Defensive end a permanent Dockett spot

[azdad1978]

By Darren Urban, Tribune

PRESCOTT - Earlier in the day Wednesday, Cardinals coach Dennis Green all but locked rookie Darnell Dockett — drafted specifically because he could play the “under” tackle in Green’s scheme — into being the starting left defensive end this season.

“I think end is going to be his position for what we are going to do this year,” Green said, “and it might be his position forever.”

The choice became more clear later Wednesday, when further tests showed that backup left defensive end Fred Wakefield has a stress fracture in his right foot. While the team was not putting any official timetable on his return, Wakefield believes he will be out six to eight weeks.

Wakefield is the fourth Cardinal to suffer a long-term injury in training camp, after running back Marcel Shipp (out for the season, broken leg), receiver Anquan Boldin (out until mid-October, knee), defensive tackle Kenny King (out for the season, wrist) and fullback James Hodgins (out until mid-September, shoulder). Receiver Bryant Johnson has also missed all of camp with a foot fracture.

The Wakefield injury isn’t critical simply because of the sheer number of ends on the roster. Besides starters Dockett and Bertrand Berry, the Cards still have Kyle Vanden Bosch, Calvin Pace, Antonio Smith and Dennis Johnson. Johnson, who rarely gets reps in practice, will likely be cut.

Meanwhile, Ross Kolodziej, who has little NFL experience, is going to be the team’s starting under tackle. He hasn’t played in a regular season game since 2001.

“The NFL is hard on fourth- and fifth-year players,” Green said. “Bert Berry was out of the league for a year. We are always looking for guys who want to play.”

The Cards picked up tackle Cedric Hilliard on waivers Tuesday and likely will find someone else after other teams make cuts. It is notable that tackle Wendell Bryant is looking more impressive in practices.

MORE NEW GUYS

Green continued to flood the roster will possible players by claiming three more players from waivers Wednesday: defensive tackle Joe Tafoya (cut by Chicago), linebacker Justin Smith (St. Louis) and receiver Derek McCoy (St. Louis). The Cardinals have now claimed 10 players off waivers during training camp.

Hilliard and receiver Lawrence Hamilton, claimed Tuesday, were at practice Wednesday. Receiver Scotty Anderson, also claimed Tuesday, is expected at practice this morning.

EXTRA POINTS

The Cardinals have a final hard practice this morning at 9:30 a.m. and then a special teams workout at 4 p.m. The team concludes its time in Prescott with a 10:30 a.m. practice Friday before breaking camp for the season. . . .

Receiver Larry Fitzgerald (sprained ankle) tried to do some light jogging and cutting catching the ball, but still looked very gimpy. Green said he didn’t expect Fitzgerald to play again in the preseason.

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=26964

 

[spanky1]

If this experiment with Dockett at DE is to last, he needs to drop about 15 lbs.

As skkorp has said, if you listen to Green's subtle comments and watch his manipulation of players to positions, you can learn things about how he is planning his roster. In this case what I'm hearing/seeing is that Green is getting more comfortable with Wendall Bryant's progress.......enough to perhaps see him as a starter soon.

A D-Line of Dockett; Davis; Bryant and Berry if all are firing on 8 cylinders would be a potential juggernaut.

 

[pinnacle]

spanky1 - I hope you are correct on the Wendall thing...

 

[Tangodnzr]

I do agree that last game I thought Bryant looked like he was coming along OK.

But....I was NOT impressed much with Dockett's play at DE.

That's one of the area's that I'll be paying close attentin to in this game.


IF..Dockett starts showing somethng at DE, then I agree...the DL could be "decent"..

Right now, just replacing Kolozodiej, would appear to be a huge upgrade.

 

[slanidrac16]

If this experiment with Dockett at DE is to last, he needs to drop about 15 lbs.

As skkorp has said, if you listen to Green's subtle comments and watch his manipulation of players to positions, you can learn things about how he is planning his roster. In this case what I'm hearing/seeing is that Green is getting more comfortable with Wendall Bryant's progress.......enough to perhaps see him as a starter soon.

A D-Line of Dockett; Davis; Bryant and Berry if all are firing on 8 cylinders would be a potential juggernaut.

Maybe not a juggernaut. Watching Davis last week if you ask him to do anything more than take 1 step forward and hold his ground, then you are asking too much. Dockett has a long way to go at de and I wouldn't expect much from him, at least in the first half of the season. Berry has already showed me he is the best de we've had since the ebonic man, Rice. Bryant could be the biggest surprise when camp breaks. The next 2 weeks should tell us volumes.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

A D-Line of Dockett; Davis; Bryant and Berry if all are firing on 8 cylinders would be a potential juggernaut.

Key word being potential. Excluding Berry, the other three have about ten career sacks so let's not go lumping them with the term juggernaut quite yet.

 

[spanky1]

Maybe not a juggernaut. Watching Davis last week if you ask him to do anything more than take 1 step forward and hold his ground, then you are asking too much. Dockett has a long way to go at de and I wouldn't expect much from him, at least in the first half of the season. Berry has already showed me he is the best de we've had since the ebonic man, Rice. Bryant could be the biggest surprise when camp breaks. The next 2 weeks should tell us volumes.

All we want out of Davis is to have him hold off multiple blockers for however long it takes for the LB's to tackle the RB.

You are right, rarely does a rookie DE make an inmpact right off the bat......but having said that, Peppers came to play from day 1. I know, Dockett ain't no Peppers as of now, but if he can learn this position, he's mean enough to reek havoc.

If (and I'm keeping my fingers crosssed here big time) Bryant crosses the three year DT threshold and turns out to be a penetrating DT to apply QB pressure, we might, just might be on to something.

The next two weeks will definitely be critical for both Dockett and Bryant.

 

[Ryanwb]

This is the worst news of trainning camp..... Dockett is a DT, play him there!!!

 

[clif]

not a such a bad thing. I thought he was raw but has some strength to make the transition... He needs some moves and seasoning but there may be a future for him there ar DE. Certainly worth another look

 

[az jam]

Spanky 1 says:

If this experiment with Dockett at DE is to last, he needs to drop about 15 lbs.

You are right on that as he is pushing 300 lbs (at least that was his listed weight). Most DEs are in the 260 to 280 lb range.

 

[joeshmo]

His playing weight while in college was 289. That is probably his goal weight.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

If this experiment with Dockett at DE is to last, he needs to drop about 15 lbs.

As skkorp has said, if you listen to Green's subtle comments and watch his manipulation of players to positions, you can learn things about how he is planning his roster. In this case what I'm hearing/seeing is that Green is getting more comfortable with Wendall Bryant's progress.......enough to perhaps see him as a starter soon.

A D-Line of Dockett; Davis; Bryant and Berry if all are firing on 8 cylinders would be a potential juggernaut.

It's more likely Dockett - Bryant (at the under) - Davis - Berry... don't you think?

 

[Russ Smith]

His playing weight while in college was 289. That is probably his goal weight.

Bingo, and scouts questioned if he was even that big, he was in the high 270's low 280's most of his college career.

Ironically of course he GAINED weight to help his draft status, that's why this has got to be a big stunner to him now.

I'll give it a go, my inclination is he's probably a better UT than a DE but playmakers make plays and that's why Green drafted him, to make plays.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

This is the worst news of trainning camp..... Dockett is a DT, play him there!!!

 

[Buckybird]

Denny must have taken a hit off of Ricky Williams' bong if he thinks Dockett
will be our full time DE!!!
Some of the moves DG has made are puzzling.

 

[HeavyB3]

Wasn't everyone raving about Dennis Johnson? Oh well, guess he's gone...

 

[Russ Smith]

Wasn't everyone raving about Dennis Johnson? Oh well, guess he's gone...

In hindsight it's probably not too wise to count on big improvement from a guy who entered college as the top rated HS player in America, and left as a 3rd rounder.

I was one who bought into DJ had the talent, just needed to work harder and get "coached up". But if he can't get on the field now, DG either has it in for him, or more likely he's not showing anything to earn the reps. I keep reading he's barely getting any work in camp, it would appear Green saw enough and didn't like what he saw.

 

[Wild Card]

In hindsight it's probably not too wise to count on big improvement from a guy who entered college as the top rated HS player in America, and left as a 3rd rounder.

I was one who bought into DJ had the talent, just needed to work harder and get "coached up". But if he can't get on the field now, DG either has it in for him, or more likely he's not showing anything to earn the reps. I keep reading he's barely getting any work in camp, it would appear Green saw enough and didn't like what he saw.

Russ:

It's only fair to note that Dennis Johnson declared for the draft a year early, and was taken in the third. In hindsight, he might have been better served to have played his senior year, and added some bulk before trying to make it in the NFL.

If Johnson gets cut, I'll bet he's picked up and plays somewhere else.

WC

 

[Wild Card]

Denny must have taken a hit off of Ricky Williams' bong if he thinks Dockett will be our full time DE!!! Some of the moves DG has made are puzzling.

BB:

Here's Pro Football Weekly's take from earlier this week. You're not the only one who's puzzled by this move, apparently:

Cardinals head coach Dennis Green initially decided to move rookie Darnell Dockett from the “under” tackle position to left end because he wanted to get both Dockett and second-year DL Kenny King, who had been having an outstanding camp at the “under” position, on the field at the same time in the team’s first-string defense. But after learning last week that King was out for the season and would need surgery on his right wrist for the second time since February after reinjuring it in the Cardinals’ preseason opener, the smart money seemed to suggest Dockett would remain inside.

Green, however, has gone against the grain again, deciding to keep Dockett at left end. Quite simply, we’re told, Green believes the team’s third-round pick is a better candidate to fill the position than holdovers Fred Wakefield and Dennis Johnson, both of whom we hear could be in danger of being released (especially Johnson). The problem is, though, that the Cardinals are now terribly thin at the DT position with Russell Davis and journeyman Ross Kolodziej, who hasn’t appeared in a game since 2001, suddenly holding down the starting jobs.

It would seem Dockett, who had been touted by Green as a natural for the “under” role, would offer a much better partial alternative, but it appears Dockett will remain the starting left end until further notice. How does Dockett feel about this? The way we hear it, he wasn’t real crazy at all about bouncing to a new position and was feeling more than a little overwhelmed having to learn two positions. With more shuffling on the D-line quite likely if Green remains true to form, though, Dockett better get used to not feeling too comfortable.​

Darnell better be careful. Dennis doesn't like being second-guessed by his players. Just ask Pete Kendall.

WC

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Denny must have taken a hit off of Ricky Williams' bong if he thinks Dockett
will be our full time DE!!!
Some of the moves DG has made are puzzling.

Why is that? Everyone questioned starting Stepanovich and he he now looks good.Everyone questioned moving Big to LT and he's already a better LT than Shelton.What do you want,Fred Wakefield manning the spot?To judge Dockett after 1 game at DE is nonsense.Green is getting his best 4 D-linemen on the field.Bryant,i thought,played pretty well last game and will make the DT rotation deep enough. I like the move,especially if he can generate a pass rush from that side of the ball.

 

[BuckeyeCardinal]

Kozlodzejajei whatever and Wendall fighting it out for a starting job?

That does not excite me or instill much confidence in me that we can stop the run.

Where are Bell and Tanner when ya need em?

 

[joeshmo]

Where are Bell and Tanner when ya need em?

I hope you were being sarcastic. If not then:

One hasnt found a job yet and the other is a 3rd stringer and on the verge of getting cut in Detriot.

Yah I wish we had those guys back.

 

[CardNots]

Kozlodzejajei whatever and Wendall fighting it out for a starting job?

That does not excite me or instill much confidence in me that we can stop the run.

Where are Bell and Tanner when ya need em?

I still can not understand why Bell was released. Would somebody explain this to me?

 

[Shuesters2]

Cards D-line... and jugernaut in the same sentence! Pass some of that Cardinal kool-aid this way.

Shuesters

 

[Buckybird]

Why is that? Everyone questioned starting Stepanovich and he he now looks good.Everyone questioned moving Big to LT and he's already a better LT than Shelton.What do you want,Fred Wakefield manning the spot?To judge Dockett after 1 game at DE is nonsense.Green is getting his best 4 D-linemen on the field.Bryant,i thought,played pretty well last game and will make the DT rotation deep enough. I like the move,especially if he can generate a pass rush from that side of the ball.

Name another 6-4, 301lb DE who can rush the QB? Most DE's in the league
are 260-280 and can get upfield. I just don't see it.