With the offensive and defensive analysis already posted, we look at the third and final group from Sunday's victory for the Arizona Cardinals. The special teams units were one of the biggest question marks heading into the season and so far they've been a mixed bag of results. Here's how they did against the Dolphins:

Neil Rackers: Rackers had a rough game considering that the Cardinals won by three touchdowns. He booted the opening kickoff out of bounds and missed a 47 yard field goal (although it was nullified by a penalty). Granted a 47 yarder is any thing but an easy field goal but any time a kickoffs ends up out of bounds, it's a huge buzz kill and simply inexusable. Outside of those two problems, Rackers was ok. He had five other kickoffs, four of which went to at least the goal line, and a 45 yard field goal. He attempted another squib kick at the end of the third quarter, but the Dolphins were ready for it after seeing it several times against San Fran. Grade: C

Dirk Johnson: Johnson is doing everything right so far and he had another great game. He didn't have to do much since the offense was unstoppable for most of the game but when he was needed, he pinned the Dolphins deep. His first punt went 48 yards and was downed at the two yard line and his second punt was fair caught
at the 11. Basically he couldn't have had a better game. Grade: A+

Coverage Units: The coverage on kickoffs was pretty solid for the most part but the overall average (20.3) was dragged down by the squib kick which led to a zero yard return. The three kickoffs that were actually returned went for an average of 27 yards. Calais Campbell is making a name for himself on special teams and he logged another tackle and downed Dirk's punt at the two. Grade: B+

Return Units: Steve Breaston again handled both return duties since JJ Arrington was inactive for the second straight game. Breaston didn't get as many chances as you'd think either considering how inept the Dolphin offense was on Sunday. He had two punt returns (16 yards and 12 yards) but his overall numbers were dragged down by a penalty on the second return. His only kick return went for 27 yards. One black eye for the return units that isn't necassarily Breaston's fault is that two punts resulted in Arizona penalties. Campbell picked up a block below the waist and Haggans had a holding call. The biggest moment for the units though were when Larry Fitzgerald recovered the Dolphins onside kick allowing the Cardinals to run out the clock. Grade: B+

---------------------------------------------------------------------

The specail teams weren't too bad when you look at the group as a whole but you just wonder if Rackers is going to cost this team another game sometime down the road. Thoughts? Agree/Disagree?

We took a look at the prolific offense yesterday but today we swith gears and look at how the stingy Arizona Cardinals defense did against the Dolphins. They only allowed 10 points (lowest since 11/19/06) and all of the points came well after the game was decided. The defense wasn't as disruptive as it was in week one but once they jumped ahead by three scores the blitzes were dialed down and the plan become more about not allowing a big play or a cheap score.

Defensive Line: The DL got a boost with Alan Branch returning to the rotation and the front line played a big role in shutting down Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams. The Dolphins running game totaled just 72 yards and had three rushes that resulted in negative yardage. Darnell Dockett and Antonio Smith spent much of the day trying to cover backs out of the backfield instead of rushing the passer and they did a good job of limiting Brown and Williams to just 3 receptions for 20 yards. Calais Campbell continues to impress (led the DL with 3 tackles) and he should continue to see an increased role as the season progresses. Bryan Robinson continues to prove why he was a great free agent signing as he logged one of two sacks on the day. Grade: A

Line Backers: Karlos Dansby showed again why he's a man that deserves to be paid as he led the defense in tackles, with eight, for the second consecutive game. Hayes, Haggans and Okeafor were each solid with multiple tackles and played a big role in limiting Chad Pennington's favorite targets (tight ends and RBs). Travis LaBoy didn't follow up his two sack performance from last week but he missed 10-15 plays after his face mask broke. Bertrand Berry chipped in with four tackles and his second sack in as many games. Grade: B+

Corner Backs: The corners were solid once again allowing Dolphin receivers just 10 receptions for 122 yards total and half of those stats (5 for 60) came on the Phins final touchdown drive, long after the game had been decided. Roderick Hood made plays all over the field, finishing second on the team with six tackles and his first pass defended on a deep pass to Ernest Wilford. Eric Green had a good game and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie saw some extended playing time later in the game and finished with two tackles and his first pass defended. Ralph Brown got on the field and his was tackle was a one yard loss on Ricky Williams. Grade: B+

Safeties: Adrian Wilson is still stud of the secondary and he proved it again on Sunday as he finished with four tackles, including stopping Ronnie Brown for a four yard loss in the on the Phins opening drive to force a three and out. Wilson played a big role is shutting down the running game as three of his tackles were on running plays (two were one yard gains and the four yard loss). Antrel Rolle played his part as well and his two tackles were also on running plays, including one for no gain. Aaron Francisco made his mark on the game stopping Ricky Williams for a seven yard loss and causing a fumble. He finished with three tackles and a pass defended. Grade: A

------------------------------------------------------

Overall it's hard not to love a defensive performance where they only allowed ten points and 4.1 yards per play. The defense wasn't as oportunistic as they were against the Niners but they were still dominant. There stats are likely inflated by playing against the offensively challenged Dolphins but if the defense can continue to stiffle opposing offenses and limit the big play, this team will be in every game. Thoughts? Agree/Disagree? What would your grades have been?

The Arizona Cardinals defense wasn't legendary on Sunday but they did enough to ensure the Niner offense couldn't settle into a rhythm or establish themselves on the ground or through the air. The defensive front seven was did their part to create havoc and the secondary nearly shut out the Niners wide outs. 

Defensive Line: Considering that the defensive line was down to their third string nose tackle, they did a decent job of limiting Frank Gore. Bryan Robinson certainly looked like he got worn down towards the end of the first half and with Robinson being handled on the inside, the rest of the line was able to key on Darnell Dockett and Antonio Smith. That didn't stop Dockett from doing his part though and he made plays all over the field finishing with five tackles and a forced fumble. Smith had a less productive game but did recover a fumble and finished with a tackle. Rookies Calais Campbell and Kenny Iwebema both saw some playing time but didn't do too terribly much to stand out. Given the injury situation at the nose, it's hard not to be somewhat impressed with what they were able to accomplish. Grade: B

Linebackers: You don't have to do much more than look at a boxscore to understand the impact that the linebacking corps had on this game. Travis LaBoy wreaked all kinds of havoc during the game and finished with four tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. LaBoy wasn't the only guy who made plays though as Karlos Dansby led the teams in tackles (7) and Gerald Hayes chipped in with 6 tackles and a sack. Chike Okeafor lived in the Niner backfield and even though he had some issues with missed tackles, he finished with two tackles and at least a couple of quarterback pressures. Bertrand Berry was 'Mr Versatile' lining up at OLB, DE and even NT in passing situations. He finished a sack and a forced fumble. Clark Haggans biggest contribution was on special teams but he also chipped in with a tackle. Grade: A+

Corners: The trio of corners, Roderick Hood, Eric Green, and DRC, only finished with four tackles combined but a lot of that had to do with the offenses inability to get the ball to their wide receivers. The Niners' wide outs finished the game with just four catches so the corners certainly did their jobs. DRC also made an appearance on defense and it wasn't how we expected. It looked like he lined up on the outside receiver and Green slid down into the nickel role at times. Grade: A

Safeties: The combo of Adrian Wilson and Antrel Rolle didn't get challegned much in the passing game because the Niners had trouble getting receivers down the field. They did allow two passes over 30 yards but most of thier work was in support of the running game. Rolle missed a couple of tackles and at times didn't look completely comfortable at safety but he also flashed the ability that shows why so many think he can be a great safety. A-dub was his usual havoc wreaking self with four tackles and an interception. He did pick up a penalty though with an offsides call and he looked out of place on the deep pass to Vernon Davis, but overall he was solid. The deep-duo didn't get tested much and probably won't this week either but their time is coming. Aaron Francisco and Matt Ware both saw some playing time but didn't much to stand out either in a bad or good way, although Francisco did pick up a couple of tackles. Grade: B

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Overall it was a really solid opening performance for the defensive unit and even though there are areas that need to be shored up, they certainly look like a talented and deep group. It's too early to get excited about a good game against 'offensively challenged' San Fran but I didn't see any indications that this unit can't be as good as we all expected them to be this season. Thoughts? Agree/Disagree? What grades would you have given them and what area needs the most improvement?

After taking a look at how the offensive depth hart might look, here's a glance at the depth on the defensive side of the ball:

Left DE - Antonio Smith, Kenny Iwebema, Calais Campbell

Iwebema has been playing the left side but an extended absence by Smith could see Campbell move over.

NT - Bryan Robinson, Alan Branch, Gabe Watson (injured)

Robinson will most likely be the starter against the Niners but he might be the last guy that they want to start as well. Branch might be the best on any given play but you just never know whether you're going to get 100% or 50%. Watson will be the starter as soon he's healthy.

Right DE/UT - Darnell Dockett, Calais Campbell, Kenny Iwebema

Dockett is the stud and and Campbell is the young man in waiting.

Left OLB - Chike Okeafor, Clark Haggans

As long as Okeafor stays healthy he's the man. Haggans has performed well in preseason and he's an experienced veteran, but he's at his best with limited snaps.

Right OLB - Travis LaBoy, Bertrand Berry

LaBoy had a good preseason and won the starting job. He's younger and more explosive but Berry will still see his fair share of snaps when he's healthy.

MILB - Karlos Dansby, Gerald Hayes, Monty Beisel, Ali Highsmith

Beisel's probably the first guy to step in whether Dansby or Hayes goes down and Highsmith's role will likely be special teams unless a couple of injuries strike.

Left CB - Roderick Hood, DRC, Ralph Brown, Matt Ware

The top two spots are pretty set in stone but if somehow they both get injured, it would be a big mess. They would probably decide to move Rolle back down to corner depending on the depth left at safety. Brown is a good special teamer but he's not a starting corner. Ware can play both safety and corner but he's not a starting corner either. 

Right CB - Eric Green, DRC, Ralph Brown, Matt Ware

Pretty much the same as above.

SS - Adrian Wilson, Aaron Francisco, Oliver Celestin

Wilson is the obvious starter and there's a big drop off to #2. Francisco's got some experience but he lacks the playmaking ability of A-dub.

FS - Antrell Rolle, Aaron Francisco, Matt Ware, Oliver Celestin

Most depth charts list Ware as the primary backup to Rolle but I still think Francisco would be the first name called if Rolle went down. Ware's younger but still a good, developing player. Celestin is best on special teams but he's a big hitter who will look decent in limited snaps.

Thoughts? Agree/Disagree?

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?

We've broken down the first and second half of the loss to the Saints but you may be asking, what about individual players? Well here's who stood up and had a good game and who stood out as having a sub-par game, in my opinion. The players aren't listed in any particular order other than the order that they popped into my head. Disclaimer: I re-watched the first half after the game last night but couldn't force myself to sit through the second half again. So if I say something about a guy who played predominately in the second half that you don't agree with, feel free to jump in and correct me if you didn't see it the same way.

-----------------------------Players Who Stood Up:-----------------------------

Matt Leinart: I have to start with Matt because I thought he had a really good game. Granted he only threw eight passes and took mostly checkdowns, but I thought he looked patient in the pocket and was comfortable enough to take a short gain instead of holding onto the ball and trying to force something or taking a sack. I've heard some people downplay his performance because he 'just threw short passes' but such a big part of the game is putting the ball in the hands of  your playmakers so that they can make plays. His yards per attempt was an amazing 11.4 and it's worth pointing out that no quarterback has broken ten yards per attempt since 1954.

Tim Hightower: What can I say the kid, other than he looked pretty good. He ran between the tackles with authority and showed a nice burst to the outside on his touchdown run. He showed good vision on a couple of cutbacks and does a good job keeping his feet under him when he runs so that he can make quick cuts. He whiffed at a blitzer in pass protection allowing a sack on St. Pierre. His pass protection will need some work but he didn't do anything last night to take the shine off his impressive training camp.

Terrelle Smith: Smith is supposed to be the blocking fullback who can't contribute in other areas but he made a nice adjustment on a pass above his numbers and turned the short pass into a 15 yard gain. Smith is in a battle with Tim Castille for the starting fullback job but if can contribute a play or two a game like that he just might hold onto the job for another season.

Steve Breaston: Breaston certainly made the reports of his progression ring true with his performance. He looked quick and elusive with the ball in his hands and he showed some feisty-ness by getting in a shoving match with Aaron Glenn after a short reception. His 34 yard reception on a shallow crossing route was a promising sign of things to come. Only time will tell if he develops into a complete receiver but he seems capable becoming a weapon out of the slot.

Ali Highsmith: Highsmith not only led the team in tackles and caused a fumble but
he was all over the field. He showed some toughness during the goal line stand and also was decent in pass coverage. He's up against a lot of depth at linebacker but if he continues to perform like this, they'll be forced to find a spot for him on this roster.

Rookie Defensive Ends: Calais Campbell and Kenny Iwebema combined for six tackles and a sack. Iwebema showed some decent agility avoiding a cut block to bring down Brunell for his sack. Campbell's four tackles included two for no gain and one tackle for loss. Iwebema also added a special teams tackle.

Safeties: Antrel Rolle and Adrian Wilson both showed up with big plays during their limited playing time. Rolle had one of the bigger hits during the game with a hard shot to tight end Mark Campbell and he weaved through some traffic to make a nice tackle on a screen pass. Wilson's one tackle in limited playing time was to drop Reggie Bush for a one yard loss on the first drive of the game.

Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie: There's no way that this list couldn't include DRC. He didn't have a pick or a pass defense but he did have the biggest hits in the game when he flattened Mark Campbell. Campbell held onto the pass but had to be helped off the field.

-----------------------------Players Who Stood Out-----------------------------

Alan Branch: A "flickering light" as described by Coach Whisenhunt, looked completely off last night. Somehow he still managed two tackles but for the most part he looked like very lackadaisical. He, at times, seemed quite content just standing up and leaning against whichever blocker engaged him. It's way to early to write him off but if you watch him closely, you can see why the coaching staff is down on him right now.

J.J. Arrington: Arrington didn't really have a bad game, especially by his standards, but he didn't do anything in my opinion to prove that deserves to play ahead of Tim Hightower. He still can't break a tackle and his just isn't the dynamic force out the backfield that you'd expect for a guy with his speed. Now that I think about it, he might be best described as a "poor-mans" Reggie Bush.

Aaron Francisco: Francisco had a rough game and one of the most visible Cardinals who struggled. He was the point man on two deep passes and was also the closest defender on the first touchdown scored by the Saints. He had trouble adjusting to the ball in air, but he'll have better games because he's a better player than he showed last night.

Brian St. Pierre: St. Pierre started out decent and at halftime had a decent line of 6 of 8 for 46 yards but after halftime he really struggled He would go 6 of 10 for just 28 yards in the second half. He knows Whisenhunt's system but that's about all he brings to the table. He's an average to below average athlete and his arm strength and accuracy are not anything to get excited about. Hopefully he'll spend another season the sidelines wearing a baseball cap and collecting a paycheck.

Sean Morey: He only had one catch for five yards so it's hard to pick his game apart but for that four or five seconds that he had the ball in his hands, I was pretty unimpressed. In fact, I thought it was a tight end running with the ball at first. I know he makes his living on special teams but if Rector and Urban continue to stand out, he could be on the outside looking in.

Anthony Morelli: He only played two series at the end of the game but it was pretty clear that he doesn't have the mental part of the game down. He wasn't able to dial back his big arm on a dump off pass to Baylark and he doesn't have a sense of when to get rid of the ball. These are things that we already knew but it'll be interesting if he's able to get any better over the next four weeks.

Tight Ends: I was hoping that both tight ends would come out and have really good games considering that they're both fighting to be the starter, but they both disappointed. Pope jumped offsides on the touchdown drive and his only catch was Leinart's first pass, a one yard dump off pass. Patrick had a better game when you compare the two but he dropped a short pass from St. Pierre at the start of the second half. His one reception did go for 16 yards though. They'll both have better games considering that Pope is still trying to get back to 100% and Patrick is still fine tuning his craft.

-----------------------------------------------

So what do you guys think? Agree/Disagree? Who else stood up or out to you guys?

The clock is ticking down to the official start of the preseason for the Arizona Cardinals. The Saints will be in town tomorrow and the two teams will lock up on national television. Now granted, this is just a preseason game so it'll have very little baring on the regular season but to see the Cardinals run back on the field for the first time in eight months will be enough to give me chills. Keeping in mind though that this will be a game played predominantly by guys who won't make either roster, here are some things to keep an eye on:

Rookies: There haven't been many bad reports about the draft class or undrafted rookies from camp so far but this will be the first chance to see how they respond to being hit by a true opponent. First round pick, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie will likely be a starter tomorrow night since Roderick Hood isn't going to play because of a bad foot. Other defensive rookies like Calais Campbell, Kenny Iwebema and Chris Harrington should see plenty of playing time with the second and third units. Seventh round pick, Brandon Keith will likely see time on both guard and tackle with the recent injury to Carlton Medder. I can't wait to see how early Tim Hightower gets into the game either. I would imagine that if Edge plays at all, it won't be much and that could open the door for Hightower to get reps with the first team. Early Doucet is the only rookie of note who won't play. There are several undrafted rookies who could stand out as well including Lance Long (who's had a great camp), Ali Highsmith, Hercules Satele and Keilen Dykes. I also can't wait to see how Anthony Morelli looks in his first game action. I'd imagine he'll play at least the whole fourth quarter if not part of the third as well.

Vets Returning from Injury: We all know how many veterans ended the season on the IR last year and it'll be great to see the defense back at full strength. Of course guys like Adrian Wilson, Chike Okeafor and Bertrand Berry won't play much more than a single series but it'll be nice to see them back on the field. Leinart also recently said that he's looking forward to his first hit to reassure everyone that his shoulder is fully healed. Hopefully he'll be able to keep his jersey clean during the one or two series that he plays, but a hit or two won't be the end of the world.

Antrel Rolle's New Role: Ok if you can forgive me for a horrible and painfully obvious play on words, I'm sure nearly every Cardinals fan can't wait to see how Antrel Rolle will handle the move to free safety. Much has been made of the move this offseaon and even though we'll see a very 'vanilla' defense, it should still be an indication of things to come. Coach Whisenhunt also said recently that he'll try Rolle out as a punt returner, which should be worth watching.

Steve Breaston: Breaston's almost developed a 'cult-like' following this offseason with countless stories chronicling development as a receiver. He's the favorite to win the #3 receiver job and he'll certainly get an opportunity to take a step in the right direction tomorrow night. With Boldin and Doucet out, he'll not only be starting opposite of Larry Fitzgerald but could stay in the game longer than if the receiving corps were at full strength.

Tight End Position: There wasn't supposed to be much of a battle at tight end this season but Ben Patrick has had a great camp and he's starting to put some pressure on Leonard Pope. Pope partially opened the door since he was limited at the start of camp but both tight ends have been standing out in practice. It's rare to read a practice report that doesn't include a great catch by one these two. Pope will start but both should see a couple of series of action.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I might be making too much of the first preseason game of the year, but hey we're all craving some football, right? It's worth remembering that no matter how bad or good someone or the entire team looks, it's just preseason. No one is going to win a job or lose a job with their performance in this game but it is another step towards the start of the regular season. Also remember that if you're watching the game close to your computer, you can log on to ROTB and comment in the live game thread and discuss the game as it happens with fellow Cards fans.

The Cardinals went through two practices on Monday and while the first practice was relatively  un-noteworthy, the same can not be said about the second practice. It was a full-padded practice that included an 11-on-11, that's always entertaining, as well as various position drills.

Rookies Making an Impression Early: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie got off to a slow start getting burned by Sean Morey but he bounced back with a couple of interceptions later in practice. He's raw and still has a long way to go before he's game ready, but his quickness and more importantly, his closing speed is simply amazing. There haven't been many mentions of Calais Campbell yet other than the note that he's working inside at tackle in nickel situations. The same (lack of news) can be said for Kenny Iwebema, although Al Johnson did mention in an interview how strong he was and that he should be able to excel against the run. Tim Hightower is living up to his early hype to this point and is taking a significant amount of reps with the second group. Several reports have mentioned that he's awfully quick for a man of his size. Early Doucet is/has benefited from Boldin's absence and has held his own so far and has looked hungry. The comparison's to Boldin won't stop either, this time with Leinart chiming in:

"I think he is a perfect mold of Anquan, same type of body, same type of play," Leinart said. "I think it is perfect for him to learn from a guy like that."

Tight End Situation: We thought just a couple of weeks ago that the tight end
position was one of the deepest positions on the roster and full of potential, but just four days into camp the mood has changed. Leonard Pope is still not 100%, although he did make a couple of acrobatic catches yesterday, and Troy Bienemann is still nursing an injured toe. The uncertainly regarding the health of those two led the staff to spend part of the day working out former Arizona State tight end, Brent Miller. With the depth, I doubt they'd sign another guy, but this could a way to motivate Pope and/or Bienemann to work harder to get back to 100% more quickly. Ben Patrick has made the most of Pope limitations thus far in camp. He got all of the reps with the first team while Pope was sidelined and seems ready to build off a promising rookie season.

Injuries: Nothing to worry about yet but there were still some notable names on the sidelines. Starting center, Al Johnson missed both practices on Monday after having his knee drained, but there is hope that he'll be back today. Anquan Boldin and rookie, Marcus Brown sat out for the second consecutive day and were classified as day-to-day by Coach Whisenhunt. If Boldin misses considerable time it won't be that big of a deal but for Brown, a promising prospect, he needs to be on the field to make the team. As I said eiarlier, Troy Bienemann has yet to practice and the same can be said for Gabe Watson and Monty Beisel. Keilen Dykes missed the first couple of days but I think he is back in practice now.

Quick Practice Notes:

• The QB's have a new drill that the fans seem to love in which they try to hit flags hanging from a stand. By most accounts, Leinart looked much more accurate during the second practice on Monday and even looked to be the most accurate, followed closely by Warner and much further back were St. Pierre and Morelli.
  
• Fitzgerald and Hood had a spirited practice, especially in position drills. They went back and forth trying to be physical with each other and both had some success with Fitz getting a TD in the corner of the end zone and Hood picking off the very next pass on a slant route. Competition like this makes everyone a better player and is certainly encouraging to see.
  
• Adrian Wilson is starting to irk some reporters because he's refused to talk to any media outlets so far.
  

Just one afternoon practice today and it should help some players who are saying that soreness is starting to set in. Today's practice is supposed to be full pads so there should be some good battles today. Thoughts? Encouraging camp so far?

The Arizona Cardinals signed Calais Campbell, their second round pick, to a four year deal today and as usual, terms of the deal were not disclosed. I should know the base salary amounts in a day or two and the signing bonus and guaranteed amounts will come out in time.

In order to sign Campbell the team had to release someone and Bo Schobel was the odd man out. Schobel, who was signed mid-way through the 2007 season, was a long shot to make the roster. He appeared in two games and had one tackle. The deal leaves Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie as the only unsigned rookie, but negotations are ongoing and hopefully a deal should be announced before camp starts. Only five first round picks have agreed to contracts so far but the Cardinals report to camp earlier than most teams. There is some speculation the Cardinals are keeping a close eye on the negotiations between the Bears and Chris Williams. It is believed that the two sides are close to agreeing on a contract and the Cardinals can then use that contract to gauge DRC's value, considering that Williams was selected at 14 (DRC was 16th).

On an even more positive note, Drew Rosenhaus, the agent for Dockett and Boldin, said that both players will be in camp on time. The Cardinals should open camp with every player there and accounted for. The team is also hopeful that Gabe Watson will be the only player who is limited because of injury, although Leonard Pope is another possibility.

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.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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?