Arizona Cardinals Projected Offensive Depth Chart
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?
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Arizona Cardinals Fall to the Broncos 28-14
The Cardinals could finish off with the preseason with a win as the Broncos stormed back with 18 points in the fourth quarter, but the silver lining to this preseason loss is that the team got through the preseason with no major injuries. There were a big scare though when starting left tackle went down hard favoring a knee and at first it didn't look good at all. He was able to get up and walk off the field though and amazingly, only missed two plays. The only injury of any concern sustained last night was a sprained ankle to Alan Branch, who looked very good before going down. With the preseason coming to an end and roster cuts looming (by 4pm EST today), here's a quick look at some positives from the game:
- Matt Leinart looked really good. I don't know if he made up for last week's performance but if Whisenhunt was on the fence going into the game, his decision only got tougher. Matt led two scoring drives and ended up 10 of 14 for 177 and a touchdown.
- JJ Arrington continues to impress. He's finally running with some authority and if he keeps this up he could end up pushing Edge and Hightower for a handful of carries a game.
- I continue to be impressed by how well the young players are playing. Guys like Calais Campbell, Kenny Iwebema, Lance Long and Elliot Vallejo all had great games. Campbell and Iwebema got quite a bit of playing time and they handled the rush as well as the pass. Lance Long finally got significant snaps in a game and the little man hauled in four passes for 48 yards. I really tried to zero in on Vallejo while he was on the field and I continue to like what I see in him. Granted he wasn't playing against anyone of note but he stands out when he's with the second group.
- When was the last time you watched an entire Cardinals game and only saw two flags against the Cards? Well that was the case last night as they only got flagged twice for 15 yards. It's too early to tell if this is a trend or an abberation but for one night it was good to see.
Obviously you cant' have a loss without some negatives though:
- Five turnovers is a killer no matter who you're playing. For the second consecutive game, Hightower had a fumble and this time the Cardinals didn't recover. Matt and Steve Blaylark also chipped in with fumbles but the real buzz-kill was two interceptions by Anthony Morelli. One of the picks was returned for a touchdown and sealed the loss.
That's all I've really got right now. What did you guys see and did anyone's performance win them a job or roster spot?
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Arizona Cardinals Training Camp Preview: Offensive Tackle
The position lands on offensive tackle today as we continue to breakdown each and every position heading into training camp and in case you missed any, here are the positions we've already covered including tight ends, wide receivers, running backs, full backs and quarterbacks. Offensive tackles are most commonly thought of as the most critical pieces of a solid offensive line, especially in terms of the passing game. The Cardinals are set as both tackles for 2008 and have several promising prospects waiting in the wings.
Levi Brown: When Whisenhunt and Grimm came to Arizona they made a conscious effort to improve a porous offensive line and the rebuild started with their first draft pick, Levi Brown. The 5th overall pick won the starting job after an injury to Oliver Ross. An ankle injury caused him to miss three games and even though the ankle slowed him for much of the season, he played well. Brown should improve in his second year not only because of the experience that he gained in 2007 but also because the Cardinals should return the entire offensive line intact. Just about anywhere you look someone is projecting Brown to have a breakthrough sophomore season including scout.com and Darren Urban. Being that Brown will protect Leinart's blind side, the better and more consistent he plays the more comfortable Leinart will feel in the pocket.
Mike Gandy: The Cardinals signed Gandy to a three year contract last off season and at the time, he was billed as a versatile lineman (starting experience at right and left guard and left tackle) but certainly nothing to get excited about. He is undersized for a tackle (6'4 310) and his signing with Arizona meant he was playing for his third team in three years, but he by far exceeded expectations. Gandy started all 16 games and while he wasn't specatular, he is technically sound and a very intelligent player. Gandy was also an important veteran voice on an otherwise young and inexperienced offensive line. With Warner starting most of the season, Gandy protected his blind side and allowed Warner and the passing offense to flourish.
Elton Brown: The 'other' Brown is the top backup at both tackles and guard and has started games at multiple positions. Eventually if he's to become a starter it'll probably come at guard but he's got the skills to fill-in at either position. More to come on him when we cover guards.
Brandon Keith: The Cardinals seventh round pick this season is a massive tackle (6'5 343) from Northern Iowa. Even though some scouts project that he'll have to move inside to maximize his potential, he's been taking most of his snaps with the second team at right tackle. He's an intriguing prospect who's got the strength, agility and quickness to be a very good player but only time will tell if he can keep his head wrapped around football. He twice left University of Oklahoma and even though the details of his travels are muddy at best (his story and Stoops greatly differ), it raised red flags prior to the draft, as did an arrest after the 2007 season. Regardless he'll be given every opportunity to make the roster and could end up being Gandy's replacement if he doesn't slide inside to guard. For now he seems to be making the most of his opportunities.
Elliot Vallejo: The UC Davis product spent the 2007 season on the practice squad and he signed a futures contract shortly after the season ended. At 6'7 315, he'll have to add some weight to his frame but he still started 32 straight games in college. He also needs to work to improve his technique, most importantly his foot work and develop a nastier demeanor. He is quick off the snap though and can engulf his opponents when he get his hands on them.
Thaddeus Coleman: Coleman's a very intriguing prospect and I can't wait to see him live and in person during the preseason. He's only played offensive tackle for three seasons and he didn't even have a position coach so he basically had to educate himself and get by on sheer athletic ability. He started college as a tight end and he still needs to fill out his frame (6'8 308), but he was very successful at Mississippi Valley State and improved each season that he was there. It would be nearly impossible for him to make the roster this season but he's a promising prospect and could greatly benefit from a season or two on the practice squad and in a professional weight training program. His greatest benefit though will come from working with Russ Grimm who will love working with such a raw, yet talented project.
Peter Clifford: Another undrafted free agent, Clifford missed time during his senior season at Michigan State with a knee injury and split time between tackle and guard. He was still voted to second team All-Big Ten though and his coaches praised his competitiveness and leadership. They were quick to note that where ever he lined up, he posted the highest grade among his teammates. He's another guy who will benefit from a professional weight training program (20 bench reps) and a year or two of development on the practice squad. His future home could be at either guard or tackle.
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It's nice to come into a season with the two most important positions on the offensive line set in stone. There are some question marks concerning the depth behind Levi Brown and Gandy but if they stay healthy, they have the ability to book-end a solid and consistent offensive line. Elton Brown and Brandon Keith will likely end up as the top backups and Vallejo, Coleman and Clifford could all be battling for one or two spots, at the most, on the practice squad. Thoughts? How comfortable are you with Brown and Gandy?
Here's an interesting note from Darren Urban's blog about Levi Brown and the work that he's been putting in this off season. Needless to say it's great to hear that a guy who's so pivotal to the success of the offense isn't resting on his laurels.
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