The signing of Brandon Moore sounds like a done deal. I've been waiting to try and get some solid confirmation and even though neither the official site or Kent
Somers have confirmed, the NFL.com though it listed under the Cardinals' transactions, so I'm going assume that the signing is official. The team will to release someone by the end of the day if not sooner and as soon as that news breaks, we'll update. It's official: The odd man out is David Holloway according to the official site. Holloway was an undrafted free agent who spent last season on the practice squad. For now though, let's take a look at the newest Arizona Cardinal.
Moore (6'1 240) was undrafted out of Oklahoma in 2002 and has spent all six seasons of his career with the San Francisco 49ers. He played in 13 games, even starting two, as a rookie and has since played in 88 games over the past 6 seasons (26 starts). Despite never being fully embraced by the coaching staff of the Niners, Moore led the team in tackles in 2006 and has averaged 6.8 tackles per start over the past four seasons (projects to 108 over a full season). During his best season (2006), Moore had nine or more tackles in five of his eleven starts and closed the season with three straight games of double digit tackles. He's also shown a decent ability to rush the passer with an average of better than four and a half sacks per season, over the past three years.
Moore's a veteran presence (29 years old) who is versatile enough to play both outside and inside linebacker even though his more natural position is on the inside. He'll likely battle for a spot as the primary backup to either Karlos Dansby or Gerald Hayes. He's not a superstar but he provides quality depth and wouldn't be a huge dropoff in ability if he had to start a game or two. He's also got the ability to be a standout special teams player. His signing could also give the Cardinals a little bit of an edge in week one of the season when the Cardinals travel to San Francisco. Thoughts? Do you like the sound of this guy and who's seen him play enough to have an opinion on his abilities?
Update: Here's a scouting report of Moore from Fooch over at Niners Nation:
Moore has adequate size to play the linebacker position and he has the versatility to play inside as well as outside and he appears to be a good fit for the outside linebacker spot in the three four defense. He has good foot quickness and good running ability and he is fairly smooth in his hip turn. He shows that he has good range and he has decent body control and change of direction skills. He has great upper body strength and he has good hand placement and he does a good job of getting under the offensive mans pads and striking and getting separation. He uses his hands well to dis engage from blocks on the edge however he has difficulty playing through traffic to the ball. He is better when he can play on a man and when he knows where pressure is coming from. He shows good acceleration to the ball and he goes to the ball aggressively and he is a good strong tackler who clubs up with his arms. He lacks pass rush technique and when he puts his hand down to come off the edge he lacks the stature to pass rush effectively versus an offensive tackle. He does not have good play recognition and he lacks the natural instincts for the position. He needs to become more consistent in his play recognition and get a better feel for the outside and what the position demands. He is a very good competitor on special teams.