Cards release first depth chart

[MadCardDisease]

http://blog.azcardinals.com/2014/08/04/the-first-depth-chart-3/

 

[splitsecond]

I totally missed that we signed Max Starks. Our OL personnel is really impressive considering how it has been the last few years.

A couple things jump out at me right away: (1) Shaughnnessy over Acho and (2) Abraham is still listed #1 at the WILL slot.

 

[Shaggy]

Also, looks like Peterson is still on the PR list, and Lindley is 3rd in the depth chart still.

 

[BullheadCardFan]

That list has Watford as 2nd LG and not even listed for RG.

Has Fanaika beaten him out already or is it insurance for Cooper being ready in time?

 

[Garthshort]

Running backs are a surprise to me. And by that I mean the backups to AE.

 

[gmabel830]

Couple quick thoughts (other than what's been mentioned):

1. Starks already ahead of Sowell doesn't bode well for Brad.
2. Demens ahead of Sims doesn't bode well for Ernie.
3. McCann over Teddy Williams on CB depth chart - they could be battling it out for a spot.
4. Walt Powell listed on both the PR/KR depth chart -- I wonder if special teams might be a factor if he and Juron Brown are battling for 1 spot.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Had to laugh at Sowell going from starting LT last year to #3 RT, so far, this year.

 

[BACH]

Only real surprise is Sowell behind Potter IMO. Not surprise that Sowell is behind Starks as they are different types. But Sowell behind Potter at LT is surprising to me to say the least.

Has Potter taken a step forward this off-season? Sowell was clearly better than Potter last year.

 

[BigRedRage]

Couple quick thoughts (other than what's been mentioned):

1. Starks already ahead of Sowell doesn't bode well for Brad.
2. Demens ahead of Sims doesn't bode well for Ernie.
3. McCann over Teddy Williams on CB depth chart - they could be battling it out for a spot.
4. Walt Powell listed on both the PR/KR depth chart -- I wonder if special teams might be a factor if he and Juron Brown are battling for 1 spot.

isnt juron a gunner on punt teams?

 

[GuernseyCard]

I think that Sowell being listed as #3 RT, simply reflects where he's been taking snaps this offseason. He still betters Potter as a backup LT. (IMO). Starks/Sowell as swing tackles strikes me as a better option than Starks/Potter.

 

[Chopper0080]

That list has Watford as 2nd LG and not even listed for RG.

Has Fanaika beaten him out already or is it insurance for Cooper being ready in time?

Fanaika has not lost the spot yet and Cooper is getting a message sent to him. In the end, I believe Watford will end up being the starting RG by the end of the season. I also believe Cooper starts the season at LG. The Cardinals are showing that they will not tolerate mental mistakes along the offensive line. That being said, they are also willing to make a change if those mistakes stop.

 

[GuernseyCard]

The tight end depth chart is interesting.

 

[Duckjake]

Rashad Johnson can't even beat out a guy who is injured and isn't able to practice.

 

[Mulli]

The marquee offensive free agent running back is 3rd string?

Wonderful

haha

 

[NJCardFan]

Am I the only one not exactly beaming at the prospects of Foote and Minter being our starting ILB's?

 

[gmabel830]

Am I the only one not exactly beaming at the prospects of Foote and Minter being our starting ILB's?

And the alternative at this point would be..... ???

 

[Darkside]

Am I the only one not exactly beaming at the prospects of Foote and Minter being our starting ILB's?

I'm not beaming either (I don't think anyone is). Foote is what he is, he's not going to bring anything we haven't seen during his career. I do think Minter isn't getting his due though, probably because he's a rook. I posted awhile back his stats his last year and he was a tackling machine. There were 2 or 3 games that he completely took over. His coverage ability is untested (it's not bad, as some people want to portray, it's merely untested at this level). At least Minter can offer up a surprise or two.

I would also like to add, I think Bowles can scheme his way, partially, out of our weakened middle. Especially considering our talent up front and on the back end. That is a lot of pieces to play with. Even though we're weakened, we still have more pieces and players to play with than a lot of teams on defense.

Someone posted an article last week about TM and the other rookie corners, and in that article they discussed Bowles schemes. One of the things that stood out is that he will use virtually any and every defensive scheme available during any given play, but what separates him is that the defense could transition out of the scheme into something else as the play was happening. That is something different--I don't know if it's necessarily innovative, but it stood out to the author of the article and to me as well.

So not only does Bowles have the pieces he needs--probably more talent than he's ever had, even minus our LB's--but he has the knowledge to maneuver those pieces into positions where they can be effective.

I'm not saying losing DWash and Dansby won't matter. It will, there's no way it couldn't. I would expect more sustained drives, since our middle is weak and our LB's lack the range to cover out routes to the sidelines. But that doesn't equal more points given up necessarily. You may see our red zone defense improve statistically simply because more teams get there.

What worries me more than the loss of our LB's though is Palmer's propensity to throw INT's. With our weakened LB's and a weakened middle, you cannot give up field position and you cannot turn the ball over. I'm much more concerned about Palmer's turnovers than the loss of our LB's. People can say what they want about Palmer's improvement but he's already thrown a lot of picks in training camp. Yes, he's playing against great corners, yes, it's training camp, but we've had BAD QB's not throw the picks he's throwing in camp. Not only that, but reports state everything is underthrown when the INT's occur. Brown is a great speed weapon to have, but it's pointless if you're going to underthrow everything. He also underthrew a lot of balls to Floyd last year during real games and Floyd isn't even a burner.

(And don't get it twisted, Palmer is the best QB we've had since Warner, and many before Warner. But that isn't saying much. That's like offering a dude stranded in the desert some generic water and crackers: it's not a Saltine, it's not Arrowhead Mountain Spring Water, but it's the best thing you've had in this wasteland of a desert. It's like being at a bar with your buddies and they run out of your beer, you don't leave, you drink some other beer you can't pronounce which is always horrible, but you're so drunk on the beer that is Warner that anything even close seems like sweet delicious nectar. It's like when you make your kids a peanut butter and jelly sammich and you're basically out of jelly--your wife has left the jar basically empty in the fridge, but you're fooled, because 1. you're a guy and 2. it appears to have stuff in it because jelly remnants are spread around the inside of the glass--do you A. tell your screaming kids they can't have a sammich or do you B. scoup out all Jelly remains as thinly as possible and pretend it's a normal delicious and complete sandwich? It's like when you're with your buddy and you're trying to be cool and you have your eye on this girl, but she doesn't like you and likes your buddy, but her much less attractive and severely less athletic and flexible friend is totally interested: you don't say no way and screw your buddy over, much less yourself, you take your chances on her much less attractive friend, which is usually the one you'll end up marrying and having little screaming babies with. This is what happens. Now granted, the not-Saltine cracker may choke you to death earlier than you would have died, the not-Arrowhead Mountain Spring water may be laced with deadly algae, the non-Warner beer you drink could get you so drunk and sick that you never have a chance at the unathletic and unflexible girl you could have made screaming babies with, and the non-Jelly-peanut-butter sandwich you make could possibly make you wish you never met her unattractive friend in the first place, but this is what happens when your options are limited)

 

[Jetstream Green]

I will say this, no team would want to trade for "Mr. Potential going on three years/ I cannot learn a playbook" Housler