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2024 Arizona Cardinals Thread (1 Viewer)

Faust

MVP
Ok, maybe it is part being an NFL fanatic and part feeling bad for these teams that still don't have a 2012 thread dedicated to them - so here it is - the thread dedicated to everything for the Desert Birds!
 
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Draft team needs: Arizona Cardinals

By Pete Prisco | CBSSports.com Senior NFL Columnist

The Arizona Cardinals chased Peyton Manning, but didn't get him.

That means it's now on either Kevin Kolb or John Skelton -- and it will be a real competition -- to lead this talented young team to the playoffs.

Kolb, who came over in trade from Philadelphia last season, struggled to pick up the Arizona offense and then was knocked out with concussion problems that gave Skelton a chance to show he might be the long-term answer.

If that position can show improvement, the Cardinals can be a playoff team. The defense really came on in the second half of 2010 and has talent to become a real force in the NFC West.

But as their pursuit of Manning shows: It's all about what happens under center for the Cardinals.

QB: When the Cardinals traded to land Kolb -- and then paid him -- they thought they had fixed their quarterback troubles. But Kolb didn't play as expected. When he got hurt, Skelton came off the bench to lead the Cardinals to a 5-2 record. He is a big-armed passer who needs to work on his mechanics. If he can fix those, he has a chance to be the starter for a long time. A year in the system will help Kolb as he tries to fend Skelton off. The Cardinals have really struggled with the passing game since Kurt Warner retired in 2009. To be a division champ, one of these two has to throw for 3,500 yards and close to 25 touchdown passes.

RB: In Beanie Wells, the Cardinals have a feature back who can run tough inside the tackles. He fought through a knee injury last season, so that is a concern. Ryan Williams tore up his knee in the summer and missed the season, but he has home-run speed and should push for carries. LaRod Stephens-Howling is a nice change-of-pace back and is good as a screen back. The fullback is Anthony Sherman. If Williams and Wells are healthy, the Cardinals are fine here.

WR: Larry Fitzgerald remains one of the game's best. Imagine if he had better quarterback play? Teams double him a lot of the time and he's still productive. He isn't a burner, but he sure plays fast. Andre Roberts emerged as a good threat last season, his first as a starter. Roberts caught 51 passes and the coaches are high on him. There is a chance he might move inside to the slot with Early Doucet moving outside. Roberts has the quickness teams want in a slot receiver. Stephen Williams, Jaymar Johnson and DeMarco Sampson are young players who have a chance to get on the field more if they show progress.

TE: The Cardinals need to get more production out of this spot, which is why they signed Todd Heap last season. But he was bothered by injuries and didn't do what they expected. Jeff King started most of the season, but he is more blocker than receiver. The guy to watch is 2011 third-round pick Rob Housler. The coaching staff thinks he can be a breakout player. He has the speed to get down the seam.

OL: This is the trouble spot for the Cardinals. The line just doesn't seem to ever improve. The Cardinals released left tackle Levi Brown and then re-signed him to a lesser deal. He played well in the second half of the 2011 season. The right tackle spot is uncertain. Jeremy Bridges is expected to get the first crack, but keep an eye on D'Anthony Batiste and D.J. Young. Lyle Sendlein will be the center again. He isn't great, but he's good enough. Daryn Colledge didn't play as well as hoped at left guard after signing as a free agent last year, but he will be back. The right guard will be Adam Snyder, a free agent they signed away from San Francisco. Snyder is not a good player. That might prove to be a move they regret. There isn't much depth inside.

DL: The Cardinals have a good defensive front. The best player in 2011 was defensive end Calais Campbell, who bounced back from a bad 2010 season to become a force last season. The Cardinals put the franchise tag on Campbell to keep him from leaving. Darnell Dockett is also a good player at the other end spot. He didn't play as well as Campbell, but he's still a top-level player. Dan Williams flashes at times on the nose but he has a tendency to get out of shape. David Carter is a solid backup on the nose and Nick Eason backs up at end. They could use some more help on the line in terms of depth.

LB: The Cardinals have some young talent that is one the verge of making this a good unit. The best player last season was inside linebacker Daryl Washington. He led the team in tackles with 111. Paris Lenon was second with 103. He could be challenged by Stewart Bradley, who started one game after signing as a free agent from Philadelphia. The Cardinals need more from the outside spots, but Sam Acho came on as a rookie. He had seven sacks in his 10 starts. The other outside linebacker was Clark Haggans, but he is getting up in the years. Look for O'Brien Schofield to play that spot to open camp. Brandon Williams is another backup. They could use an early pick on an outside pass rusher.

DB: Patrick Peterson got off to a slow start on the corner, but really came on in the second half to show he can be an elite cover player. He is bigger than most corners, which helps. The other spot is up in the air, although A.J. Jefferson will get the first shot. Greg Toler, who is coming off an ACL tear, will also be in the mix. They also signed William Gay as a free agent. The starting safeties are Kerry Rhodes and Adrian Wilson, two veterans who keep the back end in check. Wilson played all of 2011 with a torn biceps muscle and still played at a high level. Rashad Johnson is the top backup at safety.
 
NFC West draft needs

Arizona Cardinals Excerpt:

Overview: The Cardinals’ 2012 draft-pick deck is not fully stacked, with the team having given up its second-round pick to the Eagles last offseason in the trade for QB Kevin Kolb. It did obtain an extra pick in the sixth round from the Redskins as compensation in the Tim Hightower trade, but that doesn’t offset losing a No. 2. However, things look a little different if you count the second-round pick last season, RB Ryan Williams, who has yet to strut his stuff after missing the entire 2011 campaign after tearing the patellar tendon in his right knee in a preseason game. Williams could provide the offense with a major boost if he lives up to the considerable promise he was showing before his injury.

Need No. 1: Offensive right tackle

The Cardinals bolstered the right side of their offensive line with free-agent pickup Adam Snyder, who shapes up as the new right guard. But concerns linger at right tackle. Incumbent Brandon Keith is an injury-prone unrestricted free agent who might have worn out his welcome. The team could draft a stud OLT prospect in the first round and move recently re-signed Levi Brown to the right side. Whether it does that or not, there is still a glaring need for more depth at both the tackle and guard positions.

Need No. 2: Outside linebacker

While new coordinator Ray Horton’s defense made great strides as the season wore on, the unit could still use another outside pass rusher or two. Both Sam Acho, a fourth-round rookie last season, and O’Brien Schofield, who will be entering his third season, made steady progress last season at outside linebacker, particularly Acho. But Clark Haggans is a 35-year-old free agent, and linebackers who bring pressure off the edge are coveted in Horton’s “Steelers West” system.

Need No. 3: Wide receiver

The Cards’ WR corps looks rock-solid at the No. 1 and No. 3 spots, which are manned by superstar Larry Fitzgerald and recently re-signed Early Doucet, respectively. But the offense could really use a consistently productive No. 2 wideout to complement Fitzgerald, as Anquan Boldin and Steve Breaston did before signing elsewhere. Current No. 2 WR Andre Roberts has had his moments, but he remains a very unproven commodity.
 
I hope they address their O-line early, keep Kolb healthy, and give him a chance to really learn the offense. I think the team could make signicant strides if they can stabilize that.

I know people like to rip Kolb and beanie but to be fair to both: Kolb was hurt and he didn't have time to learn the offense. He should be much improved this year. I'm not saying he will catch fire and be Matt Ryan this year, but he should be much better. He can be Ryan Fitzpatrick or maybe better (and that's better than what a lot of people think).

Beanie is beat on all the time and incorrect "stats" are commonly thrown about. How people say he is always hurt and missing games is beyond me. It seems like the vast majority of people do not recognize that Beanie has missed no more games in the past three years as any other RB they can think of, with the exception of maybe 1-2 guys. Most people also don't understand that he averages as many yards a carry as all but a handful of HOF'ers that have a significant body of work to contribute. Give the man a QB and a decent line and I think you will see a lot to like in Beanie. No, he may never be mcCoy or Rice in production, but he could be Cedric Benson for the next 6 years and that means you start him every week.

 
Projecting the draft: Arizona Cardinals

By Rob Rang | The Sports Xchange/CBSSports.com

Having gone 7-2 in their final nine games of the 2011 season, optimism is high in Arizona that the 2012 season could be their year to return to the top of the NFC West division.

Arizona flirted with free agent Peyton Manning but once it was cleared he wasn't going to sign, general manager Rod Graves and head coach Ken Whisenhunt elected to stick with Kevin Kolb. Re-signing their own players wound up being the strategy Arizona employed throughout much of the off-season.

Despite re-signing left tackle Levi Brown to a big contract (after releasing him initially), the Cardinals have holes up front. Considering the very good pass rush the reigning NFC West champion San Francisco 49ers boast and the developing front sevens forming in Seattle and St. Louis, protecting Kolb and opening up holes for Arizona's talented contingent of running backs would appear to be an obvious priority on draft day.

Five picks Rod Graves should contemplate:

OLB Melvin Ingram, South Carolina (NFLDraftScout.com ranking 9)

The Cardinals have two young pass rushers to be excited about in Sam Acho and O'Brien Schofield but should Ingram still be on the board at No. 13 overall, his natural ability to pressure the quarterback would be intriguing. Ingram tied the South Carolina record with 10 sacks as a senior and led the club with nine a year before despite only starting one game. A rotation of Acho, Schofield and Ingram could make the Cardinals' relatively average pass rush one to fear.

OT Riley Reiff, Iowa (NFLDraftScout.com ranking 13)

The re-signing of Levi Brown fills one area of concern up front for the Cardinals but some believe he's always been a better fit at right tackle, rather than operating on the blindside. Reiff has the athleticism to remain at left tackle, as he's starred for Kirk Ferentz and the Hawkeyes. Like with Ingram, the board would have to fall right for Reiff to be available to the Cardinals here. Other potential targets would include Georgia's Cordy Glenn, Stanford's Jonathan Martin and even Ohio State's Mike Adams.

DE Billy Winn, Boise State (NFLDraftScout.com ranking 68)

The Cardinals used their franchise tag on standout defensive end Calais Campbell but may want to protect themselves against losing him in the future as he has yet to sign his tender. Veteran Darnell Dockett is among the league's most talented, but depth behind these two is limited. Journeyman Vonnie Holliday is 36 and a free agent. Winn played defensive tackle while at Boise State but has the length and athleticism necessarily to transition outside in the Cardinals' 3-4 scheme. Should Winn be available to the Cardinals in the third round (No. 80 overall), he'd provide great value.

OT Tony Bergstrom, Utah (NFLDraftScout.com ranking 137)

Should the Cardinals be unable to address their offensive line deficiencies early, they may be forced to use several picks on blockers with some of their middle round picks. The 6-5, 313 pound Bergstrom has the size and tenacity offensive line coach Russ Grimm has shown a preference for in the past and offers versatility, having started his entire career outside at tackle (three years at right tackle, one at left) and some believe his ultimate future may lie inside at guard. Should Bergstrom be still on the board with the Cardinals' fifth round pick (No. 151 overall), they'd likely be elated.

QB Nick Foles, Arizona (NFLDraftScout.com ranking 187)

The fact that the Cardinals tried to woo Manning proves that the club isn't yet convinced that Kevin Kolb is the quarterback to build their team around. Arizona isn't necessarily expected to use a high round pick on a passer, but if local standout Foles is still available, his size and talent as a traditional dropback passer could be intriguing -- especially considering the fact that the Cardinals have two sixth round picks (Nos. 177, 185 overall) in which they might be willing to gamble on his upside.
 
I like Skelton as a sleeper. I'm not convinced they're going QB early, but it certainly could happen. We're talking about a kid that can make throws only a handful of people on earth can make. Still very raw, but everybody knew that coming out. He's got a magical arm & that's half the battle. The other half is what he needs to work on. Skelton is also a good athlete.

One of the best QB stashes in dynasty leagues, IMO.

 
It'd be nice if the Cards had a 2nd to spend on Jonathan Martin or Cordy Glenn to help protect Skelton.

 
WR Michael Floyd

Draft Analysis:

Mayock's take: "I love this marriage. I'll tell you something right now, there is not a better role model for him in the NFL at the wide receiver position than Larry Fitzgerald. He will mentor this kid and get the most out of him."

Overview

Floyd has been a game changer at the collegiate level and possesses the size, aggressiveness and game experience to make a difference early in his transition to the NFL. Floyd has been an extremely productive deep threat, as well as a physical blocker and a reliable third-down playmaker, for the Fighting Irish throughout his career. His on-field maturity, physical nature and ability to make the big catch will outweigh some off-field mishaps, as Floyd projects to be one of the first receives taken in the draft.

Analysis

Strengths

Floyd is a polished receiver who shows a burst off the line of scrimmage, despite his frame. He is a solid route runner who will consistently make the big catch. He is an excellent athlete who is strong and contributes in the run game with his physicality on the edge. A receiver who is tough across the middle, Floyd will make the difficult catch and get upfield. Floyd brings that No. 1 receiver presence to the next level and projects to produce to that standard. Floyd's frame and explosiveness off the line make him a presence that is felt by opposing defenses. As a blocker, Floyd will do more than just mirror defenders, as he will come down the line of scrimmage and crack linebackers. He is a red-zone threat at any level.

Weaknesses

Floyd does not have game-breaking speed as a deep threat, and he hasn't always been consistent. Prior injuries could raise a red flag, along with various off-field issues.
 
Cardinals: Kevin Kolb, John Skelton on even playing field

By Brian McIntyre NFL.com

Arizona Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt tells Jim Rome of "Rome" that the competition between quarterbacks Kevin Kolb and John Skelton will start as evenly as possible and be decided on the practice field and in preseason games.

"That's the question that's going to be answered through the workouts this spring and in training camp this summer," Whisenhunt said, via Michael David Smith of ProFootballTalk.com. "They've both been working hard at it. It's been good to get out on the field and actually work on techniques and fundamentals with these guys. At times last year they both showed they can do good things. But consistency at that position is something we've got to improve on. So hopefully the competition between both of them will sharpen up one of them enough that he'll be a good starter for us.

"I think the knee-jerk reaction would be to say that it is Kevin's job to lose," Whisenhunt said. "But then you have to look at what John Skelton did last year in winning those games when he was in there. So I think you have to give John a lot of credit for winning those games. I certainly have a lot of respect for Kevin and what he's done in this league and we made the commitment to bring him in to our football team. So it's going to start out as even as it possibly can, and we're going to let the best player take it from there. We did that many years ago when we had Kurt Warner and Matt Leinart, and it worked out pretty good for us. So hopefully we'll have that same kind of magic."

Skelton did make some plays, but it would be absurd for the Cardinals to factor "quarterback wins" into the equation. Three of Skelton's five "wins" were against the St. Louis Rams and Cleveland Browns, two teams that combined to win just six games on the season. Skelton "won" one of those games with a passer rating of 30. From a statistical standpoint, Kolb had a better completion percentage, more passing yards, fewer interceptions and a better passer rating on the season.

As evidenced by their pursuit of Peyton Manning in free agency, neither quarterback has done enough to be handed the reins and Whisenhunt is wise to let Kolb or Skelton earn the job on the field. But a factor that could trump a few overtime wins in an 8-8 season is the freight the Cardinals paid to acquire Kolb from the Philadelphia Eagles after last year's lockout. Dealing cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a 2012 round pick (which the Eagles turned into defensive end Vinny Curry and cornerback Brandon Boykin) and then signing Kolb to a five-year, $62.1 million contract extension that has already paid out $20 million, including a $7 million roster bonus in March, has to at least make Kolb the quarterback the personnel department and Whisenhunt hope wins the job.
 
Beanie Wells aiming for Cardinals' training camp

By Brian McIntyre NFL.com

Five months removed from knee surgery, Arizona Cardinals running back Beanie Wells is not sure if he'll be on the practice field when the team begins its OTAs on Tuesday.

"I am hopeful, but it's offseason stuff," Wells told Darren Urban of AZCardinals.com. "Being ready for training camp is the most important thing."

A 2009 first-round pick, Wells is coming off his most productive season, during which he started 14 of 15 games and rushed for 1,047 yards and 10 touchdowns while playing over 55 percent of the Cardinals' offensive snaps. More than half of Wells' production, including six of his 10 touchdowns, came in four games -- his first three games of the season and a 228-yard performance in Week 12 against the St. Louis Rams, the league's 31st-ranked run defense. In the other 10 games, Wells gained just 498 yards, averaging 3.1 yards per carry with four touchdowns, as he dealt with his right knee injury, which required two surgeries in the span of 16 months.

With 2011 second-round pick Ryan Williams coming off a torn patellar tendon (which usually require nine to 12 months of recovery time) and possibly opening training camp on the physically-unable-to-perform list, there's no reason to rush Wells' recovery. The Cardinals are not installing a new system and have four other running backs on the roster who could use a longer look.
 
Finding the Fits: Massie, not Floyd, might provide most immediate help for Cards

By Rob Rang | The Sports Xchange/CBSSports.com

Over the next several weeks, NFLDraftScout.com will be reviewing some of the more intriguing picks made during the 2012 NFL Draft through a series called "Finding the Fits." The goal of the series is to identify one relatively unheralded player per team who appears to be a good schematic fit and therefore more likely to be a surprise contributor early in his pro career.

Finishing 7-2 in their final nine regular-season games a year ago, the Arizona Cardinals will enter the 2012 NFL season eager to prove their hot finish means that the balance of power in the NFC West division could be shifting back to the desert.

A year after making the aggressive trade to land quarterback Kevin Kolb, general manager Rod Graves and head coach Ken Whisenhunt appear to have created a roster in which Kolb (or John Skelton) can be successful. The team re-signed left tackle Levi Brown, added a versatile tough-guy in San Francisco free agent Adam Snyder to further solidify its offensive line and focused on this area in the draft, as well, dedicating three of their five Day 3 selections on blockers.

Arizona's first round pick, wideout Michael Floyd, will, of course, generate most of the buzz. While I do not have the same lofty grade on Floyd than some have, there is no denying that that the 6-3, 220-pound former Notre Dame star has the bulk, strength, soft hands and body control to give the Cardinals the best complimentary option to All-Pro Larry Fitzgerald since the team traded Anquan Boldin to the Baltimore Ravens. Better yet, by re-signing veteran playmaker Early Doucet, the Cardinals aren't relying on Floyd to make an impact as a rookie. He's talented enough to do so and the Cardinals certainly hope he will, but historically speaking, few rookie receivers play up to expectations in their first year in the NFL.

The most immediate impact player of the Cardinals' impressive 2012 draft, in fact, could be fourth-round offensive tackle Bobby Massie from the University of Mississippi.

A highly decorated prep prospect, the 6-6, 316-pound Massie started each of his three seasons at Mississippi. Every one of his starts came at right tackle, where the Cardinals currently have a gaping hole. Arizona had featured Brandon Keith at this spot in the past. Keith is talented but struggled with durability and is currently a street free agent. Veteran Jeremy Bridges and journeyman D'Anthony Batiste are other potential options at the position but sources close to the team suggest that the team will give Massie every opportunity to win the starting job.

Massie certainly has the talent, experience against top competition and durability to handle the assignment. He's surprisingly quick off the snap for a man of his size and demonstrates the combination of power and nastiness that every offensive line coach is looking for at the position. While the Cardinals have often featured the passing game during Whisenhunt's tenure, the team would like to be able to pound the football in the running game with Beanie Wells. This certainly ties in with the physicality and toughness in which assistant coach and offensive line coach Russ Grimm played with and asks from his players.

Based purely on talent, Massie could prove a steal for the Cardinals. The former Rebel ranked No. 34 on my Big Board and boasts as much physical talent as any of the offensive linemen drafted in the two rounds before his name was called at No. 112 overall. League sources tell me the reason why Massie fell to this point in the draft had nothing to do with his play on the field. Massie showed little in terms of technical improvement over his career with the Rebels, raising plenty of questions about his work ethic and dependability.

Characterized as a potential candidate to slip into the late first round in the weeks preceding the draft, Massie will likely enter his rookie season with a huge chip on his shoulder. Should Grimm be able to capitalize on Massie's disappointment with slipping into the draft's third day, the Cardinals could have a right tackle to build around.

The rest of the Cardinals' picks:

1st Round - No. 13 overall - Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

3rd Round - No. 80 overall - Jamell Fleming, CB, Oklahoma

4th Round - No. 112 overall - Bobby Massie, OT, Mississippi

5th Round - No. 151 overall - Senio Kelemete, OG, Washington

6th Round - No. 177 overall - Justin Bethel, FS, Presbyterian

6th Round - No. 185 overall - Ryan Lindley, QB, San Diego State

7th Round - No. 221 overall - Nate Potter, OL, Boise State
 
Listened to Jurecki breakdown how OTAs have been going during my drive home today. Here are a couple snippets of what I remember.

Kolb - still getting a ton of passes batted down at the line, got picked off by Daryl Washington today; said it would've been 6. He did give KK credit for "being one of the guys" moreso than he was last season.

Skelton - said Whiz is just waiting for this kid to emerge and seize the starting job, but it simply isn't happening yet. Has footwork problems.

Lindley - one word: raw. sprays the ball all over the field, but he has a strong arm.

Fitz - looks a little overweight. Said himself he needs to lose about 10 lbs. Overall not worried about it though given the work ethic.

Ditto for Floyd on the weight. Needs to lose 10-15 lbs.

TEs - said Heap caught a nice pass and looks to be healthy (for now). Said the staff is looking forward to big things from Housler.

MJ also said the defense is so ahead of the offense at this point, that it's almost laughable.

 
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Bad sign for Kevin Kolb: Split snaps with John Skelton

By Gregg Rosenthal

Around The League editor

We know that Arizona Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said quarterbacks Kevin Kolb and John Skelton were on equal footing. We weren't quite sure if he really meant it -- until now.

Kent Somers

@kentsomers

John Skelton ran the starting unit today. He and Kolb are trading off in OTAs

This isn't shocking, but it's incredible to think about when you take a step back. Just one year after the Cardinals mortgaged their future by dealing draft picks and paying huge money for Kevin Kolb, they aren't even letting him take most of the first-team snaps at practice. This isn't what they paid for.Kolb earned more than $10 million last year and got an $7 million roster bonus this offseason. Skelton is a third-year pro from Fordham who's making $490,000. He has thrown 13 touchdown passes and 16 interceptions in his career. And yet Kolb and Skelton truly are being treated as equals.

That speaks more loudly than anything Whisenhunt could say.
 
The player kolb reminded me of when they got him is the very qb they waived before the 2010 season. both are timid check down artists.

for those saying 'give kolb time give kolb time'....why should those of us that see nothing more than journeyman talent? kolb didnt impress me in year 4 of philly ...4 years in same system. he looked like the same player he is now..

Hes a sunk cost.

 
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Cards coach wants Kolb to 'be our QB' but knows Skelton 'did a good job'

By Ryan Wilson | NFL Blogger

Cardinals' quarterbacks Kevin Kolb and John Skelton continue to split practice reps during OTAs, which follows what head coach Ken Whisenhunt had been saying for months: based on their 2011 performances, both players would get a chance to win the starting job.

Arizona sent cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a second-round pick to the Eagles for Kolb last offseason, and then gave the quarterback a $63 million extension that included some $20 million in guarantees. It stands to reason that the organization would have reasons to prefer Kolb in the role just to see if they found their franchise quarterback.

On Thursday, Whisenhunt was rooting for Kolb, but with qualifications.

"I don't look at a player and think what's he's making or what you did to get him here," he said via the Arizona Republic. I look at them based on what kind of plays they're making.

"I obviously know how much we invested in Kevin. I want Kevin to be successful. I want him to be our quarterback, but I'm not going to ignore the fact that John Skelton worked pretty hard and did a good job in there when he was playing, too. He's earned the right to compete for that spot."

And that's the thing: Skelton was about as efficient as Kolb last season. Neither were great but the former was much cheaper than the latter. Also tempering Whisenhunt's decision: he has experience with franchise quarterbacks and their backups; in 2007, Matt Leinart and Kurt Warner split time, Warner won the job and took Arizona to a Super Bowl in 2008, and Leinart was eventually released in favor of Derek Anderson, Max Hall and Skelton.

For now, Kolb sounds unconcerned. “I've said it a hundred times: ‘Look, if you are afraid to compete in this league, go home,'” he said earlier this week. “There is a lot of time between now and (the season) and a lot of time to prove yourself.”

Meanwhile, Whisenhunt was also asked about the Cardinals' offseason interest in Peyton Manning in light of the revelation that 49ers, according to head coach Jim Harbaugh, weren't pursuing the former Colts quarterback.

"Boy, you're trying to set me up aren't you?" Whisenhunt said, smiling. "I know what you want me to do. You know I am going to stay away (from that). I'm going to get the umpire to warn you and the next time, you're outta here."
 
Kolb and Skelton were remarkably similar last year in terms of QB performance. 6.1 Net Yards/Attempt vs 5.9 NY/A, and they actually rank right next to each other in terms of defense-adjusted FF Pts/Attempt as well -- #21 and #22.

But which guy is likely to make the leap to a legitimate NFL starter? The undersized 28 year old QB with a history of concussions entering his sixth season? Or the prototpyically built 24 year old entering his third season out of a pretty small school?

Kolb might hold Skelton off this year, but IMO he won't hold him off much longer. And if the two look like a coin flip after training camp the Cards would be better off letting Skelton get the experience.

 
Kevin Kolb must carry the load for Cardinals

By Marc Sessler

Writer

Around the League will examine one key figure under pressure on each team heading into the 2012 season. Next up: The Arizona Cardinals.

Under Pressure: Kevin Kolb

As we voyage from team to team for our "Under Pressure" series, the natural tendency is to focus on the quarterback position.

We've shied away from signal-callers when possible. They already garner too much attention and there's enough trouble on every roster to plant some other unsuspecting victim on the hot seat.

In Arizona, however, there's just no avoiding Kevin Kolb. He's a man draped in question marks. Kolb signed a six-year, $65-million contract with the Cardinals last summer, only to struggle through an injury-plagued season that saw backup John Skelton emerge with the hot hand by year's end. Not exactly a storybook scenario, but possibly the script for a disaster film.

Ken Whisenhunt has voiced his desire for Kolb to win the job -- and we don't doubt he'll start the season -- but will he stick? Kolb was handed the starting reins with the Philadelphia Eagles but couldn't finish a full season, giving rise to the rebirth of Michael Vick. He then lasted only nine games in his Arizona debut.

Kolb's spotty durability -- including a string of concussions -- was at least a factor in the Cardinals' offseason chase for Peyton Manning, but the money situation is equally disturbing.

Since signing Kolb last summer, the team has dished out $17 million to a quarterback with a 6-10 career record in five seasons. That includes a 3-6 mark in 2011. Meanwhile, backup John Skelton is 7-4 as Arizona's starter and will earn $490,000 this year (that figure, ladies and gentlemen, is an appropriate price tag for an unproven NFL passer).

Look, it's no surprise Kolb has to morph into a ball of fire this season. Had the team -- in another universe -- signed Manning, Kolb would be playing in another city at a vastly reduced rate. As it stands, don't expect Arizona to take on his $9 million salary in 2013 if he pushes out another, well, Kolb-like season. Too many jobs are on the line in Arizona to allow this pet project to float along past 2012.
 
Michael Floyd signs contract with Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals announced the signings of receiver Michael Floyd, a first-round pick, and cornerback Jamell Fleming, a third-round pick, to contracts on Monday.

Financial terms were not disclosed, but NFL.com's Ian Rapoport, citing a source with knowledge of the situation, said Floyd's four-year deal is worth $10 million in guaranteed money, with an option for a fifth season.

Selected with the 13th overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Floyd set school records at Notre Dame with 271 receptions for 3,686 yards and 37 touchdowns in a 43-game game career. Floyd is coming off a senior season in which he caught 100 passes for 1,147 yards and nine touchdowns. Floyd gives the Cardinals a big, physical receiver on the edge who can take some of the pressure off perennial Pro Bowl selection Larry Fitzgerald.

The 5-foot-11, 206-pound Fleming was a two-year starter at Oklahoma who finished his college career with 168 tackles, seven interceptions and 24 passes defensed. Fleming could see time as a nickel corner this season and has the versatility to play some safety. His four-year contract is projected to include a signing bonus of $586,068.

Arizona is the ninth team to sign all of its 2012 NFL draft picks. Other teams to have done so are the Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, New York Giants, San Diego Chargers and Seattle Seahawks.
 
Ryan Williams, Beanie Wells battle for top RB spot

By Gregg Rosenthal

Around The League editor

Second-year Arizona Cardinals running back Ryan Williams took a big step in rehab from patella tendon surgery this week, practicing with the rest of his teammates.

While it's not clear if last year's second round pick will be fully ready for contact to start training camp, things are pointed in the right direction. Williams was expected to pass Beanie Wells on the depth chart going into last year. Instead Williams suffered a devastating injury and Wells enjoyed a breakout year.

Along with dynamic role player LaRod Stephens-Howling, the Cardinals suddenly look deep at running back.

"I'm not going to talk a lot about it because when I start telling you about how excited I am, then something is going to happen," coach Ken Whisenhunt said via Arizona Republic.

There are some areas of concern. Williams has to prove that he's the same player that he was before the injury. Wells also has to get healthy. He's been sidelined following knee surgery all offseason.

"He’s got to work himself back to being ready," Whisenhunt said of Wells. "We've done the right thing with Beanie as far as the offseason and making sure he is healthy. He's got to bust his tail the next few weeks to be ready for training camp because some guys have looked good there."

We have seen some outlets say Whisenhunt "called out" Wells, but that is taking the quotes out of context. Whisenhunt's tone was that of excitement. He is challenging Wells because he thinks this backfield has a huge amount of potential.

It's taken a while, but the Cardinals are starting to resemble the running game and defense model that Whisenhunt's old team in Pittsburgh was known for.
 
Ryan Williams will overtake Benie Wells by the 4th game this year. Williams looks healthy and will get stronger. Williams is the RB to own on this team.

 
Draft both, wait til' Beanie goes down with injury. This team will be run-first. Play actions to Fitzgerald will be a thing of beauty.

Edit: Not serious injury, but there were a few times last year that Wells should have been benched due to injury where Williams would have been in game.

 
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Andre Roberts could start over Floyd for Cardinals

By Marc Sessler

Writer

When the Arizona Cardinals drafted receiver Michael Floyd in the first round of the draft, he was labeled by many as a plug-and-play starter opposite Larry Fitzgerald.

Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official website sees things in a different light. In cooking up his early-look depth chart this week, Urban listed third-year wideout Andre Roberts ahead of Floyd.

"I think Michael Floyd will play an important role for this team, and Early Doucet will play," Urban said. "But if you don't know by now the level of confidence the coaching staff has in Roberts with his play after last season, you haven't been paying attention."

It's a mistake to discount how Arizona coveted Roberts' quickness coming out of The Citadel. He was productive, too, with 51 catches last season. There was chatter that Kolb and Roberts didn't click, but that should improve after a full offseason together.

Back to Floyd. Our in-house draft guru Chad Reuter walked in the door a few minutes ago, and we had a conversation about the challenges faced by rookie receivers.

"It's no surprise Roberts would be given the nod over a rookie -- even a talented first round pick like Floyd -- at this point of the offseason," Reuter said. "Rookie receivers face a big learning curve because of the complexity of NFL offenses and more physical and savvy play of veteran cornerbacks. Floyd does have superior size and physicality to Roberts, so if he shows enough playmaking ability in training camp and the preseason, he'll win the starting job."

Depth charts don't tell the entire story. Arizona finally has a dangerous trio of wideouts they're excited about. Ken Whisenhunt and his staff will scheme to use all three in order to free up Fitzgerald. His play remains the key to this team's success.
 
Feeling the rush: Kolb's big offseason

By Mike Sando | ESPN.com

Half of a second can mean everything for a quarterback when an All-Pro defensive lineman is bearing down on him.

Kevin Kolb appeared to do little wrong on the play that ended his first season with the Arizona Cardinals. He dropped back to pass on third-and-6 and hesitated briefly before attempting to target tight end Todd Heap in the right flat.

Only 2.5 seconds elapsed between the snap and the blindside hit from San Francisco 49ers defensive end Justin Smith. Smith hit Kolb from behind and knocked the ball free. Linebacker Ahmad Brooks turned to chase the loose ball and, in the process, whacked Kolb in the helmet with a churning knee.

The diagnosis: concussion.

The treatment: lots of rest, followed by an offseason focusing on the little things a quarterback can do to avoid undue punishment and keep an offense moving efficiently.

In some ways, that play against the 49ers typified Kolb's first season. He never had much of a chance. Acquired from Philadelphia as the lockout was giving way to training camps, Kolb was on the field for his first exhibition game after less than 12 hours of camp practices. He struggled to make the transition. Kolb took 30 sacks in nine regular-season starts, missing seven games to injury and opening the door for backup John Skelton to challenge him for the starting job this summer.

The first-year reviews for Kolb were resoundingly negative.

"Kolb's play was disturbing and uneven in Year 1, but like the rookie QBs from a year ago, judging him just off of that is probably too harsh," Matt Williamson of Scouts Inc. said. "Still, he is a limited passer and takes way too many sacks. Of course, his offensive line didnt help that. He isn't extremely accurate in terms of ball placement, either, which is something you must have if your arm is average."

On the positive side?

"He did do very well against the blitz, which shocked me, honestly, when I heard Jaws doing his Kolb breakdown, because I wouldn't have said that Kolb is the type of QB to stand firm in the pocket, take a big hit and deliver the football," Williamson said.

Even the praise was qualified, in other words.

Kolb's mindset

Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt doesn't like to anoint players as starters based on their salaries, but he had little choice last offseason.

The lockout left little time for a true quarterback competition. Division-rival Seattle, another team big on competition at all spots, forced into its lineup the newly acquired Tarvaris Jackson, also in the interests of expediency.

But with Kolb, there was another factor. Arizona, desperate for a quarterback, paid a financial price high enough to identify Kolb as its man right away. Their agreement averages $12.6 million per year and included a $7 million payment this offseason.

"Sometimes when you want something really bad, you press a little bit too hard," Kolb said after a recent minicamp practice. "I'm trying to make sure that doesn't happen. I'm trying to make sure I stay relaxed, stay calm, because when I play like that, I usually play pretty good football. ... Hopefully try to make that last for 16 weeks."

A new approach

The Cardinals fired quarterbacks coach Chris Miller and replaced him with receivers coach John McNulty. The move came after Arizona denied McNulty a chance to pursue the offensive coordinator's job with Tampa Bay. It also came with a mandate to re-emphasize the basics.

Arizona wants Kolb adhering more closely to the offensive script. That means methodically moving from one receiver to the next on schedule. It means throwing away the ball instead of inviting trouble with unscripted scrambles. Less creating, more executing.

"In Philadelphia, I think there was a lot of movement stuff they did," McNulty said. "They moved the pocket a lot. You can do that for a while and you can do that, I think, when a guy is playing on a limited basis. But when you want to operate the whole game and the whole season, there's a high percentage of the plays you're going to have to be in the pocket and operate in the pocket.

"He hadn't had as much experience, and he didn't have experience in our system of being just a pure pocket guy that hangs in there and doesn't rely on moving to get things a chance to get open."

Whisenhunt has alluded to the Cardinals having receivers running open frequently without getting the ball last season. That was the case specifically with Andre Roberts, a player Whisenhunt thought enjoyed a strong season without sufficient statistical rewards. Evidence collected over a four-game stretch suggested that might have been a problem for Kolb in particular.

A firmer grasp of the playbook should make it easier for Kolb to trust that his secondary receivers will be available. McNulty is working with Kolb on shortening the quarterback's movements in the pocket to keep plays on rhythm. Nothing too fancy, in other words.

"Just being around for a long time in some different systems now and being around some really good coaches, the ones that simplify it are the ones that really grasp it," Kolb said. "He's really good at that."

What Kolb can become

The Cardinals went 3-6 when Kolb started, but Skelton was the primary quarterback for the Dec. 12 game against San Francisco, the one in which Kolb suffered the concussion.

The burden of proof lies with Kolb after Skelton, who is receiving less than $500,000 per year, played a role in five game-winning drives last season. There is no way around that reality, not with Whisenhunt insisting on an honest competition.

Still, the Cardinals invested $12 million a year in Kolb because they liked his potential, not just because they needed a quarterback and that was the price.

"He's an athletic guy who is very smart," McNulty said. "He's a football guy. He's really done a lot of work to master the system in the last few months, and if he can get the ball out quickly, he's got a whip arm, he's accurate with it when he's working in rhythm. He can present problems as a guy who can move enough to get out of the way if he needs to, but he's capable of taking the snap and getting the ball out quickly and accurately and really diminishing what the rush can do to him."

Less than 11 months have passed since Arizona acquired Kolb. The vision McNulty described is still there for Kolb to salvage.

Just as Kolb must learn to avoid the rush, there's risk for his team if it rushes to judgment.

"I've really got a good hunch, a good instinct about this year," Kolb said. "I really think things are going to go well. That helps. When I have that feeling, that helps relax me and play better ball."
 
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Following up: Tendencies for Kolb, Skelton

By Mike Sando | ESPN.com

Fast forward to early September. Assume the Arizona Cardinals have just named a starting quarterback. Fans are debating the decision. They know John Skelton had a better won-lost record than Kevin Kolb as a starter last season, but beyond that, there isn't much to go on.

Meanwhile, fantasy football general managers are wondering what the choice means for them. They know Larry Fitzgerald will put up his usual Pro Bowl-caliber numbers, but they're less sure what the decision might mean for Andre Roberts, Early Doucet or some of the other receivers on the team (tight ends, too).

The truth is that we won't know for certain. The dynamics could change from 2011 as Kolb gains a firmer grasp of the offense in his first full offseason with the team. But in taking a closer look at the Cardinals' passing game last season, we can say the following:

[*]Skelton was more likely than Kolb to target Fitzgerald.

[*]Skelton was more likely than Kolb to target Roberts.

[*]Kolb was quite a bit more likely than Skelton to target Doucet.

We touched on a related subject last season and revisited it Friday after Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said the team frequently failed to find open receivers, notably Roberts, during the 2011 season.

Kolb and Skelton played roughly the same number of snaps last season. They completed and attempted a similar number of passes. Each played about the same number of snaps with Fitzgerald and Roberts. Skelton played more snaps with Doucet. Kolb played more with tight end Rob Housler.

To find out how frequently each quarterback targeted specific receivers, I totaled the snaps each receiver played with each quarterback, courtesy of ESPN Stats & Information. I then divided those totals by targets per receiver. Next, I multiplied that figure by the number of offensive snaps in a typical game (about 65 for Arizona last season).

The results appear in the first chart below. Skelton targeted Fitzgerald and Roberts a combined 5.4 more times than Kolb did in a typical game. Kolb targeted Doucet about 4.5 additional times per game.

There could be hidden factors at work here. The chart isn't definitive. And, as noted, the dynamics will change. Michael Floyd's addition as a first-round draft choice will likely push Roberts into the slot, where Doucet flourished last season. Housler is expected to play a more prominent role as well.

Click on linked article to see the chart

The second chart shows yards per attempt by receiver and quarterback.

Kolb averaged 7.7 yards per attempt last season, compared to 7.0 for Skelton.

While Kolb was less likely than Kolb to target Fitzgerald, the results were better on average by about 2.1 yards per target. These figures should give Cardinals fans some hope for Kolb if the quarterback can reduce sacks (one per 9.4 dropbacks, compared to one per 12.9 for Skelton) and become more efficient overall.

Each quarterback targeted tight end Jeff King 17 times. King caught 48- and 21-yard touchdown passes in the first two games, both from Kolb. That explains the 4.8-yard difference per attempt.

Click on linked article to see the second chart
 
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Ryan Williams will overtake Benie Wells by the 4th game this year. Williams looks healthy and will get stronger. Williams is the RB to own on this team.
Going into last season, this certainly seemed to be the case, but after Wells having a solid year and Williams fighting back from his own injury, I am not so sure. Would welcome any more thoughts on the RB situation here.
 
Larry Fitzgerald is as sure-handed as you think

By Gregg Rosenthal

Around The League editor

Arizona Cardinals wideout Larry Fitzgerald's hands set him apart. Okay, a lot of what Fitzgerald does sets him apart. But among dominant big-bodied wide receivers of the last decade, there were a lot of guys that put up big yardage yet dropped plenty of passes. (Including Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Brandon Marshall, and Dwayne Bowe.)

When Fitzgerald gets his mitts on a pass, he doesn't let it go. It seems that way anyhow, and ProFootballFocus' numbers back up the claim. They looked through the last three years of numbers to determine the receivers with the best "drop rate." That was their number of "catchable passes" with their number of drops.

We recommend checking out the entire post, but here was their top ten:

1. Earl Bennett

2. Larry Fitzgerald

3. Kevin Walter

4. Lance Moore

5. Malcom Floyd

6. Reggie Wayne

7. Jabar Gaffney

8. Jason Avant

9. Austin Collie

10. Sidney Rice

Fitzgerald sticks out on this list because it's primarily comprised of slot receivers. This makes sense because smaller guys like Bennett, Moore, and Avant catch shorter passes. And they get their jobs because of their hands, not their overwhelming physical skill set.

Floyd and Rice are the other two true vertical receivers on the list, although they struggle to stay healthy. That's the amazing part of Fitzgerald's game: There really aren't any holes.
 
Ryan Williams reportedly will be ready for Cardinals camp

By Dan Hanzus

Writer

A knee injury wiped out Ryan Williams' rookie season with the Arizona Cardinals, but it appears increasingly likely he'll be a full go when training camp kicks off later this month.

ProFootballWeekly.com cited a source earlier this week in reporting Williams is "right on schedule, if not a little bit ahead" in his recovery from a torn right patella tendon.

"They were thrilled that he was able to participate in 11-on-11 drills at the mandatory mini, and the medical staff just raves about his work ethic," the source said.

Williams suffered the injury in the Cardinals' third preseason game last August. He was a second-round pick (38th overall) out of Virginia Tech in the 2011 NFL Draft.

If healthy, Williams adds another dimension to a Cardinals running game that includes fourth-year back Beanie Wells and versatile role player LaRod Stephens-Howling.

Coming off a breakout season, Wells -- also recovering from knee surgery -- is the favorite to remain the starter. But Ken Whisenhunt likes two-RB sets, and Williams should have every opportunity to make an impact in his second season.
 
Kevin Kolb should be first in line for Cardinals QB spot

By Dan Hanzus

Writer

"NFL Total Access" continues with its "32 teams in 32 days" series. We decided to score some brownie points by writing an accompanying post each night. We'll focus on one goal that each team needs to accomplish before Week 1.

Arizona Cardinals must find their quarterback

So who's it going to be?

Kevin Kolb? John Skelton? Donovan McNabb?

OK, probably not McNabb. But the Cardinals must address the biggest question a team can face in training camp. Who's behind center?

This is a quarterback league, after all, and with an offense based around the dynamic talents of wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, you better find somebody good enough to get him the damn ball.

Kevin Kolb was supposed to be that guy. He was paid a handsome sum of money to make magic with Fitzgerald. Instead, Cardinals general manager Rod Graves spent last season sitting in his darkened office while sounding like the NFL's version of George Oscar Bluth.

"I've made a huge mistake."

The Cardinals should use training camp and the preseason to kick the tires on Kolb one more time. Yes, Kolb was unable to rise to the challenge last season -- or even stay on the field for extended stretches -- but perhaps he'll enter camp feeling more comfortable with a full offseason under his belt.

Skelton showed flashes of competence last season and led the Cardinals to five wins in seven starts. But to turn the keys over at this point would seem premature unless Kolb is either injured again or completely ineffective.

Kolb should get another crack at getting this thing right. And if he can't, shrug your shoulders, learn your lessons, and move on.
 
Whisenhunt says Cardinals QB battle could run right up until season opener

By Pat Kirwan | NFL Insider

Excerpt:

Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said the quarterback battle between Kevin Kolb and John Skelton could go all the way to September -- just like it did with Kurt Warner and Matt Leinart before the 2008 season. They have five preseason games and a scrimmage with the Chiefs. Look for the two-minute drills against the Chiefs to be the first big test. Don't read too much into which one starts the third preseason game, because the team will treat the second preseason game as a tuneup game, too.
 
Kevin Kolb needs big Cardinals season to keep contract

By Brian McIntyre

Around the League writer

Around the League is taking a look at each team's salary-cap situation heading into training camp. We continue with the Arizona Cardinals.

Adjusted Cap Number: $123.797 million

Cap Room Remaining: $4.552 million

Best Bargain: Despite missing a game early in the season, inside linebacker Daryl Washington led the Arizona Cardinals with 106 tackles, finishing the season strong with 23 tackles over the final two games. Washington added five sacks, third-highest total on the team, and had a team-high 16 tackles for a loss. Still on his rookie contract, the 2010 second-round pick will earn $540,000 in base salary and a $25,000 workout bonus and counts $983,750 against the team's cap this season. Washington will earn the league minimum in 2013 with no possibility of base salary escalation, as is the case with most contracts for second-round picks in the previous collective bargaining agreement.

Like Washington, 2010 draft pick John Skelton will make $540,000 in base salary this season (no workout), making him the third-highest paid quarterback on the roster behind Kevin Kolb ($8.5 million total compensation) and Richard Bartel ($615,000 base salary). If Skelton earns the starting job this summer, his salary would make him a bargain regardless of how he performs.

Potential Camp Casualty: Following last year's lockout, the Cardinals signed inside linebacker Stewart Bradley to a five-year, $30 million contract. In a 4-3 system throughout his career, Bradley was unable to unseat Paris Lenon for a starting job and finished his first season in the desert with 21 tackles in very limited action on defense. Bradley took a 50 percent pay cut this offseason, reducing his base salary from $5 million to $2.5 million, which is partially guaranteed (for injury). If Bradley still struggles to pick up the 3-4, and some of the younger prospects close the gap, the Cardinals could part ways with him before the start of the season.

Contract Issue Looming In 2013: Restricted free agents LaRod Stephens-Howling, Rashad Johnson and Gregory Toler will be unrestricted in 2013, but are not the biggest contract issue on the Cardinals for 2013. That distinction belongs to Kolb, who is in year two of a five-year, $62.1 million extension. Kolb will earn $20.5 million over the first two seasons of that deal, but will need to solidify himself as the starter this season to keep that deal intact. Kolb's base salaries swell to $9 million in 2013 (and $10 million each year after that) and has a $2 million roster bonus next offseason that pushes his cap number to $13.5 million. That's not backup quarterback money.
 
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NFL analyst blasts Arizona Cardinals Kevin Kolb

By Adam Green/Arizona Sports

Published: August 06, 2012 @ 3:17pm

To say Kevin Kolb had a rough night Sunday would be an understatement.

Just two of the four passes thrown by Arizona's starting quarterback were caught, with one of them being hauled in by Saints cornerback Malcolm Jenkins. Not long after that Kolb exited the game following a hard tackle that left him with what has been diagnosed as a rib contusion.

The poor performance coupled with yet another injury has many questioning if the 27-year-old can ever be an effective NFL QB, though NFL Network's Michael Lombardi has felt that way for a while.

"When I watched Kevin Kolb play with the Philadelphia Eagles I would always say...I was more impressed with what [Eagles coach] Andy Reid did to make him look good than I was with Kevin Kolb actually looking good," Lombardi told ESPN Radio's Colin Cowherd Monday. "And I think that's the challenge as an evaluator you must go through: is this the player or is this the scheme enhancing the player?

"Clearly in Philadelphia it was that Andy was doing the right things for Kevin Kolb."

Lombardi says plays were designed to confuse the defense in a manner that would allow Kolb to focus on throwing the ball to one area and not have to worry about reading the defense.

That's not how the Cardinals do things, though, and the QB is struggling because of it.

"The first interception that he throws last night is, really, it's a high school coverage," Lombardi said.

Ouch.

That Kolb could not figure out what the Saints were doing is an indictment of where he is in his development, according to Lombardi.

"When you make that mistake, as a player who's been in the league as long as Kevin Kolb," he said, "when are you ever going to say to me you're getting better as a football player?

"I think that's where Kevin Kolb is. I think Kevin Kolb benefited from Andy Reid's teaching just like A.J. Feely did."

There were some who compared Kolb to Feely before the Cardinals made the trade, as they were both Eagles at one time who went somewhere else with expectations of being a legitimate NFL starter.

Feely flamed out when given the chance to start in Miami, and it seems Kolb may be on the same path in Arizona.

"Kevin Kolb's biggest problem is he sees color of the other jersey so quickly he wants to run to his right and escape," Lombardi said.

There may be a variety of different reasons for Kolb's struggles, be it injuries, inexperience or a poor offensive line, but at the end of the day he just hasn't given the impression he can be relied on. There is still time to change that perception, but the clock is ticking.
 
Lombardi spot on with his comments. Really couldn't have put it better.

Watched him here the past 2 camps (plus obviously the regular season when healthy) and it is very very very very difficult seeing him as a franchise QB. He's so limited physically and now he's a psychological mess in the pocket, reacting to pressure that isn't there.

I simply can't see the Cards cutting him [a la Leinart] after paying that bonus in March. I don't think Skelton's the long term starter either but will Kolb really mean more victories to AZ than Skelton? This QB situation is so eerily similar to Leinart/Anderson just a couple years ago. (Down to the talent and player comparisons).

It really doesn't matter if he has 10 NFL starts or 100. [An argument put up by some] I see a physically limited and psychologically broken quarterback. Seen it in camp. Seen it in the games.

 
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With the Cardinals for home stretch

By Mike Sando | ESPN.com

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. -- The signs reading "Flagstaff" weren't really necessary Sunday.

Temperatures in the 80s, brief sprinkles, scarce oxygen and a few lightning strikes in the distance left little doubt of my location following a two-hour drive from Phoenix up I-17.

The Arizona Cardinals have a walk-through session and a full practice scheduled for Monday at Northern Arizona University. They break training camp with a practice Tuesday morning.

Two weeks have passed since the Cardinals opened their exhibition season in Canton at the Hall of Fame Game. We're still seeking answers to a few questions as the Cardinals head into their final days of camp:

[*]Who will start at quarterback? John Skelton would appear to have the edge, but Kevin Kolb remains in the mix until coach Ken Whisenhunt says otherwise.

[*]Who will start at right cornerback? William Gay has the job for now.

[*]Can Stewart Bradley beat out Paris Lenon at inside linebacker? Lenon has been hurt. Bradley has shown improvement.

[*]What happens at left tackle? Start Levi Brown has a torn triceps. The Cardinals will audition multiple players for the role.

[*]What happens at right tackle? The situation at left tackle could influence the answer.

[*]Are running backs Beanie Wells and Ryan Williams healthy enough to suppress concerns in the backfield? Williams looked good against the Raiders in his first game back from knee surgery. Wells did not play, but he could make his preseason debut this week.

Those are among the questions on my mind heading into practices Monday. The walk-through is scheduled for noon ET, with the full practice at 6:15 p.m. ET (sorry for the listings in Eastern time, but we generally seek consistency across the site to avoid additional confusion).
 
John Skelton makes progress toward Cardinals return

By Dan Hanzus

Around the League Writer

Kevin Kolb was the man behind center when the Arizona Cardinals shocked the New England Patriots on Sunday in Foxborough, Mass.

Based on Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt's update on injured starter John Skelton, Kolb could have the opportunity to build on that surprising victory.

Whisenhunt told reporters Monday he isn't sure if Skelton will practice this week. The coach said Skelton is "walking around," but he'll need to show he can effectively move in the pocket before he is deemed ready to return to action.

Skelton sprained his ankle in the Cardinals' season opener against the Seattle Seahawks.

Kolb wasn't the reason the Cardinals shocked the Patriots (give most credit to the defense and special teams there), but he deserves recognition for playing a generally clean game. He lost one fumble, but didn't throw an interception.

This is likely still Skelton's job barring a lights-out performance by Kolb against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 3.

In other injury news, tight end Todd Heap said he is day-to-day after suffering a sprained posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) Sunday, according to Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic. Heap -- who underwent an MRI on Monday -- was injured on a late hit.
 
Arizona Cardinals 3-0 after routing Philadelphia Eagles

By Dan Hanzus

Around the League Writer

Are the Arizona Cardinals the most surprising team in football?

You certainly can make a strong case. Ken Whisenhunt's team dominated the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday in a 27-6 win, moving to 3-0 on the season. It's the Cardinals' first 3-0 start since 1974.

The game's most important play was representative of the entire afternoon. It came on the last play of the first half, with the Eagles down 17-0 and 1 measly yard from the Cardinals' end zone.

Cardinals safety Kerry Rhodes blitzed around the back end and crushed Eagles quarterback Michael Vick, forcing a fumble. The ball was scooped up by Arizona's James Sanders, who took it back 93 yards for the score. A 14-point swing. Drive safely, folks.

The Cardinals plain beat up the Eagles, specifically the quarterback. Late in the game, Fox put up a graphic indicating Vick had been hit 20 times. Twenty times! Naturally, Vick was tossed to the ground for unlucky No. 21 on the next play.

This is a very good Cardinals defense, delivering a big-time performance without the services of injured safety Adrian Wilson. When Kevin Kolb shows up to play -- as he did Sunday -- the Cardinals are tough to beat.
 
Worst fan base ever.

A 3-0 team, and only 40 replies in here.. 26 of them by a guy who started the thread because he felt bad there wasn't one already.

 
'Ladsud said:
Worst fan base ever. A 3-0 team, and only 40 replies in here.. 26 of them by a guy who started the thread because he felt bad there wasn't one already.
maybe they are on an cardinals centric board dip####.
But that would apply to other teams as well. Heck, I'm sure other teams probably have more team centric boards yet they still have fans on here.
 
'Ladsud said:
Worst fan base ever. A 3-0 team, and only 40 replies in here.. 26 of them by a guy who started the thread because he felt bad there wasn't one already.
maybe they are on an cardinals centric board dip####.
But that would apply to other teams as well. Heck, I'm sure other teams probably have more team centric boards yet they still have fans on here.
Good job catching that quote. :lol:
 
What's the status of Skelton? Am surprised Whis is hinting he might start when healthy. Was going to pick up Kolb as my number 2 (don't laugh - he's an upgrade over Sanchez...) but not if Kolb will only be starting a week or two. Thoughts?

 
What's the status of Skelton? Am surprised Whis is hinting he might start when healthy. Was going to pick up Kolb as my number 2 (don't laugh - he's an upgrade over Sanchez...) but not if Kolb will only be starting a week or two. Thoughts?
Kolb is the starter. Wiz likes to play games just as he's done all year. Skelton knows it; the team wants it; the OC and QB coach want it; Graves wants it.Wiz is an idiot.
 
Arizona Cardinals position grades for Week 5

October 8, 2012

By: Kevin Bonneville

More than three days have passed since the Cardinals first loss of the 2012 season at the hands of the St. Louis Rams. Last Thursday's game was yet another indication that the Rams are much improved and going in the right direction under Jeff Fisher.

Here is another rundown of position grades for the Cards in Week 5.

Quarterback

Whenever a quarterback throws the ball 50 times, that usually isn't a recipe to win a football game. That was the case with Kevin Kolb and the Cardinals. With no run game, the Red Birds had to throw the ball 50 of 67 snaps. No one will say Kolb played great on Thursday. He made some bad throws and poor decisions, but to put the full blame on him for the offense's struggles is not fair. His receivers dropped plenty of passes, the run game was non-existent and his offensive line was horrific. It would be hard for Aaron Rodgers to have success with all of those things being the case.

Grade: B-

Running Backs

It is time to finally be concerned about the Cardinals run game. Heading into Thursday's matchup, most would agree that Arizona was going to be able to run the ball against St. Louis. The Rams defense was slightly improved against the run, but they were still giving up yards in big chunks. Aside from a Ryan Williams run about half way through the fourth quarter, which actually resulted in the running back being taken out of the game, Arizona's run attack was no where to be found. It is becoming more clear by the day that the offense is missing both Beanie Wells and LaRod Stephens-Howling.

Grade: D

Receivers/Tight Ends

Pretty disappointing effort by this group. There were some bad throws by Kolb, but there were plenty of drops by the Cardinals receivers and tight ends. Michael Floyd dropped an easy pass that would have given the Cardinals a first down to continue a drive. Andre Roberts had a drop and even the great Larry Fitzgerald didn't catch a pass he usually grabs when he heard the footsteps of a Rams defender.

Grade: C-

Offensive Line

It is hard to run the ball or even throw it, when this o-line is playing is playing poorly as it is at the moment. There were few holes for the Cardinals running backs and the pass protection wasn't much better. Kolb got sacked nine times, hit 13, hurried 21 separate times and knocked to the ground on another 13 snaps. There were very few snaps when Kolb wasn't at least touched by a Rams defender. The weakness of the line continues to be at the two tackles spots as D'Anthony Batiste and Bobby Massie struggled mightily against Chris Long and Robert Quinn. Quinn had three sacks by himself. Just another bad day overall by the Cards o-line.

Grade: F

Defensive Line

Darnell Dockett returned, but only played 19 snaps as the hamstring injuries continues to give him troubles. With Dockett still not at 100 percent, the Cardinals defensive line for the second straight week had problems getting a consistent rush on an opposing team's quarterback. This effort was extremely disappointing considering Arizona was facing a Rams offensive line without two starters and an line that has struggled to protect Sam Bradford. The Rams o-line did a great job though on Calais Campbell as the Cardinals defensive lineman didn't have a tackle and had only one pass deflection.

Grade: C-

Linebackers

The Cardinals lone sack in the game came from Daryl Washington. The star linebacker was pretty quiet besides that as he had only five tackles on the night. Up until Thursday's game, Washington has been a tackling machine. O'Brien Schofield led the defense in tackles with six, but he failed to get to Bradford. The same could be said about Sam Acho, who didn't get a sack for the first time in three games. Paris Lenon had another nice day in coverage.

Grade: B-

Secondary

Arizona's secondary put together a much better game compared to what they did against Miami in Week 4. Bradford had only seven completions in 21 attempts, but three of them were costly to the Cardinals on the scoreboard. There was the long bomb to Danny Amendola in the first series of the game. Patrick Peterson didn't know where the ball was, but it didn't matter as Amendola made a great one-handed grab. Then there was the seven-yard touchdown throw to Lance Kendricks and the 51-yard score to David Givens. The Givens touchdown was a clear breakdown in coverage by Greg Toler. After the score, Toler grabbed his hamstring in a clear sign that he was trying to find an excuse for his mistake that essentially put the game away for St. Louis.

Grade: C+

Special Teams

For the first time in 19 attempts, Jay Feely finally missed a field goal. It was only a matter of time before he finally missed one, but this one hurt the Cardinals at an important stretch of the game. Dave Zastudil did what he has done all season long, putting the Rams in tough field position. The Cardinals punter put three punts inside the Rams 20. Peterson had a nice day in the return game, but one of his big runs was brought back because of a block in the back penalty.
 

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