2024 Arizona Cardinals Thread (3 Viewers)

It can't be a good feeling for a NFL coach to approach a podium following a 58-0 loss.

This was the fate that faced Ken Whisenhunt, who had the unenviable task of explaining how his Arizona Cardinals were beaten by the Seattle Seahawks in such devastating fashion Sunday.

"Let me start by saying I apologize to our fans and everybody associated with our organization," Whisenhunt told reporters, via the Cardinals' official website. "That was embarrassing today."

Whisenhunt didn't suffer this indignity alone. Everett Herald reporter John Boyle got a hold of a quote sheet distributed by the Cardinals, taking special note of the first line attributed to quarterback John Skelton.

"### kicking."

In retrospect, it's almost remarkable the Cardinals won their first four games of the season. They've lost the nine that followed, a streak of futility that might very well cost Whisenhunt his job. Whisenhunt said the Cardinals haven't had any talks with him at this time.

"We all know what this business is, and I'm not worried about job security," Whisenhunt said. "I know how we prepare and work, and that is all I can worry about."

In a nice bit of gallows humor, a reporter asked Whisenhunt who will start at quarterback next week against the Detroit Lions.

Replied the coach: "Do you play?"

Yep, that about sums it up.

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Cardinals elevated VP of of player personnel Steve Keim to general manager, replacing Rod Graves.Keim was chosen over Redskins exec Morrocco Brown. It's the first domino to fall in the GM landscape, leaving Falcons exec David Caldwell as the favorite in Jacksonville. Keim, in his 14th season with the Cardinals, had also interviewed with the Chargers. After beginning as a regional scout, Keim has coordinated the college and pro scouting departments and assisted Graves in contract negotiations. In addition to finding a new head coach, Keim's most pressing task will be fixing Graves' mess at quarterback and the offensive line. Fortunately Keim is viewed as a stronger talent evaluator than his predecessor

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'D said:

Cardinals elevated VP of of player personnel Steve Keim to general manager, replacing Rod Graves.Keim was chosen over Redskins exec Morrocco Brown. It's the first domino to fall in the GM landscape, leaving Falcons exec David Caldwell as the favorite in Jacksonville. Keim, in his 14th season with the Cardinals, had also interviewed with the Chargers. After beginning as a regional scout, Keim has coordinated the college and pro scouting departments and assisted Graves in contract negotiations. In addition to finding a new head coach, Keim's most pressing task will be fixing Graves' mess at quarterback and the offensive line. Fortunately Keim is viewed as a stronger talent evaluator than his predecessor

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Will be interesting if they retain Horton to be HC. Every other HC candidate to date has been an offensive mind.

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The Arizona Cardinals have some interest in Carson Palmer, but they're not about to repeat the ill-fated decisions that led to landing Kevin Kolb two offseasons ago.

Kent Somers of The Arizona Republic reported Saturday that the Cardinals will deal for Palmer "only if it doesn't cost them much," according to sources. The Cardinals are looking to swap late-round draft picks with the Oakland Raiders, "possibly conditional on how, or if, Palmer plays," Somers noted.

That lines up with what NFL.com's Ian Rapoport reported Friday, saying the Cardinals are "doing their homework" on Palmer. Cardinals coach Bruce Arians likes Palmer's ability to get the ball downfield, but only if he's willing to play for drastically less than his unwieldy $13 million salary for 2013.

Rapoport noted Friday that Palmer also has generated interest from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while USA Today reported the 33-year-old passer might be willing to bypass a starting role to play behind Colin Kaepernick with the San Francisco 49ers.

We're a few steps away from any of this becoming reality. The Raiders currently are trying to seal up a trade with the Seattle Seahawks for Matt Flynn, but that crossed into Saturday in a holding pattern.

Somers believes that losing Palmer to another suitor "probably wouldn't break the Cardinals' hearts," because he's not the long-term answer in Arizona -- or any city.

The Cardinals parted with cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, a second-round draft pick and ultimately $20.5 million to secure Kolb in 2011. Any trade for Palmer will come with a lower cost -- and a lot less fanfare.

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Donnybrook said:

Daryl Washington suspended for four games: http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9130869/daryl-washington-arizona-cardinals-suspended-four-games

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Donnybrook said:

Daryl Washington suspended for four games: http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9130869/daryl-washington-arizona-cardinals-suspended-four-games

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Donnybrook said:

Daryl Washington suspended for four games: http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9130869/daryl-washington-arizona-cardinals-suspended-four-games

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"I think that is a great pick. I really do. You plug him in inside, your offensive line is better, your run game is better. I think this team just got better with the drafting of Jonathan Cooper." -- Mike Mayock

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Faust said:

"I think that is a great pick. I really do. You plug him in inside, your offensive line is better, your run game is better. I think this team just got better with the drafting of Jonathan Cooper." -- Mike Mayock

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Pick Analysis: "Darryl Washington's got a four-game suspension. It's a natural need for Arizona. Kevin Minter, for me, is a solid player with a passion for the game, and you can't change his height. He's a short inside linebacker. He's going to get beat up down the seam a little bit by tight ends in the pass game, but if you want to talk about a two-down thumper that understands the run game and is a secure tackler, that's who he is." -- Mike Mayock

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Pick Analysis: "There's a risk-reward scenario here. What a great opprotunity for this young man. He's going to have a chance to go and use Patrick Peterson as a mentor. There's not a whole lot of cornerbacks there, and I smell opportunity for Tyrann Mathieu." -- Mike Mayock

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Bruce Arians Believes This Year’s Draft Class is “Extremely Solid”April 25, 2013 – 7:20 am by Eric Schmoldt

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What could be a wild NFL Draft begins with the first round tonight. It seems to be a very unpredictable draft, and the class has faced some criticism for not being all that powerful. First-year Arizona coach Bruce Arians admits it doesn’t have the wow factor when it comes to quarterbacks and running backs, but says there’s wow in the linemen and safeties.

Bruce Arians joined 790 The Zone in Atlanta with Mayhem in the AM to discuss being a first-year head coach, turning around the Arizona Cardinals, his assessment of this year’s draft, the need for Larry Fitzgerald to rebound, just how good Andrew Luck can be and the Cardinals having the seventh overall pick.

After waiting so long for a head-coaching job, how sweet is it?:

“It’s hard to put in words. I never thought this was going to happen. But the experience of last year led to this. And I’m really excited about it. It’s a dream come true. I’m really excited about our staff and our football team.”

How do you turn a team around?:

“Well, this franchise was just in the Super Bowl four years ago. It’s not that far removed from winning a division. We’ve beaten those two teams — Seattle kind of turned it around. One player turned that thing around in one year. I don’t think it’s as hard as it once was. Looking at what we did in Indianapolis last year, as an organization, 37 new faces and a bunch of young kids and got to the playoffs. All you’ve got to do is get in the playoffs and anything can happen.”

What’s your assessment of this draft overall, big picture?:

“I think it’s extremely solid. I think you’re looking in the fourth, fifth, sixth round and still getting guys that are quality players, potential starters for you, in this draft — especially at corner, safety and both lines of scrimmage. … The quarterbacks aren’t the wow factor in this draft, and maybe the running backs, but, boy, the big guys and the pass-rushers and the safeties, it is a wow draft.”

Sooner or later defenses adjust to new wrinkles like the zone read, do they not?:

“There’s no doubt. Every coordinators out there studying it, inside and out, whether they’re going back to college friends or brought people in to see what you do to stop it. The old saying is, ‘There ain’t no horse that can’t be rode, no rider that can’t be throwed.’ It’s the same with this stuff.”

On Larry Fitzgerald:

“It was a down year, and it’s nice to see him on a mission right now to get back to where he was, and rightfully so. He’s a premier player and we need to have him back up over 100 catches and 10-15 touchdowns.”

How good do you think Andrew Luck can be?:

“I think he can be the best there’s ever been if the team around him can support him. … I’ve had Peyton Manning his rookie year, Ben his rookie year, Tim Couch his third year, and he’s a combination of all those guys. The sky’s the limit for him athletically and mentally. He’s a gifted passer, and it’s just a matter of how many pieces can they keep around him to keep winning?”

Have you heard from teams who want your first-round pick?:

“No one’s called me. … We’re willing to move up, move down or pick in that slot. There’s seven good players there and we know we’re getting one.”

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Donnybrook said:

Daryl Washington suspended for four games: http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/9130869/daryl-washington-arizona-cardinals-suspended-four-games

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Nucker101 said:

Faust said:

"I think that is a great pick. I really do. You plug him in inside, your offensive line is better, your run game is better. I think this team just got better with the drafting of Jonathan Cooper." -- Mike Mayock

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Best guard in the draft, hands down. Could be a future pro-bowler, nice to see the Cards finally adding a solid linemen.

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By Chris Wesseling

Around the League Writer

The 2013 NFL Draft transformed 32 NFL rosters. Around The League will examine the aftershocks in our Draft Fallout series. Next up: The Arizona Cardinals.

The Big Question: Is the offensive line suddenly adequate?The Cardinals allowed 113 sacks the past two seasons, more than any NFL team over that span. Those numbers will go down this season just by the sheer absence of Kevin Kolb, third among active quarterbacks in career sack percentage.

New quarterback Carson Palmer also can count on marked improvement in pass protection. Levi Brown returns to guard Palmer's blindside after missing the entire 2012 season with a torn triceps. Although 2012 fourth-rounder Bobby Massie struggled out of the gates as a rookie starter, he was one of the better pass-blocking right tackles in the league over the final two months last season.

Veteran left guard Daryn Colledge was the lone bright spot on the Cardinals' offensive line last year. Now he's joined by No. 7 overall pick Jonathan Cooper, deemed the most athletic guard NFL Films senior producer Greg Cosell has seen since he began studying college tape more than a decade ago. Intriguing fourth-rounder Earl Watford could be a candidate to kick inside to center and put the heat on veteran Lyle Sendlein.

The Cardinals might only graduate to mediocrity up front, but it's still enough to make them one of the most improved units in the league this season.

Three takeaways
1. With injury-prone veterans Rashard Mendenhall and Ryan Williams atop the tailback depth chart, fifth- and sixth-rounders Stepfan Taylor and Andre Ellington could force their way into significant roles as rookies. The Cardinals will have to run the ball effectively to take advantage of Bruce Arians' play-action heavy vertical passing attack.

2. The Cardinals might have gotten a steal in sixth-rounder Ryan Swope, who has drawn comparisons to Eric Decker and Brandon Stokley as a versatile, highly productive wide receiver with the speed to blaze a 4.34 second 40-yard dash and 1.47 10-yard split at the NFL Scouting Combine. NFL Network's Mike Mayock had a third-round grade on Swope, but the Texas A&M star dropped due to multiple college concussions.

3. Inside linebacker Kevin Minter, safety/cornerback Tyrann Mathieu and outside linebacker Alex Okafor will push for snaps right off the bat. Minter is the favorite to start next to Karlos Dansby with Daryl Washington facing at least a four-game suspension. Mathieu's play-making ability should transfer well to free safety. Okafor provides a much-needed edge rush behind the questionable duo of Sam Acho and O'Brien Schofield.

Follow Chris Wesseling on Twitter @ChrisWesseling.

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When you're a 29-year-old rookie -- the oldest in the NFL -- trying to make a team's roster, you have to sell your assets any way that you can.

That's why Arizona undrafted wideout Robert Gill from Texas State -- San Marcos is pulling stunts like this one. The former track star-turned-NFL player ran at 25 mph on a treadmill -- from a standing start.

He's also been clocked at 4.19 seconds in the 40-yard dash.

For a little perspective, let's turn to PlanetScience.com, which calculated Usain Bolt's average speed over his world-record setting 9.58-second, 100-meter sprint in 2009.

Bolt's average speed was 23.35 mph, but his maximum speed was clocked at 27.44 mph.

By any measure, Gill can fly. Given Arizona's anemic offense last season, coach Bruce Arians would likely do well to keep the rook around.

(H/T NextImpulseSports.com)

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Ryan Swope, Cards rookie, retires due to concussionsTexas A&M wide receiver Ryan Swope fell to the sixth round of the 2013 NFL Draft because of concerns about his concussion history in college. Those concussions have sadly ended Swope's career before it started.

The Arizona Cardinals announced Thursday that Swope was placed on the reserve/retired list. CoachBruce Arians admitted in June that the team didn't expect Swope concussion issues to linger into the offseason. NFL Network's Mike Mayock said during the draft that Swope suffered four concussions in college, and he suffered a setback after joining the Cardinals.

The evolution of the NFL:Take a look at how the NFL has evolved from its humble roots, and the efforts being made to ensure it continues to grow.


"We knew Ryan has a concussion history in college and understood that it could possibly be an issue," saidCardinals general manager Steve Keim in a statement. "But weighing all the elements - the medical information available, the particular position in the draft - it was a decision we were comfortable making. As it turned out, he had a setback after he got here. Over the course of the subsequent evaluations, we all decided that Ryanâs long-term well-being was the number-one priority and this was the best course to take."

As we learned when Jahvid Best retired recently, it's a new era in the NFL. Teams and doctors are being more cautious than ever with concussions, and that is a great thing. Even if it's a devastating development for Swope.

It was a busy day for the Cardinals, who signed tackle Eric Winston and defensive end John Abraham. They also announced the surprising release of O'Brien Schofield, a starter at outside linebacker last season.

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D said:

Meant to add to my prior notes:

It's not too far fetched that if Ryan Williams doesn't suit up soon he's not going to make the team. If he doesn't (and still makes the team), it's probably because one of Mendenhall/Alphonso Smith/Stephan Taylor went down to injury. As a Virginia Tech alum, I think Arians really wanted to see that Ryan Williams. Sadly I think that guy is long gone.

Peterson looked like a natural tracking 2 long TD passes today. You'd have thought Palmer overthrew him on both occasions but Peterson would turn on the jets and get to them.

A fantsay note on Housler: I don't forsee him making a being a 'big breakout' candidate in 2013. I think he's going to be on the sideline (or called in to block) more than people will like. Could he improve on 2012 #s? Sure. Even if Miller/Pitta/Hernandez down, I'd be very surprised if he were a TE1.

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Arizona Cardinals: The Cardinals are upgraded by signing free agent Eric Winston. Winston immediately claimed the right tackle position, previously manned by Bobby Massie. Winston is a huge improvement over Massie, at least in the near term. Meanwhile Nate Potter appears to be seriously pushing Levi Brown at left tackle, and this competition bears further observation. On the interior, Jonathan Cooper has the left guard job and Paul Fanaika has been capably stepping in for the injured Daryn Colledge. Rookie Earl Watford also provides interesting depth at several positions. Overall this line has more quality players than last season and should be average, after being awful.

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Borden said:

D said:

Meant to add to my prior notes:

It's not too far fetched that if Ryan Williams doesn't suit up soon he's not going to make the team. If he doesn't (and still makes the team), it's probably because one of Mendenhall/Alphonso Smith/Stephan Taylor went down to injury. As a Virginia Tech alum, I think Arians really wanted to see that Ryan Williams. Sadly I think that guy is long gone.

Peterson looked like a natural tracking 2 long TD passes today. You'd have thought Palmer overthrew him on both occasions but Peterson would turn on the jets and get to them.

A fantsay note on Housler: I don't forsee him making a being a 'big breakout' candidate in 2013. I think he's going to be on the sideline (or called in to block) more than people will like. Could he improve on 2012 #s? Sure. Even if Miller/Pitta/Hernandez down, I'd be very surprised if he were a TE1.

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How'd that O line look?

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(Rotoworld) Coach Bruce Arians said Rashard Mendenhall felt "looseness" in his right knee Saturday night. Analysis: Mendenhall was forced out of the game and is awaiting the results of an MRI. Note that the right knee is the same one that he blew out while playing for the Steelers in January of 2012.

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For John Coulter, last Saturday's Cowboys-Cardinals preseason game started off innocently enough. He and his 15-year-old son were in the stands at University of Phoenix Stadium, and the plan was simple: Have fun and enjoy the afternoon. That included taking some photos to commemorate the occasion.

But things took a turn for the worse when Coulter asked his son to hold his beer while he snapped some pictures. A few seconds later, undercover officers with the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control showed up and informed Coulter that serving alcohol to a minor is not only illegal but he could be arrested for it. Coulter and his son were then escorted from the stadium and served a citation for trespassing.

"I thought it was a candid camera joke, I really did,” Coulter told USATODAY.com. “We just watched the opening kickoff and I wanted to take a quick picture. I literally handed my son my cup and said hold my cup, I reached into my pocket, grabbed my cell phone, put it on camera mode and took a picture.”

Coulter says he tried to explain the situation to the officers but to no avail.

"I normally would support the police if I heard a story like this," he said. "However, in this case, I was standing right there and witnessed abuse and overzealous pursuing of this situation. It was totally uncalled for."

But according to a report released by the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control (via the New York Daily News), Coulter was verbally abusive when acknowledging the responding officers, saying, "Who the f--- are you?" and "You just made a big f------ mistake, buddy, you don't know who I am!"

"I see you have your little f------ badge," Coulter said, according to the report, before adding, "And I see that you're wearing your cute little Marine Corps shirt, too."

Sgt. Wesley Kuhl of the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control told USAToday.com why Coulter was approached.

"Providing alcohol to an underage person or an underage person in possession of alcohol is a Class 1 misdemeanor," he said. "The consequences could be up to, and this is a maximum, of two years in jail, $2,500 fine and three years probation."

Officers stated in the report that while they didn't witness Coulter's son drink alcohol, Coulter's confrontational behavior prevented them from asking him any questions. Ultimately, it led the officers to remove the father and the son from the stadium because there were concerns that Coulter could become "physically aggressive."

"This is bulls---," Coulter yelled as he was led out of the stadium, according to the report.

"I did not know if Mr. Coulter was intoxicated or just very aggressive and agitated during our conflict," Investigator K. Turner wrote in the report, "but his actions [were] disorderly."

The lesson: Don't be a jerk, especially to guys carrying firearms. Also, adult beverages are for adults, even if the intentions are noble. And if you need both hands, cup holders -- there's one on every seat -- are there for your convenience.

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Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson's offensive participation has been a fascinating side story in the offseason.

He's been touted as a top-five NFL wide receiver by his coach, Bruce Arians, and compared to Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders by general manager Steve Keim.

Even Peterson is surprised by his expanded role in the Cardinals' offense. He started with a 15-play package, which, according to the cornerback, has exploded.

"(Arians) told me he was going to give me a share of plays on the offensive side," Peterson said Thursday, per ArizonaSports.com. "I didn't know it was going to be this many. I think now we're up to 60 plays."

Peterson mostly has been a decoy in the first two preseason games, but it sounds like Arians just doesn't want to put his secret weapon on tape.

Sixty plays sounds like a hefty load for a defensive player, but Peterson said it's actually helped him at his full-time position.

"It's definitely an advantage, learning the route combinations, the stems, the alignment, where guys want to line up to plant to run certain routes," he said. "It's definitely huge for me to be learning that as well as going out there trying to defend it."

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