Cardinals' 90 Man Roster-Defense

[Mitch]

LDE:

Rodney Gunter---will likely start in the base defense and factor into 4 man rush rotation.

Robert Nkemdiche---figures to be a key rusher on passing downs and at some point could become a full-time starter.

Frostee Rucker---veteran leader who is better coming off the bench as a rotation run stuffer and pass rusher.

NT:

Corey Peters---returns from Achilles injury to start at NT and be a rotational inside pass rusher.

Red Bryant---was a valuable insertion when teams started to run the ball.

Xavier Williams---showed some promise as a UDFA rookie last year; will need to beat out Bryant for a roster spot.

RDE:

Calais Campbell---enters contract year with huge cap figure and the motivation to improve the consistency of his play and production.

Josh Mauro---valuable rotation DE/DT who has shown he can generate tackles for loss and QB pressures.

Ed Stinson---enters contract year having provided some flashes of ability but has yet to establish himself as a pass rusher.

LOLB:

Markus Golden---high motored edge player who can stuff the run and pressure the QB.

Tristan Okpalauga---has the size and athletic ability to be a solid rotational DE/OLB.

Kareem Martin---will need to continue to show improvement as a pass rusher.

Mike Reilly---has pass rushing ability and could surprise.

LILB:

Kevin Minter---was used best as two-down run stuffer; has steadily improved.

Gabe Martin---has range and speed and ST ability; could find niche as nickel LB.

Lamar Louis---UDFA from LSU who has STs ability and speed to chase and cover.

RILB:

Deone Bucannon---has begun to popularize the shift to speedy, big tackling hybrid SS/ILB types.

Alani Fua---good athlete who can tackle and cover. Can he rush the passer?

ROLB:

Chandler Jones---prized edge rusher the Cardinals have been needing; has versatility and can rush from the inside as well.

Dwight Freeney---indications are that the Cardinals are going to re-sign him to team with Jones as a fearsome edge rushing tandem.

Shaq Riddick---never got on track as a rookie; coaches rave about his size and speed.

Zach Wagenmann---he is a wild card here; was a dominant edge rusher at Montana.

LCB:

Patrick Peterson---coming off his best season and looking for elite production this year.

Harlan Miller---pesky defender who plays with good timing and a nose for the ball.

Asa Jackson---young veteran who has some valuable starts under his belt and a solid package of skills.

Cariel Brooks---had a good camp last year and has impressed the coaches.

SS:

Tony Jefferson---productive tackler and playmaker.

Marqui Christian---aggressive tackler and cover safety.

Chris Clemons---good nickel cover safety.

Shaun Prater---physical combo S/CB who battles hard.

FS:

Tyrann Mathieu---the straw that stirs the drink from every angle of the field.

Tyvon Branch---versatile combo S/CB who will be assigned to cover top TEs and WRs.

D.J. Swearinger---enforcer type safety who can make RBs and WRs think twice about running over the middle.

RCB:

Justin Bethel---eager to take his play to a higher level.

Brandon Williams---as with Tyvon Branch, Williams will be used in man-to-man matchups.

Elie Bouka---gifted athlete coming off an Achilles injury who could be just what the Cardinals need as a nickel CB.

This defense is deep with key veterans and a plethora of young talent. It is going to be very difficult to decide which 26 make the roster (26 would seem very likely seeing as the majority of the STs players this year will come from the defense).

Early Projection:

DL (8): Gunter; Peters; Campbell; Nkemdiche; Bryant; Mauro; Rucker; Stinson.
LB (8): Golden; Minter; Bucannon; Jones; Okpalaugo; Fua; Freeney; Riddick.
DB (10): Peterson; Jefferson; Mathieu; Bethel; Branch; Miller; Williams; Christian; Swearinger; Bouka.

PS (4): NT Williams; ILB Martin; OLB Wagenmann or Reilly; CB Brooks or Trevon Hatfield.

P:

Drew Butler---improved down the stretch last year, will have to stave off rookie challenger.

Garrett Swanson---not only does he have a big leg on punts, he is a very good kickoff man who can boom them out of the end zone.

K:

Chandler Catanzaro---had 4 hiccups on extra points and on some of his shorter kickoffs, but otherwise was very good.

LS:

Danny Dillon---UDFA from Campbell who is highly skilled, but lacks size.

Kam Canaday---UDFA from Portland St. who garnered significant interest from teams during the draft process.

Early Projection:

P(1): Swanson
K(1): Catanzaro
LS(1): Canaday

Swanson's versatility is quite an asset and Canaday is more NFL ready.

 

[CardNots]

Nice read, thank you!

 

[Goldfield]

Looks good Mitch. What about OLB Okafor?

I whish we added a replacement for Minter but other that that I like the roster. I would like to add Powers but not sure that's happening.

 

[Mitch]

Looks good Mitch. What about OLB Okafor?

I whish we added a replacement for Minter but other that that I like the roster. I would like to add Powers but not sure that's happening.

Just don't have a good feeling about Okafor following last year's disappointments. I think he will be very motivated, and could flash in pre-season which may allow them to trade him to the a rush needy team like the Cowboys for a late round draft pick. If Shaq Riddick, Zach Wagenmann or Mike Reilly are anywhere close to Okafor in production and ability, then keeping one or two of them makes sense, seeing as they would control their rights for another 3 years, whereas Okafor is in his contract year.

I like Minter (loved how hard he played down the stretch especially versus Carolina when others were backing off) and believe he will be even stronger this year in his role as 34 SILB thumper. I could see the coaches backing him up with hitters like Swearinger, Fua and Wagenmann or Mike Reilly. The coaches love position versatility.

 

[Goldfield]

Okafor was our best pass rusher just a couple years ago. I would not be in a hurry to turn my back on any pass rush talent in this league. But bye he had a down year last year.

 

[Garthshort]

Two things:
1. I have high hopes for Riddick.
2. Bouka has a jersey number(I forget the number) that indicates he won't make the team. Maybe they'll change it.

 

[Mitch]

Two things:
1. I have high hopes for Riddick.
2. Bouka has a jersey number(I forget the number) that indicates he won't make the team. Maybe they'll change it.

BA is raving about Bouka. They are ecstatic they were able to sign him as a UDFA.

Riddick could be the D.J. Humphries of the defense---making wonders of a redshirt year.

 

[Mitch]

Okafor was our best pass rusher just a couple years ago. I would not be in a hurry to turn my back on any pass rush talent in this league. But bye he had a down year last year.

I agree. He had 8 sacks two years ago---but a mere 2 last year and then the mysterious foot injury during the bye week of the playoffs, but by then Markus Golden had run right past him as the starter and key rusher from the left edge. Something is off about Okafor and he needs to show up in a big way to earn his way back into the coaches' good graces.

 

[b8rtm8nn]

Good post Mitch.

I don't think 8 DL and 8 LB, last year they finished with 7 DL and 10 LB, so I will counter that one good DL will lose out and Lamar Louis makes it as a LB/ST ace. (plus you only have 3 ILB on this roster). If Okpalaugo or Riddick beats out Okafor, then that means something good, but I doubt that happens, so I would put Okpalaugo on the PS.

The DB competition will be great this year, excited to see who shows up to win a roster.

 

[Mitch]

Good post Mitch.

I don't think 8 DL and 8 LB, last year they finished with 7 DL and 10 LB, so I will counter that one good DL will lose out and Lamar Louis makes it as a LB/ST ace. (plus you only have 3 ILB on this roster). If Okpalaugo or Riddick beats out Okafor, then that means something good, but I doubt that happens, so I would put Okpalaugo on the PS.

The DB competition will be great this year, excited to see who shows up to win a roster.

b8rtm8nn---what's changed is the young talent and depth at CB and S---I don't think BA&SK will risk waiving any of the young bucks.

Secondly, just as they can stash the #3 QB (Coker) on the PS---they can do the same at ILB with Gabe Martin. In a pinch, Markus Golden can play SILB.

My hunch is that Tristan Okpalaugo will be head and shoulders better than Okafor---he's got better length and athleticism.

Lamar Louis is a good STs player---but when cuts are being made---is there any way to justify keeping him over Ed Stinson, Red Bryant or Josh Mauro or one of the young OLBers (Riddick, Wagenmann, K. Martin, Reilly)? Plus, this year SK has added more STs players via the draft.

 

[Proximo]

We don't need both Stinson and Mauro if we have Rucker, nkemdiche, gunter and Campbell able to play end. Even jones can play end. They are all better and would get almost all the time.
Stinson will be cut.

I know riddick physically has the tools, but they did not even activate him last year. I am highly skeptical he makes the team instead of okafor.

I think there will be another mlb, and one more guy on offense. But we really have one corner, and 10 corner projects in progress. Who knows how many actually workout, could be as low as 3 with the badger as number 4 or as high as 6 if we get lucky.

 

[b8rtm8nn]

b8rtm8nn---what's changed is the young talent and depth at CB and S---I don't think BA&SK will risk waiving any of the young bucks.

Secondly, just as they can stash the #3 QB (Coker) on the PS---they can do the same at ILB with Gabe Martin. In a pinch, Markus Golden can play SILB.

My hunch is that Tristan Okpalaugo will be head and shoulders better than Okafor---he's got better length and athleticism.

Lamar Louis is a good STs player---but when cuts are being made---is there any way to justify keeping him over Ed Stinson, Red Bryant or Josh Mauro or one of the young OLBers (Riddick, Wagenmann, K. Martin, Reilly)? Plus, this year SK has added more STs players via the draft.

I didn't cut any DBs, I think you are correct in that they carry more DBs than last year. I have Okafor over Okpalaugo (who goes PS) and Louis over G Martin (who is still PS eligible) and probably Bryant getting cut to keep Louis as the 4th ILB/ST player. But this is all play now, as someone will get injured before the season and someone will stand out during camp to throw our favorite projects with potential out the window.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Last season was a lost season for Alex Okafor.

If I remember correctly, he hurt his calf at the beginning of the year, and because of that injury the Cardinals went out and signed Dwight Freeney.

Marcus Golden then stepped up his game, and by the time Okafor was healthy, he was behind Freeney and Golden in the depth charts.

Then there was the injury sustained during the bye-week of the playoffs, that is shrouded in mystery since no one is talking about it, and no one really knows what happened.

Its a contract year for a guy who had a lot of promise going into the 2015 season.

Chandler Jones
Marcus Golden
Dwight Freeney
Alex Okafor

That is quite a line up right there if you ask me. If Freeney does come back, that is, even so, there is a chance the Cardinals keep five outside linebackers.