Evil Ash
Henchman Supreme
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/85040
March 2, 2007
Free agent season to be busy for Cardinals
Darren Urban, Tribune
Free agency has arrived for the Cardinals, and the team, according to coach Ken Whisenhunt, could add anywhere from four to eight new players.
But part of the intrigue for the Cards as they reshape their roster is which of their own free agents they will try to keep.
Arizona has 14 unrestricted free agents, and most will be allowed to walk.
Among those whom the team has at least some interest in retaining are: running back Marcel Shipp, tackle Leonard Davis and linebacker Orlando Huff.
Free agency began late Thursday night. Teams were not allowed to contact the agents for available players until then.
Both Whisenhunt and vice president of football operations Rod Graves have emphasized the desire to bring Shipp back.
Shipp’s agent, Brad Blank, said Thursday he expected to have a “couple conversations” with Graves early in free agency to see if Shipp’s return could work. One potential destination for Shipp likely dried up Thursday when the Detroit Lions traded for Tatum Bell.
The rumor mill also has suggested Shipp, who played at the University of Massachusetts, will get interest from New England. The Patriots are expected to dump veteran Corey Dillon.
While Shipp wants a chance to run the ball more often than he has been able to in Arizona, Blank said Shipp “has no opposition” to coming back to the Cards. Whisenhunt has said he wants another back to take some of the burden off starter Edgerrin James.
Davis told the Tribune two weeks ago he too wouldn’t mind returning to Arizona. But the Cards will not get into a bidding war. Davis’ eventual offers — with many national analysts and NFL scouts wondering about his production levels — may be the biggest unknown of all the potential NFL free agents.
Davis’ agent, Ryan Tollner, did not return a phone message Thursday. But after the Cards said two weeks ago they would not use their franchise-player tag to protect Davis, Tollner acknowledged the Cardinals “were anticipating a contract demand they could not meet.”
Of Arizona’s three restricted free agents, the Cardinals tendered an offer to just one — center Nick Leckey, who as expected received the “second-round” offer of $1.3 million. Leckey is supposed to battle for a starting job and — as Reggie Wells had been last year by a Buffalo offer — was primed to be hijacked by another team if the Cards had used the “low” tender.
Leckey could have been signed away for a sixth-round choice in that case. Instead, a team will have to give up a second-round pick, which is unlikely.
Somewhat surprisingly, the Cards did not tender offers to quarterback John Navarre and center Alex Stepanovich, although neither had shown enough to be worth the “low” tender salary of $850,000.
The Cards expect to spend between $15 million and $20 million in free agency, although Graves told the team Web site that none of the signings will be “flashy.”
Among those free agents the Cards are expected to have interest in include Baltimore fullback Ovie Mughelli, Detroit safety Terrence Holt and Cincinnati tight end Reggie Kelly.
Whisenhunt’s Pittsburgh ties might also lead the Cards to look into former Steelers linebacker Joey Porter, who was cut Thursday.
