backup linebacker who's performed well in spot starts but his age may be the biggest factor in him not being brought back after this season. He'll be 31 before the start of the 2009 season.

Karlos Dansby - The man playing for big money this season is Dansby. He was franchised this offseason and as much as the Cardinals have tried to work out a long term deal, he seems content with testing the market. He's in his prime and I'd expect nothing less than his best season as a pro in the expectations of breaking the bank.

Eric Green -  This is quite possibly a make or break season for the fourth year pro. Green struggled in his first season as a starter and if he's beaten out early in the season by Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie it'll be interesting to see if how the rest of the NFL sees him. I'm still wondering if he'd be a decent nickel back, but I'm not sure he'd accept a backup role.

Obviously it looks like the biggest question marks next offseason will be on the defensive side of the ball. Is there any way that Dansby can be signed to a long term deal? Will Campbell be ready to step in at defensive end position or will the Cards have to franchise Smith? Replacing Dansby, if a deal can't be worked out, could be the biggest problem facing the next season, but there are some concerns about depth at running back and outside linebacker. So what concerns you the most about next offseason and who would you most like to see resigned?

OTAs kicked off all around the yesterday so if you've been craving any form of football news, you're in luck today. All the news is of course nothing more than premature speculation since it is based on practices that prohibit contact but it is still football talk (and I've been dying for some of that). We mentioned yesterday the Q and Dockett were no shows yesterday and a handful of players were present but couldn't practice. If Boldin and DD weren't veterans who've been with the team for a number of seasons, I'd think this was a bigger deal, but the way it's working out right now is that younger guys are getting more reps. In practices like these I'd rather see youngsters like Doucet, Lance Long, Ahmad Merritt, Jerheme Urban, Jamaica Rector and all of the young defensive ends get as many snaps as possible. Merritt practiced for the first time since breaking his leg and ankle in the third pre-season game last year and according to Coach Whisenhunt was "rusty." So until they start missing mandatory meetings or practices, I'm not pushing any panic buttons.

Here are some quick hits from the Cardinals OTAs, as well as the other NFC West teams.

Cardinals

The word on Cardinals rookie DE Kenny Iwebema at the team’s early-May minicamp was that the fourth-round pick looked deceptively strong. Team insiders are already speculating that the presence of both Iwebema, who was coached by Cardinals D-line coach Ron Aiken at the University of Iowa, and fellow rookie DE Calais Campbell, who is also capable of moving inside, has increased the likelihood that Antonio Smith, who’ll be a free agent at the end of the 2008 season, could be playing elsewhere in ’09.

It appears that Tim Castille, who has put on 20 pounds and is a big favorite of Cardinals RB coach Maurice Carthon, could be positioned to take over the starting FB job from veteran Terrelle Smith. It wouldn’t be a shock to team insiders if Smith, who hasn’t been a regular at the Cardinals’ offseason conditioning workouts, were released — a move that would save the team a cool $1 million.

Rams

There are plenty of interesting rumblings regarding the Rams’ offensive line, which was a mess much of the time last season. Team insiders tell us that both rookies John Greco (third round) and Roy Schuening (fifth round) are considered future starters and could respectively push ORT Alex Barron and ORG Richie Incognito for playing time sooner than later. Speaking of Incognito, we hear he’s not being ruled out of the battle for the starting center job. Incognito played the position at Nebraska, and the only problem sources envision with him in that role is his shotgun snaps, which might need some work.

Regular Rams observers seem to unanimously agree that Scott Linehan has never looked more relaxed in his role as head coach. And word is the presence of new executive V.P. of player personnel Billy Devaney, who has removed the burden of worrying about personnel matters, and new offensive coordinator Al Saunders, who has an ironclad grip on the offense, has a lot to do with it.

Niners

Our Niners sources tell us that OLB Tully Banta-Cain appears to be in much better shape than he was a year ago, when he reported to the first minicamp tipping the scales at 290 pounds.

Niners minicamp observers say veteran Jeff Ulbrich appears to have the early edge on Brandon Moore and newcomer Dontarrious Thomas for the starting “Ted” LB role, based on the fact he was getting the majority of reps.

Seahawks

We hear Seahawks top draft pick Lawrence Jackson looked instantly comfortable at the team’s early-May minicamp, filling a number of roles on the defensive line (right end, left end, tackle in the nickel) with equal effectiveness.

Word is Seahawks sixth-round rookie LS Tyler Schmitt was right on the money with all his snaps in the team’s early-May minicamp. At 231 pounds, Schmitt is 15 pounds lighter than former LS J.P. Darche, who was let go, we hear, because he was too small. The upside, however, is that the lighter Schmitt might be more of a factor getting downfield to cover punts.

Sure there are numerous training camp battles that need to play themselves out before we can start serious talks about a final 53 man roster, but where's the fun in that. Here's my 53:

QBs: (2) - Matt Lienart & Kurt Warner

I've never been a fan of keeping 3 QBs on the active roster, that's what the practice squad is for. St. Pierre's not eligible for the practice squad but undrafted rookie Anthony Morelli is so in essence he's your 3rd QB.

RBs: (3) - Edgerrin James, JJ Arrington, Tim Hightower

Arrington beats out Shipp because Arrington has value on special teams. Not to mention that Arrington's 4 years younger and Shipp hasn't averaged over 3 yards a carry since 2003.

FBs: (1) - Tim Castille

Castille beats out incumbent Terrelle Smith, former Brown, and the team does Smith a favor by letting him go instead of making him sit on the bench

WRs: (6) - Fitz, Q, Early Doucet, Steve Breaston, Jerheme Urban, Jamaica Rector

Sean Morey ends up being a surprise cut despite his track record for being a special teams standout and his familiarity with the coaching staff. Former Cowboy, Rector wins the job in preseason and camp by showing his improved ability to stretch defenses.

TEs: (3) - Leonard Pope, Ben Patrick, Jermane Tuman

No surprise here, tight end is quite possibly the most set position on the offensive depth chart. Pope and Patrick are the youth and future and Tuman, the former Steeler, is the veteran blocking tight end that Whiz covets.

OL: (9) - Levi Brown, Deuce Lutui, Al Johnson, Reggie Wells, Mike Gandy, Elton Brown, Lyle Sendlein, Brandon Keith, One veteran OT cut by another team

The ninth spot will depend a great deal on how Keith preforms in the preseason. If he does well enough that the coaching staff would feel comfortable giving him snaps at tackle, then they can only carry eight. I don't have that much faith in a rookie yet though. Otherwise Elton Brown is the only backup OT.

DT/NT: (2) - Gabe Watson & Alan Branch

If the Cards play much 4-3, then a couple defensive ends will have to slide down to tackle but Watson and Branch should be a great rotation as 3-4 nose tackles.

DE: (6) - Darnell Dockett, Antonio Smith, Bryan Robinson, Calais Campbell,  Kenny Iwebema, Bo Schobel

That's an awful lot of guys to fill just two positions but four of them (Dockett, Smith, Robinson and Campbell) can also slide down to DT when the Cardinals decides to roll out a 4-3. In the end it looks like a deep a talented unit where everyone should stay fresh.

OLB: (5) - Chike Okeafor, Bertrand Berry, Clark Haggans & Travis LaBoy

The outside backers are deep and talented and should make for a formidable rotation. Chris Harrington will end up on the practice squad as the conversion from college defensive end to NFL linebacker is too much to overcome in one offseason.

ILB: (5) - Karlos Dansby, Gerald Hayes, Monty Beisel, Matt Stewart, Ali Highsmith

Call me crazy but somehow I just think Highsmith, the undrafted free agent, will do too much in the preseason to not make the 53. He'll have to keep his motor in high gear especially on special teams. He'll take his lumps but he's a player.

CBs: (5) - Roderick Hood, Eric Green, DRC, Matt Ware & Micheal Adams

Youth and athleticism rule the secondary as Ware and Adams beat out veteran Ralph Brown. DRC won't win the starting job for week 1, but he'll take over for Green before mid-season.

FS/SS: (4) - Adrian Wilson, Antrel Role, Aaron Francisco & Oliver Celestin

The starting two are solid and as long as they're healthy, the secondary will be solid. Francisco and Celestin are adequate backups but we have to hope that they're role players behind Wilson and Role instead of fill-in starters in case of injury.

Specialists: (3) - Neil Rackers, Dirk Johnson & Nathan Hodel

If Rackers is even decent this unit is above average. If he has another season like 2007, they need to find another kicker mid-season.

Thoughts? What tweaks would you make?