Cardinals T Levi Brown has a big job ahead of him this season.

[BullheadCardFan]

1. Levi Brown, Cardinals

Brown did not play in 2012 because of injury, and he returns to a new offense with Bruce Ariens' big emphasis on the passing game. The division pass rushers whom he faces include Aldon Smith (19½ sacks last season), Chris Clemons (11½ sacks) and Robert Quinn (11½ sacks). That is 41½ sacks from three division rushers, the most that any left tackle faces from division opponents.

Beyond that, he also faces Charles Johnson, Robert Mathis and Osi Umenyiora among others. Based on Ariens' play-calling last year and the addition of Carson Palmer, Brown could be asked to pass block 37 times a game. And if the Cardinals are playing a lot of catch-up football, it could be more than 40.

Link.

 

[Catfish]

OK, This is the time to say that probably no other left tackle will be faced with the pass rushes that Levi will this year. Sooooooo-----just sayin', don't be so ready to jump on him if he gives up an occasional sack. Even the best LT's will be giving up sacks to the pass rushers Levi will face.

This year, let's try not to boo him every time he gives one up. Positive reinforcement goes farther than negative does. Hopefully the inside of our pocket will be stronger with the addition of Cooper, and Levi will be able to run many sack-attempts around the QB as the QB steps up into the pocket. Palmer may not be so quick to run into a sack like Kolb was.

 

[cardncubfan]

Link.

The writer lost credibility when he didn't spell Arians correctly.

 

[GuernseyCard]

The writer lost credibility when he didn't spell Arians correctly.

 

[Buckybird]

OK, This is the time to say that probably no other left tackle will be faced with the pass rushes that Levi will this year. Sooooooo-----just sayin', don't be so ready to jump on him if he gives up an occasional sack. Even the best LT's will be giving up sacks to the pass rushers Levi will face.

This year, let's try not to boo him every time he gives one up. Positive reinforcement goes farther than negative does. Hopefully the inside of our pocket will be stronger with the addition of Cooper, and Levi will be able to run many sack-attempts around the QB as the QB steps up into the pocket. Palmer may not be so quick to run into a sack like Kolb was.

Stop making excuses for his lackluster play already Fish.
The Cards cut his sorry ass, then didn't learn their lesson bringing him back. I'm tired of hearing about his good 1/2 season in 6.

He's not an adequate pass blocking LT in a pass heavy offense, which is what Wiz's & BA's offense are...he's just a bad fit IMO & we should've cut our losses when we had the chance!!! The Cards continue trying to put a square peg in a round hole.

I would've much preferred handing out mega $$$ to Bushrod last year than relying on an inferior player...but nooooooo! A proven great commodity vs. a unprovenly bad commodity...it's the Cardinal way I guess.

 

[ajcardfan]

That article sure puts a turd in the punch bowl.

 

[TJ]

The sad thing is you could make an argument that 2012 was Levi's best season as a professional football player, despite the fact he didn't play a regular season down. He proved that there are, in fact, worse options at the postion i.e. D.J. Young and D'Anthony Batiste.

I still insist he is substandard at best in pass blocking. Levi's cap hit in 2014 is $7.65 million, so for all intents and purposes, this is a make-or-break year for him.

 

[overseascardfan]

OK, This is the time to say that probably no other left tackle will be faced with the pass rushes that Levi will this year. Sooooooo-----just sayin', don't be so ready to jump on him if he gives up an occasional sack. Even the best LT's will be giving up sacks to the pass rushers Levi will face.

This year, let's try not to boo him every time he gives one up. Positive reinforcement goes farther than negative does. Hopefully the inside of our pocket will be stronger with the addition of Cooper, and Levi will be able to run many sack-attempts around the QB as the QB steps up into the pocket. Palmer may not be so quick to run into a sack like Kolb was.

I actually hold Arians and Moore responsible as it is their job to come up with schemes to slow down the opponent's pass rush. Knowing Brown is coming off a year he missed and the talent he will face on a week to week basis, I would be double teaming, chip blocking with a RB and lining up a TE on the left side to give Palmer extra time.

 

[Stout]

OK, This is the time to say that probably no other left tackle will be faced with the pass rushes that Levi will this year. Sooooooo-----just sayin', don't be so ready to jump on him if he gives up an occasional sack. Even the best LT's will be giving up sacks to the pass rushers Levi will face.

No, no, no, we're not going to play this game of making excuses for the human turnstile. If he starts to stink, he starts to stink.

 

[Shane]

The sad thing is you could make an argument that 2012 was Levi's best season as a professional football player, despite the fact he didn't play a regular season down. He proved that there are, in fact, worse options at the postion i.e. D.J. Young and D'Anthony Batiste.

I still insist he is substandard at best in pass blocking. Levi's cap hit in 2014 is $7.65 million, so for all intents and purposes, this is a make-or-break year for him.

Not really thats pretty darn cheap for a LT

 

[TJ]

Not really thats pretty darn cheap for a LT

Or darn expensive for a garbage LT.

 

[Buckybird]

Or darn expensive for a garbage LT.

 

[Garthshort]

For a big job you need a big man. And we have him. Actually we have two.

 

[cardpa]

I will reserve judgment until we see Levi perform this season. I still hold to the theory that Levi had bad coaching since he has been with the Cardinals and better coaching alone will improve his on field performance.

He showed pretty good pass blocking skills at PSU and really didn't do that bad a job his first year, then seem to regress with each succeeding year under Grimm.

If he is still stinking it up by game 5 then I will agree that he is one stink bomb.

 

[Capital Card]

I will reserve judgment until we see Levi perform this season. I still hold to the theory that Levi had bad coaching since he has been with the Cardinals and better coaching alone will improve his on field performance.

He showed pretty good pass blocking skills at PSU and really didn't do that bad a job his first year, then seem to regress with each succeeding year under Grimm.

If he is still stinking it up by game 5 then I will agree that he is one stink bomb.

Only problem with this theory is that Bobbie Massey showed great improvement, under Grimm. What is Levi's excuse???

I don't think Levi is as bad as most in here claim. That was evidenced by last year when I'd have given just about anything to have Levi back.

I do think he can improve - but can he improve enough to keep CP healthy all year? I'll be rooting for him to succeed, but I have to admit, I have my doubts.

Go Cards!!!

 

[Totally_Red]

If he's an 'elite' left tackle, then .....................

 

[cardncubfan]

He wrote "Ariens" not "Arians". Not hard for the writer to research the correct spelling of a persons last name.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

1. Levi Brown
2. Bobby Massie
3. Nate Potter

If Levi stinks up the joint for the first 6 games of the season and then Bobby Massie is put in, then I am fine with the LT position.

Thus I am not really concerned about Levi Brown. If he does well, then great. If he sucks, then I believe Arians will put someone else in there.

I still believe Nate Potter did about as well as Levi Brown has shown of the years so, again, not too concerned.

 

[Buckybird]

I will reserve judgment until we see Levi perform this season. I still hold to the theory that Levi had bad coaching since he has been with the Cardinals and better coaching alone will improve his on field performance.

He showed pretty good pass blocking skills at PSU and really didn't do that bad a job his first year, then seem to regress with each succeeding year under Grimm.

If he is still stinking it up by game 5 then I will agree that he is one stink bomb.

Mike Gandys play as a Card says it wasn't all coaching...in fact he was mucho better than turnstile Brown.

Levi had pretty good pass blocking skills at Penn St? You mean the same Penn St that is a predominantly run first team?

Levi has a track record which is his play...and it's average at best & that's a fact!!!

 

[Chopper0080]

Carson Palmer and Bruce Arians will have more to do with the offensive line's overall production than the actual linemen will, especially regarding Brown.

Palmer and Arians will have to understand the level of talent blocking in front of them and run the offense accordingly, because Levi Brown is not going to suddenly get more athletic. Arians and Palmer will have to adjust the snap counts, drop depth, route length and increase the number of screen/draw to help keep Palmer clean. If things are done, I have faith that Brown can hold up at LT.

 

[GuernseyCard]

He wrote "Ariens" not "Arians". Not hard for the writer to research the correct spelling of a persons last name.

That's what editors are for and his "credibility" doesn't hang on one misspelling.

 

[Catfish]

Carson Palmer and Bruce Arians will have more to do with the offensive line's overall production than the actual linemen will, especially regarding Brown.

Palmer and Arians will have to understand the level of talent blocking in front of them and run the offense accordingly, because Levi Brown is not going to suddenly get more athletic. Arians and Palmer will have to adjust the snap counts, drop depth, route length and increase the number of screen/draw to help keep Palmer clean. If things are done, I have faith that Brown can hold up at LT.

Pretty well said Chopper. If you add in that Cooper should help strengthen our inside interior line, then Palmer will also have a pocket to step up into. That should also help. I am banking that Levi will hold his own at LT, and that both the HC and the QB will provide necessary assistance to change the poor perception of our O-line. I am dying to see some actual screens and draws show up in out play calling, (ones that actually force the defense to play complete defense, not just rush, rush, rush).

 

[Duckjake]

Carson Palmer and Bruce Arians will have more to do with the offensive line's overall production than the actual linemen will, especially regarding Brown.

Palmer and Arians will have to understand the level of talent blocking in front of them and run the offense accordingly, because Levi Brown is not going to suddenly get more athletic. Arians and Palmer will have to adjust the snap counts, drop depth, route length and increase the number of screen/draw to help keep Palmer clean. If things are done, I have faith that Brown can hold up at LT.

Let's hope that works this time because that is exactly what Whisenhunt and staff did last year when they went to Lindley. And it didn't work because Lindley was so inaccurate. That change in the offense had as much or more to do with the improved sack numbers as any improvement from Potter and Massie.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Let's hope that works this time because that is exactly what Whisenhunt and staff did last year when they went to Lindley. And it didn't work because Lindley was so inaccurate. That change in the offense had as much or more to do with the improved sack numbers as any improvement from Potter and Massie.

More 2 TE sets should help as well. Levi on an island is a dangerous proposition.

 

[Darkside]

I have faith that Arians and crew will mix things up to improve our oline when it comes to passing. That's actually not my biggest concern as I think Cooper's pulling abilities helps Levi immensely. What I hope is that our line shows some meanness in the running game. I want our guys to hit some dudes in the mouth, knock 'em back on their heels, I don't even care if we only gain 3.5-4.0 per carry as long as we're taking it to them.

I really think our offensive line suffers from the same symptoms Dockett expressed on the D-line: he said he felt like they were just sitting back, waiting to take hits instead of going after people. Our oline has been like that before, during, and after Warner. Pass, pass, pass and our line just sits back waiting to be attacked. If we keep teams off balance with screen passes, pulling plays and a strong running attack, so that we're actually attacking the defensive line and throwing them off balance, then I think it opens up the rest of our passing game.

We gotta have a good average running. Not necessarily a lot of carries, but we have to be able to move piles and the rest of the time we can play off-balance ball (screens, misdirection's etc, which Cooper will excel at).