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Cardinals report: Strategy and personnel
July 21, 2003
Inside slant | Notes, quotes, anecdotes
The Cardinals remain hopeful that three players chosen in the first two rounds in April will be signed by the opening of camp next week, but there appears to be nothing imminent to indicate that they will.
First-round picks Bryant Johnson, a receiver from Penn State, and Calvin Pace, a defensive end from Wake Forest, along with second-round pick Anquan Boldin, a receiver from Florida State, are expected to be key players and can ill afford to miss time.
DRAFT PICKS
Rd. 1/17 -- WR Bryant Johnson, Penn State -- Has good size (6-2, 214) but never hit a consistent stride in college even though he led his team in receiving for two years. Has decent speed (4.38 in his personal workout). Should become a starter as a rookie.
Rd. 1/18 -- DE Calvin Pace, Wake Forest -- Bigger (by 10 pounds) and faster (by a 10th of a second in the 40) than Terrell Suggs, the player most Cardinals fans wanted the team to draft if it had kept its No. 6 pick in the first round. Not as polished or as effective a pass rusher but a better chance of being an every-down contributor.
Rd. 2/54 -- WR Anquan Boldin, Florida State -- Tainted somewhat by major knee injury that cost him his junior season in college, but came back as a senior with huge production. Was a 4.4, 4.5 type guy before the injury. Has not regained that speed (4.75 at combine, 4.5 in a personal workout). A possession-type receiver.
Rd. 3/70 -- LB Gerald Hayes, Pittsburgh -- Played in the middle in college but probably will move outside with free agent James Darling set to challenge Ron McKinnon in the middle.
Rd. 5/141 -- DE Kenny King, Alabama -- A monster in the weight room (school-record 410-pound power clean) and in the classroom (three-time all-district academic all-American). Most observers believe he was a career under-achiever.
Rd. 6/210 -- MLB Tony Gilbert, Georgia -- The "other" linebacker with Boss Bailey in college. Has average speed but readily takes on blockers and stuffs the run. Special teams probably will be his ticket to a roster spot -- team desperately needs to improve special teams.
UNIT BY UNIT ANALYSIS
QUARTERBACK
Starter -- Jeff Blake. Backups -- Josh McCown, Preston Parsons.
Blake has experience, a strong arm, and history helping other struggling teams trying to get better. McCown and Parsons are young and raw.
RUNNING BACKS
Starters -- RB Emmitt Smith, FB James Hodgins. Backups -- RB Marcel Shipp, RB Josh Scobey, RB Damien Anderson.
It should be a strong 1-2 punch with Smith, the game's career rushing leader, and Shipp, who burst onto the scene midway through his rookie season, behind the massive Hodgins.
TIGHT END/H-BACK: Starter -- Freddie Jones. Backups -- Steve Bush, Mike Banks.
Jones had to step up last season as the team's receiving leader after a rash of injuries to the wideouts. He'll be counted on heavily again because the outside receiving corps is very inexperienced.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Starters -- Bryant Johnson, Larry Foster. Backups -- Anquan Boldin, Bryan Gilmore, Jason McAddley, Marquise Walker, Kevin Kasper, Jake Soliday, Zeke Parker, Nate Poole.
Plenty of names but very little experience. Someone in the group has to grow up quickly or the season will be another struggle for a one-dimensional offense.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Starters -- LT L.J. Shelton, LG Pete Kendall, C Jason Starkey, RG Leonard Davis, RT Anthony Clement. Backups -- C-G Frank Garcia, T Raleigh Roundtree, C Steve Grace, G Chris Dishman, T Kendrick Rogers, G Cameron Spikes, G Tony Wragge, T Reggie Wells.
The starters are big and experienced, but most of them also are coming back from injuries and/or surgeries, tempering enthusiasm. There will be a new face at center -- likely Starkey, Garcia or Grace -- after veteran Mike Gruttadauria was waived.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Starters -- LE Fred Wakefield, LT Russell Davis, RT Wendell Bryant, RE Kyle Vanden Bosch. Backups -- DE Calvin Pace, DE Kenny King, DE Dennis Johnson, DE Alton Moore, DT Barron Tanner, DT Marcus Bell, DT Nate Dwyer.
More than likely, Wakefield, the left-side starter for two seasons, will be ousted by Vanden Bosch or Pace, whichever isn't starting on the right. The unit has been last in the league in sacks for two years and never can seem to make the big stop against the run. Switching out of the two-gap scheme and drafting two ends might turn it around.
LINEBACKER
Starters -- OLB Ray Thompson, MLB Ron McKinnon, OLB Levar Fisher. Backups -- MLB-OLB James Darling, MLB Tony Gilbert, MLB-OLB Gerald Hayes, OLB Trev Faulk, MLB Michael Young, OLB LeVar Woods, OLB Greg Jones.
The outside spots are manned by exciting young players who have a multitude of skills. And both Thompson and Fisher have unbelievable motors. In the middle, Darling could unseat McKinnon after six years.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Starters -- CB Duane Starks, CB David Barrett, SS Adrian Wilson, FS Dexter Jackson. Backups -- S Justin Lucas, CB Renaldo Hill, CB Coby Rhinehart, CB Michael Stone, S Quentin Harris.
Starks is a strong cover guy when healthy, which was rare last season. Barrett is physical but lacks footspeed. The safeties are rangy and athletic. The problem is with third and fourth cover guys, shortcomings could will be exposed in the NFC West.
SPECIAL TEAMS
P Scott Player, K Bill Gramatica, LS Nathan Hodell, PR Anquan Boldin, KR Kevin Kasper. Others -- K Tim Duncan.
Player is among the best, having improved directional punting. Gramatica will have to hold off Duncan again in camp, as he did last year. Return specialists at present are anybody's guess. Needs drastic improvement on shoddy coverage teams.
PERSONNEL UPDATE
DRAFT CHOICES SIGNED
LB Gerald Hayes (3rd; $1.438M/3 yrs, $528,000 SB; 2003 cap: $401,000); DE Kenny King (5th; 3 yrs, unknown); LB Tony Gilbert (6th; 3 yrs, terms unknown); OT Reggie Wells (6th; 3 yrs, terms unknown).
VETERANS RE-SIGNED: RB Damien Anderson (potential ERFA; $300,000/1yr); CB David Barrett (RFA; $1.318M/1 yr); DT Russell Davis (UFA; $3.2M/3 yrs, $800,000 SB; 2003 cap: $1.067M); PK Tim Duncan (potential ERFA; $225,000/1yr); DT Nate Dwyer (ERFA; $225,000/1 yr); S Nijrell Eason (ERFA; $225,000/1 yr); LB Trev Faulk (ERFA; $300,000/1 yr); WR Bryan Gilmore (potential ERFA; $375,000/1yr); C Steven Grace (potential ERFA; $300,000/1 yr); S Quentin Harris (potential ERFA; $300,000/1 yr); LS Nathan Hodel (ERFA; $300,000/1 yr); LB Greg Jones (UFA; terms unknown); S Justin Lucas (RFA; $605,0001/ yr); WR Nathan Poole (ERFA; $300,000/1 yr); RB Travis Prentice (ERFA; $450,000/1 yr); CB Coby Rhinehart (UFA; $1.185M/2 yrs, $200,000 SB; 2003 cap: $550,000); OT Kendrick Rogers (potential ERFA; $225,000/1yr); OL Raleigh Roundtree (UFA; terms unknown); WR Jake Soliday (potential ERFA; $300,000/1yr); C Jason Starkey (RFA; $605,000/1 yr); DT Barron Tanner (UFA; $2.775M/3 yrs, $750,000 SB; 2003 cap: $925,000); OG Teag Whiting (ERFA; $225,000/1 yr); LB LeVar Woods (ERFA; $375,000/1 yr); OG Tony Wragge (ERFA; $300,000/1 yr); MLB Michael Young (potential ERFA; $300,000/1 yr).
VETERANS ACQUIRED
QB Jeff Blake (UFA Ravens; $7.5M/3 yrs, $1.5M SB; 2003 cap: $2.5M); LB James Darling (UFA Jets; $4.1M/4 yrs, SB unknown); WR Larry Foster (trade Lions); FB James Hodgins (FA Rams; $5M/4 yrs, $1M SB; 2003 cap: $1.150M); S Dexter Jackson (UFA Buccaneers; $14M/5 yrs, $2.75M SB); RB Emmitt Smith (FA Cowboys; $7.5M/2 yrs, $2.5M SB; 2003 cap: $3.75M); OG Cameron Spikes (UFA Texans; 2 yrs, terms unknown); WR Marquise Walker (trade Buccaneers).
VETERANS LOST
WR David Boston (UFA Chargers; $47.4M/7 yrs, $4M SB/$3M option SB '04/$3.9M base guarantee '04); DE Thomas Burke (not tendered as UFA); OT John Fina (not tendered as UFA); OLB Rob Fredrickson (not tendered as UFA); C Mike Gruttadauria (cut); WR/PR Arnold Jackson (not tendered as ERFA); WR MarTay Jenkins (UFA Falcons; 1 yr, terms unknown); RB Thomas Jones (trade Buccaneers); FS Kwamie Lassiter (not tendered as UFA/Chargers; 3 yrs, terms unknown); FB Joel Makovicka (not tendered as UFA); FB Dennis McKinley (cut); QB Jake Plummer (UFA Broncos; $40.7M/7 yrs, $7M SB/$6M option SB '05); MLB Johnny Rutledge (not tendered as UFA); WR Frank Sanders (UFA Ravens; $8.8M/4 yrs, $1.7M SB); RB Anthony White (not tendered as ERFA).
Cardinals report: Strategy and personnel
July 21, 2003
Inside slant | Notes, quotes, anecdotes
The Cardinals remain hopeful that three players chosen in the first two rounds in April will be signed by the opening of camp next week, but there appears to be nothing imminent to indicate that they will.
First-round picks Bryant Johnson, a receiver from Penn State, and Calvin Pace, a defensive end from Wake Forest, along with second-round pick Anquan Boldin, a receiver from Florida State, are expected to be key players and can ill afford to miss time.
DRAFT PICKS
Rd. 1/17 -- WR Bryant Johnson, Penn State -- Has good size (6-2, 214) but never hit a consistent stride in college even though he led his team in receiving for two years. Has decent speed (4.38 in his personal workout). Should become a starter as a rookie.
Rd. 1/18 -- DE Calvin Pace, Wake Forest -- Bigger (by 10 pounds) and faster (by a 10th of a second in the 40) than Terrell Suggs, the player most Cardinals fans wanted the team to draft if it had kept its No. 6 pick in the first round. Not as polished or as effective a pass rusher but a better chance of being an every-down contributor.
Rd. 2/54 -- WR Anquan Boldin, Florida State -- Tainted somewhat by major knee injury that cost him his junior season in college, but came back as a senior with huge production. Was a 4.4, 4.5 type guy before the injury. Has not regained that speed (4.75 at combine, 4.5 in a personal workout). A possession-type receiver.
Rd. 3/70 -- LB Gerald Hayes, Pittsburgh -- Played in the middle in college but probably will move outside with free agent James Darling set to challenge Ron McKinnon in the middle.
Rd. 5/141 -- DE Kenny King, Alabama -- A monster in the weight room (school-record 410-pound power clean) and in the classroom (three-time all-district academic all-American). Most observers believe he was a career under-achiever.
Rd. 6/210 -- MLB Tony Gilbert, Georgia -- The "other" linebacker with Boss Bailey in college. Has average speed but readily takes on blockers and stuffs the run. Special teams probably will be his ticket to a roster spot -- team desperately needs to improve special teams.
UNIT BY UNIT ANALYSIS
QUARTERBACK
Starter -- Jeff Blake. Backups -- Josh McCown, Preston Parsons.
Blake has experience, a strong arm, and history helping other struggling teams trying to get better. McCown and Parsons are young and raw.
RUNNING BACKS
Starters -- RB Emmitt Smith, FB James Hodgins. Backups -- RB Marcel Shipp, RB Josh Scobey, RB Damien Anderson.
It should be a strong 1-2 punch with Smith, the game's career rushing leader, and Shipp, who burst onto the scene midway through his rookie season, behind the massive Hodgins.
TIGHT END/H-BACK: Starter -- Freddie Jones. Backups -- Steve Bush, Mike Banks.
Jones had to step up last season as the team's receiving leader after a rash of injuries to the wideouts. He'll be counted on heavily again because the outside receiving corps is very inexperienced.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Starters -- Bryant Johnson, Larry Foster. Backups -- Anquan Boldin, Bryan Gilmore, Jason McAddley, Marquise Walker, Kevin Kasper, Jake Soliday, Zeke Parker, Nate Poole.
Plenty of names but very little experience. Someone in the group has to grow up quickly or the season will be another struggle for a one-dimensional offense.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Starters -- LT L.J. Shelton, LG Pete Kendall, C Jason Starkey, RG Leonard Davis, RT Anthony Clement. Backups -- C-G Frank Garcia, T Raleigh Roundtree, C Steve Grace, G Chris Dishman, T Kendrick Rogers, G Cameron Spikes, G Tony Wragge, T Reggie Wells.
The starters are big and experienced, but most of them also are coming back from injuries and/or surgeries, tempering enthusiasm. There will be a new face at center -- likely Starkey, Garcia or Grace -- after veteran Mike Gruttadauria was waived.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Starters -- LE Fred Wakefield, LT Russell Davis, RT Wendell Bryant, RE Kyle Vanden Bosch. Backups -- DE Calvin Pace, DE Kenny King, DE Dennis Johnson, DE Alton Moore, DT Barron Tanner, DT Marcus Bell, DT Nate Dwyer.
More than likely, Wakefield, the left-side starter for two seasons, will be ousted by Vanden Bosch or Pace, whichever isn't starting on the right. The unit has been last in the league in sacks for two years and never can seem to make the big stop against the run. Switching out of the two-gap scheme and drafting two ends might turn it around.
LINEBACKER
Starters -- OLB Ray Thompson, MLB Ron McKinnon, OLB Levar Fisher. Backups -- MLB-OLB James Darling, MLB Tony Gilbert, MLB-OLB Gerald Hayes, OLB Trev Faulk, MLB Michael Young, OLB LeVar Woods, OLB Greg Jones.
The outside spots are manned by exciting young players who have a multitude of skills. And both Thompson and Fisher have unbelievable motors. In the middle, Darling could unseat McKinnon after six years.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
Starters -- CB Duane Starks, CB David Barrett, SS Adrian Wilson, FS Dexter Jackson. Backups -- S Justin Lucas, CB Renaldo Hill, CB Coby Rhinehart, CB Michael Stone, S Quentin Harris.
Starks is a strong cover guy when healthy, which was rare last season. Barrett is physical but lacks footspeed. The safeties are rangy and athletic. The problem is with third and fourth cover guys, shortcomings could will be exposed in the NFC West.
SPECIAL TEAMS
P Scott Player, K Bill Gramatica, LS Nathan Hodell, PR Anquan Boldin, KR Kevin Kasper. Others -- K Tim Duncan.
Player is among the best, having improved directional punting. Gramatica will have to hold off Duncan again in camp, as he did last year. Return specialists at present are anybody's guess. Needs drastic improvement on shoddy coverage teams.
PERSONNEL UPDATE
DRAFT CHOICES SIGNED
LB Gerald Hayes (3rd; $1.438M/3 yrs, $528,000 SB; 2003 cap: $401,000); DE Kenny King (5th; 3 yrs, unknown); LB Tony Gilbert (6th; 3 yrs, terms unknown); OT Reggie Wells (6th; 3 yrs, terms unknown).
VETERANS RE-SIGNED: RB Damien Anderson (potential ERFA; $300,000/1yr); CB David Barrett (RFA; $1.318M/1 yr); DT Russell Davis (UFA; $3.2M/3 yrs, $800,000 SB; 2003 cap: $1.067M); PK Tim Duncan (potential ERFA; $225,000/1yr); DT Nate Dwyer (ERFA; $225,000/1 yr); S Nijrell Eason (ERFA; $225,000/1 yr); LB Trev Faulk (ERFA; $300,000/1 yr); WR Bryan Gilmore (potential ERFA; $375,000/1yr); C Steven Grace (potential ERFA; $300,000/1 yr); S Quentin Harris (potential ERFA; $300,000/1 yr); LS Nathan Hodel (ERFA; $300,000/1 yr); LB Greg Jones (UFA; terms unknown); S Justin Lucas (RFA; $605,0001/ yr); WR Nathan Poole (ERFA; $300,000/1 yr); RB Travis Prentice (ERFA; $450,000/1 yr); CB Coby Rhinehart (UFA; $1.185M/2 yrs, $200,000 SB; 2003 cap: $550,000); OT Kendrick Rogers (potential ERFA; $225,000/1yr); OL Raleigh Roundtree (UFA; terms unknown); WR Jake Soliday (potential ERFA; $300,000/1yr); C Jason Starkey (RFA; $605,000/1 yr); DT Barron Tanner (UFA; $2.775M/3 yrs, $750,000 SB; 2003 cap: $925,000); OG Teag Whiting (ERFA; $225,000/1 yr); LB LeVar Woods (ERFA; $375,000/1 yr); OG Tony Wragge (ERFA; $300,000/1 yr); MLB Michael Young (potential ERFA; $300,000/1 yr).
VETERANS ACQUIRED
QB Jeff Blake (UFA Ravens; $7.5M/3 yrs, $1.5M SB; 2003 cap: $2.5M); LB James Darling (UFA Jets; $4.1M/4 yrs, SB unknown); WR Larry Foster (trade Lions); FB James Hodgins (FA Rams; $5M/4 yrs, $1M SB; 2003 cap: $1.150M); S Dexter Jackson (UFA Buccaneers; $14M/5 yrs, $2.75M SB); RB Emmitt Smith (FA Cowboys; $7.5M/2 yrs, $2.5M SB; 2003 cap: $3.75M); OG Cameron Spikes (UFA Texans; 2 yrs, terms unknown); WR Marquise Walker (trade Buccaneers).
VETERANS LOST
WR David Boston (UFA Chargers; $47.4M/7 yrs, $4M SB/$3M option SB '04/$3.9M base guarantee '04); DE Thomas Burke (not tendered as UFA); OT John Fina (not tendered as UFA); OLB Rob Fredrickson (not tendered as UFA); C Mike Gruttadauria (cut); WR/PR Arnold Jackson (not tendered as ERFA); WR MarTay Jenkins (UFA Falcons; 1 yr, terms unknown); RB Thomas Jones (trade Buccaneers); FS Kwamie Lassiter (not tendered as UFA/Chargers; 3 yrs, terms unknown); FB Joel Makovicka (not tendered as UFA); FB Dennis McKinley (cut); QB Jake Plummer (UFA Broncos; $40.7M/7 yrs, $7M SB/$6M option SB '05); MLB Johnny Rutledge (not tendered as UFA); WR Frank Sanders (UFA Ravens; $8.8M/4 yrs, $1.7M SB); RB Anthony White (not tendered as ERFA).
