Quiet day in Cardinals news, but we did find out that Greg Toler signed his one year tender offer, and he wants to get back out on the field to play.
Arizona Cardinals all-time NFL draft class
The NFL has announced the official draft order, prompting millions of hearts to beat out of rhythm. Or maybe not. But for some odd, unknown reason, the announcement prompted me to come up with my version of the Arizona Cardinals all-time draft class. The following covers players drafted since 1988, when the team moved to Arizona. I didn't consider members of the 2011 class because it's too soon to judge those guys. A good number of them appear capable of moving into contention over the next few years.
Word From the Birds Blog - Toler signs, ready to "unleash the beast"
In the morning, Greg Toler came in for his rehab/workout carrying a big bag of Wendy’s breakfast sandwiches for the athletic trainers and teammates, and in the afternoon, the cornerback was confirming via text the news (first reported by Howard Balzer) that he had indeed signed his one-year restricted free agent tender offer, which will pay him about $1.26 million this season. (There has been no official announcement from the team.) The text was a lot more than a confirmation on the signing, however. Clearly, Toler — who missed all of 2011 after tearing his ACL in the preseason — is anxious to play.
Word From the Birds Blog - Cards’ draft picks set
With the draft just about a month away, the NFL — having released compensatory picks Monday — then Tuesday released the official seven-round draft order. The Cardinals have seven picks: None in the second round (dealt away in the trade for quarterback Kevin Kolb) and two in the sixth round (an extra one coming in the trade of running back Tim Hightower to Washington for defensive end Vonnie Holliday).
Daryn Colledge restructures deal with Cardinals | ProFootballTalk
The Cardinals haven’t done all that much in free agency this offseason, but they’ve got some more money available if they want to start making more moves.
Which team positioned to challenge 49ers? - NFC West Blog - ESPN
The NFL Power Rankings published late last week treated NFC West teams the way they finished last season. The San Francisco 49ers were well ahead of the pack. The Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks were some distance back and tied, with Arizona holding a tiebreaking edge. The St. Louis Rams trailed their NFC West rivals by a considerable margin. Nothing that has happened since the 2011 season ended should lead to wholesale reevaluation of where these teams stand. I do think Matt Flynn's addition makes the Seahawks different at quarterback, and quite possibly better. That is why Seattle ranked just ahead of Arizona when I cast my ballot for the power rankings (see chart).
Which team positioned to challenge 49ers? - NFC West Blog - ESPN
The NFL Power Rankings published late last week treated NFC West teams the way they finished last season. The San Francisco 49ers were well ahead of the pack. The Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks were some distance back and tied, with Arizona holding a tiebreaking edge. The St. Louis Rams trailed their NFC West rivals by a considerable margin. Nothing that has happened since the 2011 season ended should lead to wholesale reevaluation of where these teams stand. I do think Matt Flynn's addition makes the Seahawks different at quarterback, and quite possibly better. That is why Seattle ranked just ahead of Arizona when I cast my ballot for the power rankings (see chart).
Arizona Sports News:
Phoenix Suns go cold, fall to San Antonio Spurs
Tony Parker scored eight points in a 10-0 San Antonio run early in the fourth quarter, and the Spurs went on to win their fifth in a row and eighth in nine games with a 107-100 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night.
NFL News:
Chasing Manning an exercise in futility - NFC West Blog - ESPN
Peter King has the play-by-play from Peyton Manning's wild tour through free agency. I'll mix in some color commentary for portions reaching into the NFC West. The excerpts below King notes that the teams Manning considered the strongest featured former NFL players as point men. That included John Elway in Denver, Mike Munchak in Tennessee, Jim Harbaugh in San Francisco, and Ken Whisenhunt in Arizona.
Cowboys Vs. Giants In Week 1 Leads 2012 NFL Schedule - SBNation.com
The 2012 NFL schedule will start with the Dallas Cowboys visiting the New York Giants. The NFL announced only the first game of the 2012 NFL season, which will be played on Wednesday, September 5 (the first Wednesday NFL game since 1948).
Sean Payton Confirms Interest In Bill Parcells As Saints Interim Head Coach - SBNation.com
New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton is set to be suspended for one year on April 1 and, while it was previously assumed that a member of his current coaching staff would replace him, there's now some talk that Bill Parcells could take the interim position for a year.
Pete Carroll discovered that Peyton Manning does not like surprises | Shutdown Corner - Yahoo! Sports
It must be said that through the process that eventually landed him in Denver, Peyton Manning was about as un-Favre-like as a future Hall of Fame quarterback could. Far from #4's offseason attention jags, Manning went as under the radar as possible. He conducted a workout for the San Francisco 49ers that wasn't discovered until three days after ithappened, which must be a record in the Twitter-led world of modern football journalism. When he found that the Miami Dolphins weren't the right fit for him, Manning actually wrote team owner Stephen Ross a letter to explain why. In return for these niceties, Manning wanted as much control over the process as possible. Potential suitors were identified, and summarily accepted or rejected as first-round lottery winners, with the prize being Manning's undivided attention for the franchise sell job. One team that didn't get past the opening gates was the Seattle Seahawks, who decided to up the ante and break into the game anyway.
Bart Scott Trade Won't Happen; Rex Ryan Says LB Will Remain With Jets - SBNation.com
The New York Jets reportedly gave Bart Scott permission to seek a trade back in February, but he won't be going anywhere. Whether it's because no one wanted to take on Scott's contract or because the Jets had a change of heart, Scott will be staying with the team in 2012.
Dan Snyder Takes A Break From NFL League Meetings To Troll NY Writers - From Our Editors - SBNation.com
Well, this happened:
NFL scouts concerned about Manning’s arm strength | ProFootballTalk
The last time he stepped off a football field, Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning was wrapping up a 33-touchdown, 17-interception, 4,700-yard season in Indianapolis. The yardage was Manning’s career high, and only once before in his 13-year career had he thrown more touchdown passes. Multiple pro scouts told NFL Network’s Albert Breer, however, that despite the lofty numbers, Manning was showing signs of decline. He was 34 then, and is now 36.