Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
56 Okeafor, Chike, DE. STR at LDE. Coming off a solid season and very good second half. Good edge player with high motor. Hasn't shown signs of age to this point. One of the key playmakers on this defense.
97 Pace, Calvin, DE. His performance as an OLB was not noteworthy. Was switched back to DE where he belongs. Has pass rushing ability and is a competitive run defender on the line of scrimmage. Needs to have a breakout season.
89 Patrick, Ben, TE. Seventh round bargain. Good athlete who should make an immediate contribution in the short to intermediate passing game. Is a willing blocker who needs to get stronger and more tenacious.
10 Player, Scott, P. Has improve his positional punting, but doesn't boom the ball very well out of tight situations. At this point he's evolved into an average NFL punter when it appeared for a time that he could be one of the league's best on a year to year basis.
82 Pope, Leonard, TE. STR at TE. Must be delighted to have an NFL TE as his HC. Should be much more of a factor in the team's offense this year, using his superior height and ball catching skills to his advantage. Needs to keep improving as a blocker.
16 Prall, Evan, WR. Most likely a PSC. His eye popping stats at East Stroudsburg St. make him a very intriguing prospect. Could find a niche as a slot WR, but in the meantime will need to prove his overall worth on special teams.
1 Rackers, Neil, K. Coming off a tough season where he missed several key field goals. Never quite seemed in rhythm last year, following A Pro Bowl year in 2005. Has great ability. Needs to get his spunk back.
21 Rolle, Antrel, CB. CBAS at LCB. Has done little to warrant keeping his starting job. Struggled mightily in coverage last year. Was a liability. Remains a first-rate run forcer and tackler when the ball is in front of him. Some blame Rolle's poor play on coaching. This year there won't be that excuse. There has been some talk about switching him to safety. Rolle is a very good SS waiting to happen. His talents match up well there.
44 Schable, A.J., FB. 53MRC. PSC. Needs to settle down at a position and FB wouldn't appear to be the best fit for him. While he lacks ideal height and speed to be a starting DE, his high motor and competitiveness enable him to make plays there in spot duty. Has excellent special teams ability. Is a first-rate tackler..tough and fundamental.
2 Schmitt, Ricky, P/K. Small school standout who doubles as punter and kicker. May have a tough time challenging the Cards' established veterans.
63 Sendlein, Kyle, G/C. 53MRC. PSC. Tough, aggressive Longhorn who makes the most of somewhat limited physical skills. A real battler who may instantly get in Russ Grimm's good graces because of his grit.
31 Shipp, Marcel, RB. Unselfish leader who works hard to do whatever the team asks of him. Might be one of this year's major surprises now that Whiz wants to divvy up the carries among his three backs. Will once again be a special teams contributor.
49 Shor, Alex, TE. Tall, angular TE and special teams player who is making a contribution for the Berlin Thunder, albeit as a backup TE. Seems like a long shot to make the Cardinals' roster.
94 Smith, Antonio, DE. CBAS at 3-4 DE. Big, strong and athletic player who seems to be coming into his own. Needs to read plays quicker and arrive at the ball sooner. Has pass rushing ability when he gets a good forward lean off the snap. Gets stood up too often when he doesn't get off the ball.
45 Smith, Terrelle, FB. CBAS at FB if he comes to camp on a mission and in good shape. His play in recent years has been somewhat inconsistent. This year he needs to embrace the new coaching staff's emphasis on the power running game. Could be one of the prize additions this year. But, if any or two of the three UCFA FBs show somewhat equal willingness and ability, Smith may not make it.
34 Snow, BranDon, FB. 53MRC. PSC. Has a legitimate shot of making this football team, either this year or next. Tough blocking FB who competes at a high level. Not the red zone rushing threat that Castille is. But may be a stronger all-around blocker.
15 Spurlock, Michael, WR. 53MRC. Slot WR and return man who possesses excellent quickness and hands. Could be the Cards' version of Randle-El in Whiz's offense and on special teams. Nifty feet, both in traffic and in the open field. Has good concentration on the ball.
71 Tafoya, Joe, DE. 53MRC. Could earn role as pass rushing specialist. Has a good motor and a fair degree of edge quickness. Needs to play stronger at the point of attack.
51 Tagafau, Pago, LB. PSC. Could be the next Niko Noga. Lacks ideal height, but as we know smallish MLBers are somehwta in vogue now, especially powerful bowling balls like Tagafau.
17 Trannon, Matt, WR. PSC. Tall possession-type receiver who may be transformed into a TE if he adds more muscle. Showed some nice flashes of ability with the Spartans.
68 Vallejo, Elliot, T. PSC. 53MRC. Tall, athletic, and agile T who has similar attributes to Joe Staley, the Niners' second first round pick. With coaching, could be an UCFA gem. Kudos to the Cards' scouts for signing him.
36 Vercher, Rashon, FB. 53MRC. PSC. Was the lead blocker for 4 1,000 backs in 4 seasons at Fresno St. That says a lot about this young man's ability to clear a path. Has a legitmate shot to earn a roster spot if he emerges from the pack of talented FBs.
22 Ware, Matt, CB. 53MRC. Tall corner who showed some ability as a spot player and special teamer. Tends to give up too much cushion and got picked on a good deal when he was starting versus the Rams. Is a good athlete who needs to refine his skills and come to camp with a chip on his shoulder. Don't count this kid out because of his comeptitiveness, although the odds do not appear to be in his favor.
13 Warner, Kurt, QB. Has embraced the #2 QB role. Great character and leader on and off the field. Lost some moxie the past two years in the red zone. Will be counted on to change that if and when called upon this year. Stronger coaching should help Warner's productivity.
14 Watkins, Todd, WR. 53MRC. PSC. Burner who was relegated to the practice squad last year. Could be the deep threat this offense needs. This will be avery interesting camp for him. If he's stronger physcially and brings improved desire and concentration, he has a shot.
98 Watson, Gabe, DT. Rotation DT deluxe. Wide body who clogs up the middle with relative ease. Has good punch, and when he keeps his feet chugging he tends to impact the plays. The question is how much he wants to be a starter and how dedicated he's been to achieving such a goal.
74 Wells, Reggie, G. CBAS at G. Wells is no longer a tackle because Whiz wants mauler-types at T. If Wells previous stints at guard are an indication, once Whiz sees that Wells can't get much push at guard, one has to wonder what will happen to him. He makes too much money to be a backup. Wells would be ideal tackle with the Broncos, who want nimble, quick-footed athletes there. Could Whiz use Wells as a pass blocker at T in sure passing situations? Wells is a better pass blocker than Ross, Gandy or Gorin.
24 Wilson Adrian, S. APC. STR at SS. Straight-line downhill tackler who packs a thunderous pop. Struggles in deep coverage, but now that Holt's been added to team with Francisco as deep safeties in passing situations, Wilson can do what he does best: make viscious hits in the underneath zones or rush the passer with all-out speed.
29 Wyatt, Justin, CB. PSC. Has had one very good game in Europe where he intercepted one pass (return of 25 yards) and made 4 tackles. Is not a starter in Hamburg, though. However, Wyatt may always be a nickle-type back as a pro because he lacks the size and speed teams want in starting corners. What Wyatt does bring is quickness and intelligence, which is what teams need from their nickle defenders.
First 53 Man Roster and Practice Squad Prediction:
QB (3): 7-Leinart; 13-Warner; 9-Boyd
TE (3): 82-Pope; 85-Bronson; 89-Patrick
FB (2): 45-Smith; 46-Castille
RB (3): 32-James; 31-Shipp; 28-Arrington
OT (4): 79-Ross; 75-Brown; 73-Mitchell; 69-Gandy
OG (3): 67-Brown; 76-Lutui; 61-Brown;
OC (2): 50-Johnson; 60-Leckey
WR (6): 81-Boldin; 11-Fitzgerald; 80-Johnson; 15-Spurlock; 18-Breaston; 87-Morey.
DE (5): 56-Okeafor; 92-Berry; 91-Bailey; 97-Pace; 94-Smith;
DT (5): 98-Watson; 78-Branch; 70-Clancy; 90-Dockett; 93-Cooper
LB (5): 58-Dansby; 54 Hayes, 52-Beisel; 53-Davis; 57-Holloway
CB (5): 21-Rolle; 25-Green; 26-Hood; 23-Hunter; 41-Bain
SS (2): 24-Wilson; 37-Milligan
FS (2): 47-Francisco; 42-Holt
ST (3): 1-Rackers; 10-Player; 48-Hodel
***One predicted trade: G Reggie Wells and LB Darryl Blackstock to the Buffalo Bills for a 5th round pick in the 2008 Draft.
If Wells sticks, Elton Brown may be odd man out. If Blackstock sticks, Holloway may be odd man out, but would be added to the practice squad.
PS (8): 12-Korrodi-QB; 68-Vallejo-T; 65-Johnson-G; 63-Sendlein-C; 36-Versher-FB; 16-Prall-WR; 63-Lewis-DT; 59-Johnson-LB.
97 Pace, Calvin, DE. His performance as an OLB was not noteworthy. Was switched back to DE where he belongs. Has pass rushing ability and is a competitive run defender on the line of scrimmage. Needs to have a breakout season.
89 Patrick, Ben, TE. Seventh round bargain. Good athlete who should make an immediate contribution in the short to intermediate passing game. Is a willing blocker who needs to get stronger and more tenacious.
10 Player, Scott, P. Has improve his positional punting, but doesn't boom the ball very well out of tight situations. At this point he's evolved into an average NFL punter when it appeared for a time that he could be one of the league's best on a year to year basis.
82 Pope, Leonard, TE. STR at TE. Must be delighted to have an NFL TE as his HC. Should be much more of a factor in the team's offense this year, using his superior height and ball catching skills to his advantage. Needs to keep improving as a blocker.
16 Prall, Evan, WR. Most likely a PSC. His eye popping stats at East Stroudsburg St. make him a very intriguing prospect. Could find a niche as a slot WR, but in the meantime will need to prove his overall worth on special teams.
1 Rackers, Neil, K. Coming off a tough season where he missed several key field goals. Never quite seemed in rhythm last year, following A Pro Bowl year in 2005. Has great ability. Needs to get his spunk back.
21 Rolle, Antrel, CB. CBAS at LCB. Has done little to warrant keeping his starting job. Struggled mightily in coverage last year. Was a liability. Remains a first-rate run forcer and tackler when the ball is in front of him. Some blame Rolle's poor play on coaching. This year there won't be that excuse. There has been some talk about switching him to safety. Rolle is a very good SS waiting to happen. His talents match up well there.
44 Schable, A.J., FB. 53MRC. PSC. Needs to settle down at a position and FB wouldn't appear to be the best fit for him. While he lacks ideal height and speed to be a starting DE, his high motor and competitiveness enable him to make plays there in spot duty. Has excellent special teams ability. Is a first-rate tackler..tough and fundamental.
2 Schmitt, Ricky, P/K. Small school standout who doubles as punter and kicker. May have a tough time challenging the Cards' established veterans.
63 Sendlein, Kyle, G/C. 53MRC. PSC. Tough, aggressive Longhorn who makes the most of somewhat limited physical skills. A real battler who may instantly get in Russ Grimm's good graces because of his grit.
31 Shipp, Marcel, RB. Unselfish leader who works hard to do whatever the team asks of him. Might be one of this year's major surprises now that Whiz wants to divvy up the carries among his three backs. Will once again be a special teams contributor.
49 Shor, Alex, TE. Tall, angular TE and special teams player who is making a contribution for the Berlin Thunder, albeit as a backup TE. Seems like a long shot to make the Cardinals' roster.
94 Smith, Antonio, DE. CBAS at 3-4 DE. Big, strong and athletic player who seems to be coming into his own. Needs to read plays quicker and arrive at the ball sooner. Has pass rushing ability when he gets a good forward lean off the snap. Gets stood up too often when he doesn't get off the ball.
45 Smith, Terrelle, FB. CBAS at FB if he comes to camp on a mission and in good shape. His play in recent years has been somewhat inconsistent. This year he needs to embrace the new coaching staff's emphasis on the power running game. Could be one of the prize additions this year. But, if any or two of the three UCFA FBs show somewhat equal willingness and ability, Smith may not make it.
34 Snow, BranDon, FB. 53MRC. PSC. Has a legitimate shot of making this football team, either this year or next. Tough blocking FB who competes at a high level. Not the red zone rushing threat that Castille is. But may be a stronger all-around blocker.
15 Spurlock, Michael, WR. 53MRC. Slot WR and return man who possesses excellent quickness and hands. Could be the Cards' version of Randle-El in Whiz's offense and on special teams. Nifty feet, both in traffic and in the open field. Has good concentration on the ball.
71 Tafoya, Joe, DE. 53MRC. Could earn role as pass rushing specialist. Has a good motor and a fair degree of edge quickness. Needs to play stronger at the point of attack.
51 Tagafau, Pago, LB. PSC. Could be the next Niko Noga. Lacks ideal height, but as we know smallish MLBers are somehwta in vogue now, especially powerful bowling balls like Tagafau.
17 Trannon, Matt, WR. PSC. Tall possession-type receiver who may be transformed into a TE if he adds more muscle. Showed some nice flashes of ability with the Spartans.
68 Vallejo, Elliot, T. PSC. 53MRC. Tall, athletic, and agile T who has similar attributes to Joe Staley, the Niners' second first round pick. With coaching, could be an UCFA gem. Kudos to the Cards' scouts for signing him.
36 Vercher, Rashon, FB. 53MRC. PSC. Was the lead blocker for 4 1,000 backs in 4 seasons at Fresno St. That says a lot about this young man's ability to clear a path. Has a legitmate shot to earn a roster spot if he emerges from the pack of talented FBs.
22 Ware, Matt, CB. 53MRC. Tall corner who showed some ability as a spot player and special teamer. Tends to give up too much cushion and got picked on a good deal when he was starting versus the Rams. Is a good athlete who needs to refine his skills and come to camp with a chip on his shoulder. Don't count this kid out because of his comeptitiveness, although the odds do not appear to be in his favor.
13 Warner, Kurt, QB. Has embraced the #2 QB role. Great character and leader on and off the field. Lost some moxie the past two years in the red zone. Will be counted on to change that if and when called upon this year. Stronger coaching should help Warner's productivity.
14 Watkins, Todd, WR. 53MRC. PSC. Burner who was relegated to the practice squad last year. Could be the deep threat this offense needs. This will be avery interesting camp for him. If he's stronger physcially and brings improved desire and concentration, he has a shot.
98 Watson, Gabe, DT. Rotation DT deluxe. Wide body who clogs up the middle with relative ease. Has good punch, and when he keeps his feet chugging he tends to impact the plays. The question is how much he wants to be a starter and how dedicated he's been to achieving such a goal.
74 Wells, Reggie, G. CBAS at G. Wells is no longer a tackle because Whiz wants mauler-types at T. If Wells previous stints at guard are an indication, once Whiz sees that Wells can't get much push at guard, one has to wonder what will happen to him. He makes too much money to be a backup. Wells would be ideal tackle with the Broncos, who want nimble, quick-footed athletes there. Could Whiz use Wells as a pass blocker at T in sure passing situations? Wells is a better pass blocker than Ross, Gandy or Gorin.
24 Wilson Adrian, S. APC. STR at SS. Straight-line downhill tackler who packs a thunderous pop. Struggles in deep coverage, but now that Holt's been added to team with Francisco as deep safeties in passing situations, Wilson can do what he does best: make viscious hits in the underneath zones or rush the passer with all-out speed.
29 Wyatt, Justin, CB. PSC. Has had one very good game in Europe where he intercepted one pass (return of 25 yards) and made 4 tackles. Is not a starter in Hamburg, though. However, Wyatt may always be a nickle-type back as a pro because he lacks the size and speed teams want in starting corners. What Wyatt does bring is quickness and intelligence, which is what teams need from their nickle defenders.
First 53 Man Roster and Practice Squad Prediction:
QB (3): 7-Leinart; 13-Warner; 9-Boyd
TE (3): 82-Pope; 85-Bronson; 89-Patrick
FB (2): 45-Smith; 46-Castille
RB (3): 32-James; 31-Shipp; 28-Arrington
OT (4): 79-Ross; 75-Brown; 73-Mitchell; 69-Gandy
OG (3): 67-Brown; 76-Lutui; 61-Brown;
OC (2): 50-Johnson; 60-Leckey
WR (6): 81-Boldin; 11-Fitzgerald; 80-Johnson; 15-Spurlock; 18-Breaston; 87-Morey.
DE (5): 56-Okeafor; 92-Berry; 91-Bailey; 97-Pace; 94-Smith;
DT (5): 98-Watson; 78-Branch; 70-Clancy; 90-Dockett; 93-Cooper
LB (5): 58-Dansby; 54 Hayes, 52-Beisel; 53-Davis; 57-Holloway
CB (5): 21-Rolle; 25-Green; 26-Hood; 23-Hunter; 41-Bain
SS (2): 24-Wilson; 37-Milligan
FS (2): 47-Francisco; 42-Holt
ST (3): 1-Rackers; 10-Player; 48-Hodel
***One predicted trade: G Reggie Wells and LB Darryl Blackstock to the Buffalo Bills for a 5th round pick in the 2008 Draft.
If Wells sticks, Elton Brown may be odd man out. If Blackstock sticks, Holloway may be odd man out, but would be added to the practice squad.
PS (8): 12-Korrodi-QB; 68-Vallejo-T; 65-Johnson-G; 63-Sendlein-C; 36-Versher-FB; 16-Prall-WR; 63-Lewis-DT; 59-Johnson-LB.
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