To round out the defensive trench, we'll focus on the defensive ends for a bit (check out defensive tackles here). The mix of depth and youth at defensive end is amazing and the dearth surplus of players will be valuable if injuries strike again this year. The 2008 draft saw the Cardinals restock the cupboard at defensive end and the talent infusion could reap benefits for years to come.

Darnell Dockett: Dockett burst on the scene in 2007, his fourth year as a pro and fourth as a starter. He not only set career highs in tackles and sacks but was also voted his his first Pro Bowl. He got off to a monster start (8 sacks in 8 games) before fading down the stretch (1 sack in final 8 games) when injuries simply ravaged the defense and he was forced to play nearly the entire game. Dockett's move to 3-4 defensive end has the potential for him to become the premier player at a position that rarely warrants much attention. Outside linebackers normally rack up the sacks in the 3-4 defense but Dockett has a chance to become a truly special player if he can continue to get to the quarterback. He'll have extra motivation this season since he believes he deserves a new contract.

Antonio Smith: Smith also had a career year and is playing in a contract year in 2008. His 43 tackles and 5.5 sacks were both career highs in his first full season as a starter. He's not the pass rush force that Dockett is but he's still a productive player and has improved every season in the league. It'll be tough for him to rack up more sacks in the 3-4 but he's got the size (6'4 282) to hold his own and rack up some tackles. The interesting thing for Smith is what he does after this season. He'll be a free agent at a prime age (27), so he has every motivation to have another career year.

Bertrand Berry: Berry's at a cross-roads in his career being that he's about to turn 33 and might not have a position in the 3-4. He's too small (6'3 264) to be a defensive end and some question whether he's athletic or fluid enough to be an outside linebacker. We'll talk more about him with the linebackers.

Joe Tafoya: The Cardinals chose to resign Tafoya to a two year 1.7 million dollar deal after a season that saw him start 7 games (played in 13 total). Tafoya filled in for Berry when he went down last year and totaled 20 tackles and 2 sacks. Tafoya's another 'tweener' guy who is too small to play defensive end (6'4 258) but not athletic enough to play linebacker. He'll turn 30 shortly before the season starts, but he's been a good special teams player. It'll be interesting to see how the coaching staff uses him this season.

Bo Schobel: The Cardinals also resigned Schobel to a one year deal shortly after last season and he's another 'tweener' guy (6'5 265) who will have to find a position. The Cardinals signed him off the street in the middle of the 2007 season and he appeared in two games and totaled one tackle. He's younger than Berry and Tafoya but isn't near the player and he hasn't started a game since 2004. He'll have to have a heck of a training camp/preseason in order to make the roster.

Calais Campbell: The Cardinals second round pick should have a rookie season
with very little pressure on him. The starters are set with Dockett and Smith and there's enough depth around him that they aren't depending on him to get off to a great start. He'll likely start out playing in passing situations where his pass rush skills and size (6'8 282) could be a big advantage. He'll likely be the primary backup at both ends but will have to produce in order to push anyone for playing time. He's a physically elite player though who will be a starter when he's able to learn the system. This season will likely be a learning experience and if Smith isn't resigned then he should be able to step in as a starter in 2009.

Kenny Iwebema: The fourth round pick from Iowa will most likely be used in a limited role. He's buried on the depth chart right now and it'll likely take a couple injuries before he makes any significant contributions. He's better against the run than he rushing the quarterback so they probably won't utilize him in passing situations like they will Campbell. Still though, they drafted him for a reason and with the injury history of the guys ahead of him, he might be just a play or two away from considerable playing time. He'll be the primary backup next season when Campbell steps into a starting role and could be a productive backup player as he spells DD and CC.

Jason Banks: Banks, an undrafted rookie from Grambling State, provides even more depth along the defensive line. He's got the size (6'5 300) to backup either tackle or end and he played both positions in school. He's an interesting case considering that he played under four different defensive line coaches in college and by most accounts isn't close to reaching his potential yet. He's a decent athlete and with surprising quickness (sub 5.00 forty at Pro Day) but he's got almost no chance to make the roster this season. He'll have to spend at least a season on the practice squad.

Keilen Dykes: I've talked about Dykes quite a bit so I won't continue to beat a dead horse (previous stories on him, here and here). I like his game and think he's got a chance to have a solid career, especially considering he's another undrafted free agent.

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All in all, it's hard to figure out all of the guys at defensive end. Dockett and Smith are locks to start, but after that it gets pretty muddy. I'd have to think that Campbell will be the primary backup but what the club decides to do with Berry, Tafoya and Schobel will be interesting. One of those three, if not two, won't make the team simply because they don't really have a position. The team can probably only keep five  or six ends at most so there will be some battles during camp as several players are clawing for a final roster spot. Overall though this should be a talented and deep group. Thoughts? Is this the deepest position on the team? Which guys won't make the roster? Is Dockett ready to dominate again?

The Cardinals signed another draft pick today when Brandon Keith agreed to a three year deal. Keith, the Cards seventh round pick, is competing for a backup spot somewhere along the offensive line and has logged most of his practice snaps at right tackle so far. He was a relative unknown prospect coming out of Northern Iowa but so far he looks to have all the tools to stick around for a while. His former coach certainly thought he not only had the skills but was also versatile enough to play both guard or tackle (a trait that helps a guy looking to add depth to a shallow offensive line unit). He's the third draft pick to sign, joining Tim Hightower and Kenny Iwebema, although financial terms were not disclosed.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Calais Campbell, Early Doucet and Chris Harrington remain unsigned but the club is hopeful to finalize another deal by the end of the week. The goal, as always is to have every pick signed by the start of camp and so far they seem to be in good shape to accomplish that task. Anyone think we'll see a holdout this year? If so, who will it be?

We looked at Ali Highsmith's future a couple of weeks ago and I figured we'd take a look at each undrafted free agent and their chances of making the squad this year or sometime in the future. First up today is West Virginia's Keilen Dykes, who was a four year starter for the Mountaineers and was the definition of consistency. During his four seasons he played in 50 games and averaged 32 1/2 tackles, 6 tackles for loss and 3 sacks per season. He was not only a team captain and first team All-Big East team but also received the 2007 Iron Mountaineer Award as the top performer in their winter workout program and a NSCA Strength All-American first team. Dykes was a defensive tackle at West Virginia but his size (6'3 306) is better suited to play on the end in a  3-4. Dykes wasn't invited to the Combine but he had an impressive Pro Day (which can be seen below) running 5.08 forty and performing 33 bench reps. So, does Keilen Dykes make the Arizona Cardinals roster?

Why He has a Chance in 2008: He's got several things working in his favor including his versatility, a solid work ethic and a non-stop motor. He should come into camp with a huge chip on his shoulder and his 'blue collar'  work ethic will earn him some praise during camp and the preseason. His versatility will allow him to slide inside to defensive tackle when the Cardinals shift to a four-man line in pass rush situations (something to keep an eye on in the preseason). His best chance to make the roster this year is to prove to the coaching staff he's a younger, cheaper version of Bryan Robinson. Robinson was signed to back up both defensive end and tackle but he's never been an particulary dynamic player and they're virtually the exact same size. Dykes could also see more playing time at tackle during camp since Watson will be limited in practice until the start of the season.

Why He Doesn't have a Chance in 2008: First of all, it's worth stating that's is very hard for an undrafted free agent to make the squad as a rookie, especially for a defensive linemen because they normally can't contribute on special teams coverage. That's where most late round picks and undrafted free agents make their mark for the first couple of seasons. The depth chart at defensive end is also stacked right now with Dockett, Smith, Campbell, Iwebema and the veteran Bryan Robinson ahead of him at the moment. Dykes would have to be amazing in camp to unseat any of these guys and it would likely take an injury to give him a legitimate chance. At nose tackle the top two spots are nearly set in stone with Gabe Watson and Alan Branch, but the injury to Watson is worth keeping an eye on.

In the end, Dykes will face an uphill battle to make the 53 man roster in 2008 and will likely have to spend at least a season on the practice squad.  He's a player though and if he's patient and continues to work and improve his game, he'll be a decent defender in the near future. His future could be on the 2009 squad as Antonio Smith will be an unrestricted free agent and Bryan Robinson will be a 35 year old, in the final year of his deal. Either way, it'll be worth keeping an eye on him during the preseason. So what do you think, does he have a shot and how do you see his career playing out? Any West Virginia fans out there that have seen his abilities first hand?

The Arizona Cardinals got their second draft pick signed today when fourth round pick, Kenny Iwebema agreed to terms and again financial terms weren't disclosed. He agreed to a three year deal as did Tim Hightower late last week. Iwebema, a former Iowa Hawkeye, is competing with fellow rookie, Calais Campbell and veteran Bryan Robinson for playing time in the defensive line rotation. He had a great sophomore season at Iowa but his junior and senior seasons didn't live up to the expectations set forth by his 48 tackle, 7 sack sophomore season.

The Cardinals hope that the 6'4, 274 pound Iwebema can reclaim that sophomore dominance and he'll be reunited with defensive line coach, Ron Aiken, who coached him at Iowa. The Cardinals now have 5 of their seven picks signed and it'll be interesting who will get cut when all the picks are signed. When all 7 picks are signed, they'll have to cut two players to get down the max roster size for training camp.

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?

Last week we looked at the offensive depth chart and potential positional battles. The defensive side of the ball has far more question marks than the offense though. The Cardinals employed a 'hybrid 3-4' defense in 2007 and it should become a bigger part of the base defense in 2008. The big question though is what does the transition mean to the players that are currently here? Normally a team will go through a one or two year transition period in which they start adding players that fit the new scheme. The Cardinals seem to be doing that when you look at their free agent additions and draft picks. Their additions include, Clark Haggans former Titan defensive end, Travis LaBoy, Calais Campbell (2nd round) Kenny Iwebema (4th round), (6'4 267) and Chris Harrington (6th round). Here's how the front seven currently looks in a 3-4:

Defensive Line: The cornerstone of every successful 3-4 defense is a wide-bodied nose tackle who is stout against the run and can consume multiple blockers. The Cardinals have two young, promising guys who fit that role very well in 24 year old, Gabe Watson (6'3 332) and 23 year old, Alan Branch (6'5 332). With fire plugs like these two and a successful rotation, these two should be able to clog up the middle of the field. At defensive end the left side is a lock with Pro Bowler and former defensive tackle Darnell Dockett sliding over. He's young (26) and has the right size (6'4 285) and athleticism to excel on the outside (9 sacks in 2007). The other end should be in place this year with 26 year old, Antonio Smith (6'4 282). He's only on a one year deal though so the drafting of Campbell could signal that Smith needs use this season to raise his free agent value. They also have former Bengal Bryan Robinson (6'4 304). Robinson is a veteran player (33) that can play anywhere on the line and can be a solid member of the rotation, but will need limited snaps to be effective. The remainder of depth should come from rookies, Campbell and Iwebema.

Outside Line Backers: This group will be responsible for pressuring the quarterback and they again should have plenty of depth to keep everyone fresh. They have four guys with starting experience competing for two spots in Bertrand Berry (6' 264), Chike Okeafor (6'5 265), Clark Haggans (6'4 243), and Travis LaBoy (6'3 260). Berry's a very good player when he's healthy but he missed 21 games the past three seasons and he's in the final year of his current contract. At 32 years old and a $2 million dollar price tag, he'll have to prove he's healthy and can be productive in a switch from DE to OLB in order to make an impact on the team. Okeafor (32), another veteran DE who'll be moved to outside line backer, is a dynamic pass rusher who's averaged over 7.5 sacks the past six seasons, not counting 2007 when he missed the entire season due to an injury in preseason. Haggans is the only true outside linebacker of the bunch and yet another former Steeler on the roster. Haggans (31) has been a starter for the past four seasons and has averaged over 50 tackles and 6 sacks a season during that span. He's better when his snaps are limited so the depth around him will be key. Free agent signee, Travis LaBoy is the future of this group (26 years old) and another defensive end who'll be making a transition to outside linebacker. LaBoy had a a breakout season in 2007 when he recorded 6 sacks despite not starting a single game. Harrington will compete for a roster spot but could up on the practice squad so that he'll have a year to adjust to the position change.

Inside Line Backer: The starting inside linebackers are as close to set in stone as they can be in mid-May with Gerald Hayes (6'1 249) and Karlos Dansby (6'4 250). Hayes (27) is coming off his second solid season as a starter and despite not being a dynamic player, he could register his first 100 tackle season of his career in 2008. Dansby (26) is as close to a star as there is in this linebacking core. He's recorded over 20 sacks and over 300 tackles during his first four seasons and 2007 was his best year to date. The franchise tag kept him in Arizona for one more season, but make no mistake about it, he's playing for a pay day after the season. Behind them are veterans Monty Beisel (6'3 240) and Matt Stewart (6'3 239), both of whom are under 30 years old and have starting experience. Also keep an eye out for undrafted free agent signee Ali Highsmith. It was a surprise that he wasn't drafted but his non-stop motor should keep in the running for a roster spot.

Looking back at this front seven, I come to this conclusion: If the outside linebackers can assimilate their new positions, this unit can be really good. The defensive line should be able to stuff the run and they have some dynamic pass rushers to pressure the quarterback. Hayes and Dansby have the experience and ability to make plays all over field. If the foursome of Berry, Okeafor, Haggans, and LaBoy can put pressure on the quarterback and do a decent job in pass coverage, they'd go a long way to helping out a secondary that really struggled in 2007. Anyone else see this kind of potential or have I been drinking too much Red Kool-Aid?

Now that we've rolled all the way through the Cardinals draft and reviewed each pick, it's time for a little prognostication. Normally not every draft pick makes the 53 man roster, especially when a team has all 7 picks or more. It doesn't necessarily mean that a player who doesn't make the roster isn't any good but come on, you don't normally turn over 7.5 % (7/53) of your roster every year. Guys who are picked late in the draft, 6th or 7th rounders, can sometimes be slipped through to the practice squad. That way they can stick with the team and get a year of practice or being ready to play in case of injuries.

All that being said, who won't make the cut this year. The guys picked at the end of the draft are always the first candidates so we'll start with the 7th round and work backwards:

7th Rounder - Brandon Keith: Keith is a guy who has all the tools to play in this league. He's huge and athletic but he's got a spotty history at best. He's quit on teams in the past and was arrested shortly before the draft. It's not impossible that he could get to camp and prove that he simply doesn't have the mental capability to make it in this league.

6th Rounder - Chris Harrington: Guys going through a position change are always candidates for the practice squad. Harrington wasn't the normal pass rush specialist that teams convert to OLB so he might not make the transition as quickly as others. Not to mention the team is legitimately two deep at both OLB spots.

5th Rounder - Tim Hightower: He was a significant reach in the 5th round but the coaching staff loves this kid. He's got questions about his speed and there's already plenty of experienced depth (yet far from dynamic) at the running back position. He'll have to show something in camp to make the team b/c if he does another back will be cut.

4th Rounder - Kenny Iwebema: The only reason he wouldn't make it is if he just proves very quickly that he can't play. There's depth at the position so his spot isn't guaranteed but he'll have to lose his spot to not make the team.