One of the big signings the Arizona Cardinals made previous to the 2011 season was linebacker Stew Bradley. Between the lockout, recovering from a knee injury and learning a new scheme (playing 3-4 rather than a 4-3), he had a disappointing year.
In fairness, it wasn't just plain ineffectiveness that kept him off the field on defense. It was also the play of Paris Lenon, who as a defensive captain, had the respect of the players and coaches, and simply put, he played well and kept Bradley from overtaking him on the depth chart.
In 2012, Bradley took a paycut to avoid becoming a cap casualty and it is an important season for him. So far it is looking promising. Wrote Darren Urban on the team's official website:
Whisenhunt said LB Stewart Bradley "will be involved" this season and is pushing Paris Lenon for the starting spot.
This is great. I don't know if it will happen by Week 1, but I think it will happen at some point this season.
What are your thoughts, and what will it take for Bradley to start in your opinion?
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