BoB Kemp on Offensive Roster

[kerouac9]

QB: Derek Anderson has been terrible. Kemp thinks that the Cards should cut Anderson and sign a veteran free agent. Average at best. Leinart is the clear starter. Skelton makes the roster; Max Hall will find a job with someone.

RB: Beanie Wells has been a disappointment. Lost weight but hasn't had electrifying runs in camp and is catching the ball worse than last year. LSH will play a J.J. Arrington-type role from a couple years ago. Tim Hightower's versatility may ensure that he'll again see more touches than Beanie next year.

FB: Boughton seems to be the guy.

WR: Stephen Williams has been the biggest surprise of any Cards camp that Kemp has ever attended. Andre Roberts has been a huge disappointment as a WR.

TE: Stephen Spach has been making incredible receptions in camp, and may allow the Cards to release Becht and keep Jim Dray on the active roster. Ben Patrick is the probable starter.

OL: Brandon Keith and Levi Brown have been solid throughout training camp, but both allowed a sack last week--against Mario Williams. Promise from both. Alan Faneca has struggled the first two weeks, but looked much better this week. 8 players are locks: Brown, Faneca, Sendlein, Reggie Wells, Keith (the starting line), Bridges, Hadnot (very versatile), Lutui (hard to tell if he's overweight--Herman Johnson is easy to see that he's heavy). Lutui has had an opportunity to run with the ones; wouldn't be surprised to see Lutui starting Week 1. Battle is between Claxton and Herman Johnson.

OL is the key to the season. Inability to pick up the simplest of blitzes in practices or against the Texans is troubling. But "In Russ We Trust," since Grimm has put together units that performed adequately from personnel that were far less talented than this.

 

[MadCardDisease]

I agree regarding Anderson.

I completely disagree with his take on Wells.

I see Spach making the team and Patrick as the starter. My gut tells me Becht is the 3rd TE but Dray has showed nice potential.

I agree with the Claxton vs Johnson battle for the final spot.

 

[joeshmo]

Tim Hightower's versatility may ensure that he'll again see more touches than Beanie next year.

Doubtful. Hightower only had 18 more touches. We will probably see at minimum the same ratio that we saw the last half of last season plus the playoffs which was in favor of Wells 133 to 107.

 

[MadCardDisease]

Doubtful. Hightower only had 18 more touches. We will probably see at minimum the same ratio that we saw the last half of last season plus the playoffs which was in favor of Wells 133 to 107.

I agree.

 

[DoTheDew]

Interesting about Beanie. The pass catching thing goes against what Whiz himself has said about him.

At QB, I suppose it's possible we cut Anderson, but I just don't know what veteran we bring in? BSP? I wonder what the chances are that Whiz would go with Leinart Skelton and Hall if he feels they are all better than Anderson and anything out there?

At WR, I think Stephen Williams will clinch the #4 WR spot soon. I really hope Andre Roberts isn't a repeat of Buster Davis. To me he is sounding like a completely wasted pick. Can't even return kicks that well.

At OL, interesting to see him list Faneca, Wells, Hadnot and Lutui as locks when a few weeks ago I seem to remember Somers or Urban saying there was no way all 4 would make the team.

 

[kerouac9]

Doubtful. Hightower only had 18 more touches. We will probably see at minimum the same ratio that we saw the last half of last season plus the playoffs which was in favor of Wells 133 to 107.

It's an interesting question. I think that we'll see more Tim Hightower than is going to make many Cards fans happy. Kemp is also an Ohio State guy, which may make him look at Beanie with more of a gimlet eye?

I'm also interested in seeing whose touches LaRod Stephens-Howling ends up taking. I'd guess he'll be there in obvious passing situations, when Hightower would generally be on the field, but maybe we'll see shotgun sets where Hightower and Hyphen are on the field together.

It's hard to tell in camp how RBs are playing because there isn't a ton of live tackling, even in 11-on-11. You see it all the time where defenders will tap backs on the hips or chest and all of a sudden Tim Hightower is exploding out of the middle of the pack and the fans in the stands are like "Ooohhh..."

 

[joeshmo]

At WR, I think Stephen Williams will clinch the #4 WR spot soon. I really hope Andre Roberts isn't a repeat of Buster Davis. To me he is sounding like a completely wasted pick. Can't even return kicks that well.

He will not be another Buster Davis. Davis was cut for being a punk and not working hard enough to get better. If Roberts is cut it wont be for lack of effort. How can we judge his kick return ability if he hasn't actually returned a kick?

 

[joeshmo]

It's an interesting question. I think that we'll see more Tim Hightower than is going to make many Cards fans happy. Kemp is also an Ohio State guy, which may make him look at Beanie with more of a gimlet eye?

I think if Kemp used the word "snaps" instead of "Touches" we would be having a different debate.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

The Bears need a backup and since Dan Lefevour's play set the act of playing QB back to 20's and we have Biesel at ILB, why not offer up Derek Anderson for Urlacher? .

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

At WR, I think Stephen Williams will clinch the #4 WR spot soon. I really hope Andre Roberts isn't a repeat of Buster Davis. To me he is sounding like a completely wasted pick. .

Gawd, I hope not...especially considering the suprise and rise Williams it really makes me wish Cards would've passed on Roberts and drafted Navarro Bowman, whom the Whiners drafte two pick later...

 

[football karma]

Gawd, I hope not...especially considering the suprise and rise Williams it really makes me wish Cards would've passed on Roberts and drafted Navarro Bowman, whom the Whiners drafte two pick later...

if it makes you feel any better -- Bowman may not have been on the Cards board given his off the field stuff

 

[DieHardCardFan]

It's hard to tell in camp how RBs are playing because there isn't a ton of live tackling, even in 11-on-11. You see it all the time where defenders will tap backs on the hips or chest and all of a sudden Tim Hightower is exploding out of the middle of the pack and the fans in the stands are like "Ooohhh..."

Never will you miss a chance to take a shot at THT will you? Maybe you missed all those times that the same thing happened with Beanie.

 

[DoTheDew]

He will not be another Buster Davis. Davis was cut for being a punk and not working hard enough to get better. If Roberts is cut it wont be for lack of effort. How can we judge his kick return ability if he hasn't actually returned a kick?

Based on camp reports he was not doing well returning kicks. Not that those are proof of anything.

 

[seesred]

I completely disagree with what he said about the Bean. This giuy is the whole package, in a growth mode! I like Tim very much, but he will play a lot of short situations.

GBR
40

 

[Duckjake]

Based on camp reports he was not doing well returning kicks. Not that those are proof of anything.

I'm no expert on punt returns but it sure looked to me like Roberts was calling for a fair catch well before he needed to Saturday night.

 

[kerouac9]

Never will you miss a chance to take a shot at THT will you? Maybe you missed all those times that the same thing happened with Beanie.

It happens with every back in camp. Remember two years ago when people here wanted to call Tim Hightower "the burst" because it looked like he had the quickest burst anyone "had seen in a long while"?

 

[CardLogic]

Doubtful. Hightower only had 18 more touches. We will probably see at minimum the same ratio that we saw the last half of last season plus the playoffs which was in favor of Wells 133 to 107.

Much more likely than Kemps assumption.

Kemp is also an Ohio State guy...

More reason not to like him!

 

[football karma]

It happens with every back in camp. Remember two years ago when people here wanted to call Tim Hightower "the burst" because it looked like he had the quickest burst anyone "had seen in a long while"?

not in camp, it was after the Rams game when Edge was benched, and Hightower went for 100+ and had a 30 yard TD run (IIRC on the specifics of the game)

We had been watching Edge for quite a while, so it was all relative.

 

[Duckjake]

But "In Russ We Trust," since Grimm has put together units that performed adequately from personnel that were far less talented than this.

Did he do this in Pittsburgh? Because he sure hasn't done it here.

 

[kerouac9]

Did he do this in Pittsburgh? Because he sure hasn't done it here.

I don't know. The last two years you had a Top 10 pick in Brown, a 2nd round pick in Lutui, but then you had an undrafted free agent in Sendlein, a 7th round pick from Clarion (?) in Reggie Wells, and a free agent off the scrap heap whom no one believed in in Gandy. That group wasn't mowing people down, but we ran the ball well and they supported a pretty good aerial attack.

Even when Gandy went down, there was another street free agent in Bridges who was able to come in and shut down Jared Allen with a little help.

I question whether Grimm is all he's been publicized to be as a coach and whether he fell in line for another Pennsylvania guy in Levi Brown because he ran his workout, but this offensive line hasn't been the embarrassment that the personnel on the field might suggest if you just looked at their bloodlines.

The guys that Grimm coached in Pittsburgh were almost all first- and second-round picks.

 

[devilfan02]

Did he do this in Pittsburgh? Because he sure hasn't done it here.

The OL has improved a great deal since Grimm arrived. People quickly forget how bad our OL was just 3 seasons ago when the OL couldn't run or pass block.

The only criticism I send Grimms way is the drafting of Levi Brown who was not worth that high of a pick. He may be wrong in bringing Faneca in as well. However, as K9 pointed out, his work with Sendlein, Wells, Lutui, Gandy, and possibly Keth can't go unnoticed.

Overall, I think we're much better off w/ Grimm leading the OL and the positives easily outweigh the negatives.

 

[devilfan02]

RB: Beanie Wells has been a disappointment. Lost weight but hasn't had electrifying runs in camp and is catching the ball worse than last year. LSH will play a J.J. Arrington-type role from a couple years ago. Tim Hightower's versatility may ensure that he'll again see more touches than Beanie next year.

I haven't heard one negative about Beanie so far this camp. I'll listen to Wolf who thinks Beanie has been an animal at camp anyday over Kemp.

Beanie wants the ball - a lot
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/card...ants-ball.html

 

[Duckjake]

I don't know. The last two years you had a Top 10 pick in Brown, a 2nd round pick in Lutui, but then you had an undrafted free agent in Sendlein, a 7th round pick from Clarion (?) in Reggie Wells, and a free agent off the scrap heap whom no one believed in in Gandy. That group wasn't mowing people down, but we ran the ball well and they supported a pretty good aerial attack.

Even when Gandy went down, there was another street free agent in Bridges who was able to come in and shut down Jared Allen with a little help.

I question whether Grimm is all he's been publicized to be as a coach and whether he fell in line for another Pennsylvania guy in Levi Brown because he ran his workout, but this offensive line hasn't been the embarrassment that the personnel on the field might suggest if you just looked at their bloodlines.

The guys that Grimm coached in Pittsburgh were almost all first- and second-round picks.

That's all well and good but I don't see the talent as being less than it is now. Mainly because they're the same guys. Brown 4 years. Lutui 5 years. Sendlein 4 years. Keith 3 years. Wells 8 years. Well, I guess you could make the argument that they weren't as good because they weren't as experienced. However, I am not impressed at all with Russ Grimm because I haven't seen any great improvement in the offensive line play since he arrived.

And Saturday night sure didn't do anything to change that opinion.

Just for comparison the Cards yards per attempt rushing last season ranked just two spots ahead of where it was in 2003. 23rd vs 25th. And 2003 was one of, if not the worst, season in Arizona Cardinal history.

 

[Zeno]

Adrian Wilson sends a shot across Roberts bow...

..the Roberts thing, this was safety Adrian Wilson on his Big Red Rage radio show this week, taking about going after any rookies in preseason games: “No, but the kid from the Citadel we got, the third-round pick? I think all of us are gonna jump on him if he don’t start catching the ball. Period.”

http://blog.azcardinals.com/2010/08/20/and-were-just-about-done/

I like it, Wilson has always been a leader and he is being vocal about it, hope Roberts heeds the warning.

 

[bg7brd]

Adrian Wilson sends a shot across Roberts bow...



http://blog.azcardinals.com/2010/08/20/and-were-just-about-done/

I like it, Wilson has always been a leader and he is being vocal about it, hope Roberts heeds the warning.

According to Urban, he looked solid in practise today.