Walking the Walk:
Cardinals' HC Bruce Arians has said emphatically, "I want to win now."
Talk is talk...but he and GM Steve Keim...are walking the walk (make that "sprinting the sprint") in conducting their own whirlwind 3 Day FA Draft in March.
The 49ers may have 14 picks in the upcoming college draft in April.
Yet, the Cardinals, when all is said and done are likely to have close to 14 FA picks of their own, to go with their 7 picks in the draft.
Cardinals FA Draft To Date:
Round 1---2008: RB Rashard Mendenhall (5-10, 225, 5, 25, Illinois).
Round 1---2008: CB Antoine Cason (6-1, 195, 5, 26, Arizona)
Round 2---2007: QB Drew Stanton (6-3, 243, 6, 28, Michigan St.)
Round 3---2009: DE Matt Shaughnessy (6-5, 285, 4, 26, Wisconsin)
Round 3---2009: CB Jerraud Powers (5-10, 187, 4, 25, Auburn)
Round 3---2009: FS Rashad Johnson (5-11, 204, 4, 27, Alabama)
Round 5---2009: LB Jasper Brinkley (6-1, 252, 4, 27, South Carolina)
Round 6---2003: SS Yeremiah Bell (6-0, 205, 9, 35, Eastern Kentucky)
UCFA---2005: LB Lorenzo Alexander (6-1, 244, 6, 29, California)
Arians describes all of these plays as "gym rats" all of whom bring great passion and a love of the game in addition to something unique in each of them.
When you look at this group collectively, what stands out in addition to what BA has been saying about the group is how physical this group is. The front 7 on defense, in particular, looks like it is going to be a physical force to be reckoned with. All of the front 7 additions are very good tacklers---and as we know good tackling is contagious---and as we know, Ray Horton made good strides in improving the team's tackling, but there is still a need for significant improvement. Yermiah Bell, for example, may seem like a meh pick, but this guy is a fundamental stick hard and wrap tackler. He's also a leader. He was Todd Bowles defensive captain with the Dolphins.
According to ESPN Insiders' FA Ratings:
CB Antoine Cason---5 in run support (he is their highest rated CB)---4 in Ball Skills---4 in Man Coverage
CB Jerraud Powers---3 in run support---4 in Ball Skills---4 in Ball Skills---4 in Man Coverage.
Note: BA said that he wants CBs with Ball Skills---and we have seen that this has been an area that has needed improvement...particularly from our #2 and #3 CBs.
S Yeremiah Bell---4 in run Support---4 in Ball Skills---4 in Speed---2 in Man Coverage (which is Ok because he won't be playing in the nickel and dime packages).
S Rashad Johnson---4 in Run Support---3 in Ball Skills---4 in Zone Coverage.
LB Jasper Brinkley---5 in Run Support---5 in Tackling---4 in Diagnostic Skills---2 in Coverage Skills (again, OK, because he's a 2 down player whose forte is stopping the run). What I liked too about Brinkley, whom I wanted in several of my mock drafts 4 years ago, was the edge rush ability he flashed at South Carolina, when they shifted him over there---a bull rusher with good feet and the ability to shed quickly and get to the ball.
LB Lorenzo Alexander---one of the best and most physical tacklers on the market---what BA is counting on is for Tom Pratt to turn him into a prolific edge rusher.
DE Matt Shaughnessy---5 in Run Defense---4 in Pass Rush---4 in Recognition---4 in Quickness.
When you read the blurbs on all of these guys---the common term you see is: "high-effort player."
On the offensive side:
RB Rashard Mendenhall---5 in Speed---4 in Change of Direction---4 in Vision---3 in Pass Catching---4 in Blocking---3 in Durability. What BA said about him is noteworthy---"he's a guy who has the power to smash into the line and yet he has the feet of an 180 yard back to hit a home run---and he is a 3 down RB who can do it all as a pass receiver and as a blocker."
As for the one-year contract, the highly-motivated Mendenhall will have to prove he's at 100% and if he is and he's productive, the big long-term contract could follow.
Clearly he wants to play in Arizona and play for BA.
QB Drew Stanton---BA said of him that "he has a cannon of an arm---and I have never seen a QB improve his footwork and mechanics so quickly as Stanton did last year---I had to beg him some days in practice to throw an interception because he was lighting it up against our defense---and DE Cory Redding said, this is why we loved him in Detroit---he's the man."
BA also lauded Stanton for how hard he prepares.
The fact that BA loved his experience with Stanton is an excellent starting point. It should be very interesting to see what Stanton can do.
Stanton has one very important thing going for him---his HC has confidence in him. That's something we Cardinal fans have got to start to get used to!
Carpe Keim and The Brand New Cardinal Red Colored Pen:
Did you ever think the Cardinals' FO could have a distinct plan and multi-task the way Keim, Licht and BA have over the past few days?
Where once we as fans had to cringe at the thought of a FA visit knowing how many times FAs left town without a deal---this year a visit means only one thing: sign on the dotted line.
Jerraud Powers said, "My agent tried to prepare me for FA visits by telling me how teams will not want to let me out of the building---so I told BA that and how I had promised the Chargers I was going to visit them and BA told me we are not letting you out of the building---that's just the way BA is---he wasn't going to let me leave with a brand new Cardinal red pen in my hand."
Rashard Mendenhall said that the process with BA, SK and the Cardinals felt like "college recruiting all over again."
Mendenhall talked about the excitement in the building especially amongst all the free agents there that day---and how he already started to bond with the other free agents.
For me---this is a dream come true---I couldn't possibly see why Arizona wouldn't be a hot spot for NFL free agents---it's got everything going for it---the weather---the beautiful stadium---the rabid and loud fan base---
BA and Steve Keim have put the fun back into being an Arizona Cardinal. The way they communicate---the way they wear their hearts on their sleeves---the way they exude enthusiasm and confidence---the swagger now starts at the top---and this is, like the band Chicago sings: "only the beginning."
Plus---look at the contracts the players signed---did you even in your wildest dreams think the Cardinals could be this contract savvy? And at the same time---garner such enthusiastic interest from players who clearly think they are worth a lot more than what they are getting?
The point is---these players know and trust---just as Drew Stanton said to MJ and Bickley---if I prove myself, the money will come.
Draft Preparation---MB: "We are not going to reach anymore."
What these signings do is set the Cardinals up beautifully for the draft.
What we can likely expect is 5 offensive players and 2 defensive players (OLB, S).
Draft Board at #7
T Luke Joeckel
T Eric Fisher
T Lane Johnson
G Chance Warmack
OLB Dion Jordan
OLB Ziggy Ansah
OLB Barkevious Mingo
Chances are our #7 pick is one of these players.
I have a hunch that the Cardinals will be more inclined to take an edge rusher at #7 because there will be much better offensive line talent at #38 than OLB talent....especially if Joeckel and Fisher are off the board.
Offensive line talent at #38:
T/G D.J. Fluker (perhaps a long shot, but you never know)
G Larry Warford
C/G Barrett Jones
T Menelick Watson
G/T Justin Pugh
T/G Kyle Long
T Terron Armstead
At least wait for games to be this negative already. I'd bet that at least two of the above you trash have a very solid season.
