Cards Launch 3 Day Mini-Camp
by Kate Brandt
azcardinals.com
The Arizona Cardinals kicked off Mini-camp 2006 Friday morning at their south Tempe Training Facility.
“It went well,” said Head Coach Dennis Green following the morning session. “We caught a break in the weather. I think we were predicting 102 degrees and we don’t have anything like that and hopefully it will stay that way this weekend, but we had good work and good intensity.”
The Red Birds 2006 draft picks and the newly signed undrafted rookie free agents joined the Cards veterans for their first NFL practice.
“We had a chance to look at them a little bit,” said Green on the rookie class. “But they will get most of their work when they come back in May. There are still so many things that we are doing that they are not familiar with, but all of them jumped in when they could and so we had some excellent work today.”
“I wasn’t really nervous,” commented Cardinals first round draft pick Matt Leinart following his first NFL practice. “I just didn’t know what to expect coming out here with brand new guys and receivers. The timing is crucial and we’re big on rhythm so I just have to get that down. But yeah, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous, but I felt comfortable.”
“He throws a terrific ball, throws it high, and he’s tall of course, 6’5” and he has a very good release at the top,” said Green. “His ball carries shoulder to shoulder which is always very important. You never see his ball diving and it is easy to catch because it has a really nice touch on it. I think he is really enjoying throwing to the guys and they are enjoying him also.”
Leinart’s college accolades speak for themselves but his new role with the Cardinals is much different from what he is used to as the starting quarterback at USC. However, the former Heisman trophy winner has the luxury of learning from two time league MVP Kurt Warner.
“It is definitely different to be sitting back but it is a great situation for me to learn from a guy like Kurt,” admitted the California native. “Just to be able to sit and watch to see how he plays on all the coverages and get the coach’s perspective. Then when I do get in there I just have to make the most of my opportunities.”
“I think he’s sharp, he picked things up really well, I’m sure there were nerves and those kinds of things going on, first time out here,” said Warner. “The thing I really noticed was he was on top of things, got in there and called some plays and executed them and what else do you expect from day one?”
“He is giving me tidbits here and there about reading certain coverages on certain plays and he has been very helpful for the first day and I’m going to keep on asking him,” Leinart explained.
Although Leinart played in a similar offensive system in college, he admits it will take some time for him to get the play calling down.
“It is just repetition and saying it a lot because some of it gets a little wordy,” said the rookie quarterback. “I was excited to get out here and learn the plays and the system. This is really the veteran’s camp and as a rookie you just get thrown into the mix with all of the stuff, but we’ll have our rookie camp down the road.”
Leinart has dealt with the media frenzy surrounding the draft the past few months. For him, it was great to just get back to football.
“Oh man, its fun,” Leinart said. “I was very fortunate to play at USC with a lot of great players and NFL players, but here it is no different. These guys are the best of the best and just handing the ball of to Edge is pretty cool.”
The Cardinals return to the field Friday afternoon for another practice and will have two practices Saturday and one Sunday before wrapping up Mini-camp.
Injury Update
WR Zamir Cobb, CB Antrel Rolle, LB Gerald Hayes, LB Karlos Dansby, C Alex Stepanovich, G Reggie Wells and DE Anton Palepoi did not participate in practice.
by Kate Brandt
azcardinals.com
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The Arizona Cardinals kicked off Mini-camp 2006 Friday morning at their south Tempe Training Facility.
“It went well,” said Head Coach Dennis Green following the morning session. “We caught a break in the weather. I think we were predicting 102 degrees and we don’t have anything like that and hopefully it will stay that way this weekend, but we had good work and good intensity.”
The Red Birds 2006 draft picks and the newly signed undrafted rookie free agents joined the Cards veterans for their first NFL practice.
“We had a chance to look at them a little bit,” said Green on the rookie class. “But they will get most of their work when they come back in May. There are still so many things that we are doing that they are not familiar with, but all of them jumped in when they could and so we had some excellent work today.”
“I wasn’t really nervous,” commented Cardinals first round draft pick Matt Leinart following his first NFL practice. “I just didn’t know what to expect coming out here with brand new guys and receivers. The timing is crucial and we’re big on rhythm so I just have to get that down. But yeah, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous, but I felt comfortable.”
“He throws a terrific ball, throws it high, and he’s tall of course, 6’5” and he has a very good release at the top,” said Green. “His ball carries shoulder to shoulder which is always very important. You never see his ball diving and it is easy to catch because it has a really nice touch on it. I think he is really enjoying throwing to the guys and they are enjoying him also.”
Leinart’s college accolades speak for themselves but his new role with the Cardinals is much different from what he is used to as the starting quarterback at USC. However, the former Heisman trophy winner has the luxury of learning from two time league MVP Kurt Warner.
“It is definitely different to be sitting back but it is a great situation for me to learn from a guy like Kurt,” admitted the California native. “Just to be able to sit and watch to see how he plays on all the coverages and get the coach’s perspective. Then when I do get in there I just have to make the most of my opportunities.”
“I think he’s sharp, he picked things up really well, I’m sure there were nerves and those kinds of things going on, first time out here,” said Warner. “The thing I really noticed was he was on top of things, got in there and called some plays and executed them and what else do you expect from day one?”
“He is giving me tidbits here and there about reading certain coverages on certain plays and he has been very helpful for the first day and I’m going to keep on asking him,” Leinart explained.
Although Leinart played in a similar offensive system in college, he admits it will take some time for him to get the play calling down.
“It is just repetition and saying it a lot because some of it gets a little wordy,” said the rookie quarterback. “I was excited to get out here and learn the plays and the system. This is really the veteran’s camp and as a rookie you just get thrown into the mix with all of the stuff, but we’ll have our rookie camp down the road.”
Leinart has dealt with the media frenzy surrounding the draft the past few months. For him, it was great to just get back to football.
“Oh man, its fun,” Leinart said. “I was very fortunate to play at USC with a lot of great players and NFL players, but here it is no different. These guys are the best of the best and just handing the ball of to Edge is pretty cool.”
The Cardinals return to the field Friday afternoon for another practice and will have two practices Saturday and one Sunday before wrapping up Mini-camp.
Injury Update
WR Zamir Cobb, CB Antrel Rolle, LB Gerald Hayes, LB Karlos Dansby, C Alex Stepanovich, G Reggie Wells and DE Anton Palepoi did not participate in practice.
