Gambo on Bryant:
John Gambadoro
Special for azcentral.com
Jul. 19, 2004 11:40 AM
[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Dennis Green has been all about sending messages since he took over as head coach of the Arizona Cardinals. From the bold prediction that the team will make the playoffs this season to forecasting the team will go 10-6, Green is trying to change a loser's image that has haunted this organization for years. He is making sure that no player feels comfortable, under any circumstances, and attempting to make the players believe they can win in Arizona. And while that is a mighty task, it is also half the battle.
The recent benching of L.J. Shelton, Dexter Jackson, Marcel Shipp and Calvin Pace only go to prove that Green is in control and that he has high expectations of his players. There is no buddy-buddy system with Green as of yet. Players are accountable. And he has put some fear into them, even if they did rat him out on his excessive practices during off-season conditioning workouts.
Green definitely has made things very interesting this off-season, but there is still more work to be done. And more messages need to be sent. Especially when a player who is making a lot of money with little production and is considered one of the organization's biggest busts decides to do a little drinking and driving, then run a red light and drive out of control at 20 mph above the speed limit.
That player, Wendell Bryant, is not in a position to make a mistake. Not on the field and certainly not off it. He was the Cardinals' first-round pick in 2002, No. 12 overall, out of Wisconsin. And thus far, he has contributed just 1 1/2 sacks in two years. Calling him a disappointment is an understatement. Bryant's arrest this past week could be the final straw for him as a Cardinal. He is scheduled to count $1.4 million on the salary cap this season and has three years left on his contract. While cutting him will not save the Cardinals much money - roughly $400,000 on the cap this season when you factor in his signing bonus - getting him out of town may be another chance for Green to emphasize the importance of doing things the right way here.
You see, Bryant's arrest is a bad reflection on him, on the organization and on Green. It is bad business to have sports fans reading about local players allegedly running a red light and having blood-alcohol levels above the legal limit. Especially for a team trying to start over. Green needs his players on their best behavior as he attempts to win over the fans.
What may help Bryant stay in Cardinal red is Arizona's lack of depth at defensive tackle. They recently cut Marcus Bell and Baron Tanner. Right now, Bryant is listed behind Russell Davis and could possibly beat him out for the starting job on the strength of a good camp. The starting four defensive linemen going into camp are Bertrand Berry, Darnell Dockett, Davis and Fred Wakefield. The backups at tackle are Bryant and Kenny King.
When Green signed Berry he took criticism since they just drafted Calvin Pace last year, saying that the team shouldn't be spending free-agent money on a position that it used a first-round pick to solidify. Obviously Green is not happy with the lack of production from guys like Bryant and Pace and has them on a short leash.
Maybe Green, who was considered a players' coach in Minnesota, has changed his ways and is becoming more of a hard ass. There is no question that this group of players need that. But maybe Green also realized that the majority of these players are not his guys and will not be here unless he gets this team to turn the corner. After all, what's the use of being a players' coach when you'll be cutting many of them down the road?
Bryant angered many in the organization when he decided to work out on his own in Wisconsin - where he was taking classes - this off season instead of being around the Cardinals facility. Green was hoping to get the message through to Bryant that he better start producing or his time in the NFL will be a very short one. Maybe Bryant is content with the $6-plus million he has already made. Maybe the Cardinals, with a history of bad drafting, miscalculated his true talent. Former defensive line coach Joe Greene was the one who scouted Bryant and gave the 'thumbs up' on drafting him. And we all know how pathetic Greene was in his time here.
Whatever the case may be, Bryant's arrest is a slap in the face to Green. And it's something he has to deal with. Bryant is now in the "program" after being arrested for an alcohol-related charge. He can be randomly tested between 8 and 10 times per month and must stay clean for two years to get out of the program. Problem is, the way Bryant has played, he might not be in the league when his probation is over.
Green can send a strong message to his team now that it's not just about what you do on the field, but also off it. That when you are trying to build a fan base, bad publicity is not a good thing. No matter how much money you make, or where you're drafted, you are accountable for your actions. Based on the way he has played, I don't think anyone will miss Bryant if he is gone. Nobody noticed him when he was here.
Green has done everything right so far. He is going to have a few years to turn this thing around. No matter how much he talks about winning now, it's just not realistic. He will be given a chance to build the team in his image over the next two to three years before he is properly judged. So far he is off to a good start. And if he wants to continue to change the perception of this team and if he truly cares about how his players are viewed in the community, then he has only one choice with Wendell Bryant: Say goodbye. [/font]