? for Walter

[Lomax15]

Walter,
Who do you think are the best remaining free agents? Do you think we are waiting until June 1st to add veteran depth to TE, CB and possibly OT if we cut Shelton?

 

[spanky1]

Walter,
Who do you think are the best remaining free agents? Do you think we are waiting until June 1st to add veteran depth to TE, CB and possibly OT if we cut Shelton?

Well I'm not Walter, but the following is passed on FWIW.......there are currently six (6) TE's heading into camp, Eric Edwards (he was the starter for about the last five games a year ago and preformed well); Bobby Blizzard (who is playing well in NFLE); Adam Bergen (why he wasnt drafted, escapes me); Lorenzo Diamond (last years starter, but definitely "on the bubble" in 2005); A. Golliday ( remember Rowan, our new OC brought him over from KC). As a coach, Rowan has a knack for developing TE's......Tony Gonzales comes to mind. I'll bet that there is something here with this guy. Add in J. Benson (camp fodder no doubt) and the field is already crowded.

There will be no more TE's brought in before the season. Count on that.

People talk about a lack of veteran influence in the CB's.......Macklin has played at an above average level and is entering his 5th year.......Tate has a good seven years under his belt and Walls has five years behind him as well. With Rolle and Macklin and Green as our starters and Tate and Walls as our vets and add one of the other CB's on the roster and we are just fine. Remember, we have the nucleus of a rather impressive D overall. The role of the CB will be made a tad easier due to pressure from all areas of the secondary and front four. Take down the help wanted sign.

If Shelton is not part of Green's plans at the OT position, remember.......Newton and Reuber are held in high regard by Green and these two will make the opening day roster. We also have Wakefield to add some more competition and again. Reggie Wells can play OT in a pinch. Again, take down the wanted sign until 2006 at the earliest.

This team is is coming together in Green's vision. He's opening TC with 87 players. That's not many considering some teams have over a hundred.

Nope.....we are carving "the bust" at this point in time. No more additions are likely to happen (barring injury), before the end of TC. Given the way teams are managing their salary caps these days, there will not be a whole heck of a lot of decent stuff available based on the June 1st cuts.

I'm not Walter......but my guess he'd agree somewhat with this line of thinking.

 

[Pariah]

The role of the CB will be made a tad easier due to pressure from all areas of the secondary and front four. Take down the help wanted sign.

A agree that we almost certainly won't bring in another TE, but I'm not as sure as you are about the other positions. In fact, I think we will bring in another veteran CB. Macklin and Rolle and Green are certain to contribute this year, but Tate and Walls haven't really done much in the league to date. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Green grabbed a CB after the June 1 cuts--probably an older guy with a decent resume to play for a year while our young guys get some snaps under their belts.

If Shelton is released, I also think it's a 50/50 proposition that someone else is added for depth (and, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, I think it would be a mistake to release Shelton at this point).

 

[Russ Smith]

I'm quite happy with the hiring of Rowen at the moment but I'm not sure we can credit him with "developing" Tony Gonzalez. Gonzalez went to Cal as the top rated HS TE in the country, only playing basketball too held him back at Cal anybody that saw him play knew he was special. There's a reason he was a first round pick and basically Rowen was just the guy smart enough to realize he should FEATURE Gonzalez. I'm sure Rowen helped him improve but it's not like Gonzalez was Gates with no college FB or something he was a hell of a prospect when Rowen got ahold of him.

 

[CardinalLaw]

I'm quite happy with the hiring of Rowen at the moment but I'm not sure we can credit him with "developing" Tony Gonzalez. Gonzalez went to Cal as the top rated HS TE in the country, only playing basketball too held him back at Cal anybody that saw him play knew he was special. There's a reason he was a first round pick and basically Rowen was just the guy smart enough to realize he should FEATURE Gonzalez. I'm sure Rowen helped him improve but it's not like Gonzalez was Gates with no college FB or something he was a hell of a prospect when Rowen got ahold of him.

Tony Gonzales gave him alot of high praise after leaving, saying he wouldn't be the player he was with out him. Not really sure whether he ment it al or not but, he said it none the less. Anyway while looking for the article I found this and found it interesting First I hever heard he did all the goal line gameplanning.

Keith Rowen was not well known among Chiefs fans, but he was an integral part of putting together the team’s offensive game plan each week. He handled the short yardage and goal line package and there were few teams in the NFL better at the goal line over the last three years than the Chiefs.

 

[Skkorpion]

Spanky, good post but the NFL rules for training camp rosters have changed. Nobody is allowed to take a hundred players to camp. The limit is either 80 or 83 (number escapes me) but teams get waivers for every NFLEurope player as well.

So 87 is probably max for us.

 

[Russ Smith]

Tony Gonzales gave him alot of high praise after leaving, saying he wouldn't be the player he was with out him. Not really sure whether he ment it al or not but, he said it none the less. Anyway while looking for the article I found this and found it interesting First I hever heard he did all the goal line gameplanning.

Yeah I didn't mean to sound unhappy with Rowen I'm thrilled with him that Chief offense is an amazing example of the sum being better than the parts. They seem to take a bunch of unheralded guys and win with them, most of the OL wasn't highly drafted, holmes UDFA, Green not a high pick took years to get a QB job, most of the WR's weren't all the heralded. Gonzo was really the only highly touted guy that panned out.

I agree the redzone stuff is cool, probably a function of their great OL and Holmes but hopefully he can do the same kind of stuff here. I feel much better with Rowen than I did last year.

 

[CardLogic]

...there are currently six (6) TE's heading into camp, Eric Edwards (he was the starter for about the last five games a year ago and preformed well); Bobby Blizzard (who is playing well in NFLE); Adam Bergen (why he wasnt drafted, escapes me); Lorenzo Diamond (last years starter(???), but definitely "on the bubble" in 2005); A. Golliday ( remember Rowan, our new OC brought him over from KC). As a coach, Rowan has a knack for developing TE's......Tony Gonzales comes to mind. I'll bet that there is something here with this guy. Add in J. Benson (camp fodder no doubt) and the field is already crowded.

There will be no more TE's brought in before the season. Count on that.

Ah, have you forgotten that Freddie Jones was the stater last season... well, his tenure with the Cardinals was mostly forgettable!!!
And it's J. Bronson, who just might stick as a part of the "heavy package" i.e.- blocking TE. Golliday does figure to have the inside track though...

But I agree with you that they already have plenty of options.

IIRC, Denny brought in quite a few additions during training camp last year; and even into the season. I think it is a mark of a solid organization that they will bring in additional players at any point during the year (off-season, TC, season) if they are not satisfied with any particular postion and someone that could improve that position is available at the right $$$ amount, and other conditions.

Bottom line is the Cardinals roster set... don't count on it!!!

 

[Walter Mitchell]

Lomax: It will be interesting to see whether the Cardinals will add another free agent or two. Here are my thoughts.

At TE...for some reason I think DG is happy with the young talent he assembled in Edwards, Golliday, Bergen, Bronson, Blizzard and Diamond. The one UFA that intruiges me is Marcellus Rivers (Giants). If Kurt Warner likes him, maybe he would make sense. I don't think the Cardinals will make a play at Ken Dilger (Bucs), Rickey Dudley (Bucs), or Chad Lewis (Eagles)...at least not right now.

At CB...I think DG feels he's set for now, figuring that Rolle will start at LCB, Macklin at RCB, with Eric Green and Raymond Walls providing nickel skills and valuable competition for Rolle and Macklin. At this point, Robert Tate may be this year's Everett Lindsay...and wind up on the coaching staff, particularly if one of the young CBs like Lamont Reid, Aaron Francisco or Rhett Nelson emerges as a 5th corner.

At NT...this is where an addition is most likely...because the roster is thinnest at NT. The problem is, there aren't too many DT free agents left to choose from. The only names that stand out just a little bit on the list are: Ellis Johnson (Broncos/retired?), James Reed (Jets), Eric Downing (Chargers) and Kenny Smith (Saints). Smith was Kenny King's old teammate at Alabama...but is more of a DT/DE tweener, than a classic NT.

There still may be a chance that DG will snag G David Dixon at some point, if Dixon wants to play another season. His association with Green and Everett Lindsay could be an impetus.

The Cardinals have to find a free safety with cover 2 range. It will be interesting to see of Robert Griffith can play the deep half of the cover 2...something he's not been asked to do much. It would make sense to find a speedy cover 2 nickel safety who can get to the deep go patterns and fades up the sideline. This was Ohalete's problem...he didn't have the speed or the anticipation to get to the deep balls. Quentin Harris has a little better range, but he too isn't fast enough. Maybe CP will look at Raymond Walls to fill the role. Walls has the best speed of all the DBs. Aaron Francisco might surprise as well.

 

[BigDavis75]

Yeah I didn't mean to sound unhappy with Rowen I'm thrilled with him that Chief offense is an amazing example of the sum being better than the parts. They seem to take a bunch of unheralded guys and win with them, most of the OL wasn't highly drafted, holmes UDFA, Green not a high pick took years to get a QB job, most of the WR's weren't all the heralded. Gonzo was really the only highly touted guy that panned out.

I agree the redzone stuff is cool, probably a function of their great OL and Holmes but hopefully he can do the same kind of stuff here. I feel much better with Rowen than I did last year.

On the O-Line Roaf and Shields were 1st rounders I believe, and when Tait was there he was a first round selection.

 

[CoachBigDog]

Griffith will make it happen

Lomax: It will be interesting to see whether the Cardinals will add another free agent or two. Here are my thoughts.

At TE...for some reason I think DG is happy with the young talent he assembled in Edwards, Golliday, Bergen, Bronson, Blizzard and Diamond. The one UFA that intruiges me is Marcellus Rivers (Giants). If Kurt Warner likes him, maybe he would make sense. I don't think the Cardinals will make a play at Ken Dilger (Bucs), Rickey Dudley (Bucs), or Chad Lewis (Eagles)...at least not right now.

At CB...I think DG feels he's set for now, figuring that Rolle will start at LCB, Macklin at RCB, with Eric Green and Raymond Walls providing nickel skills and valuable competition for Rolle and Macklin. At this point, Robert Tate may be this year's Everett Lindsay...and wind up on the coaching staff, particularly if one of the young CBs like Lamont Reid, Aaron Francisco or Rhett Nelson emerges as a 5th corner.

At NT...this is where an addition is most likely...because the roster is thinnest at NT. The problem is, there aren't too many DT free agents left to choose from. The only names that stand out just a little bit on the list are: Ellis Johnson (Broncos/retired?), James Reed (Jets), Eric Downing (Chargers) and Kenny Smith (Saints). Smith was Kenny King's old teammate at Alabama...but is more of a DT/DE tweener, than a classic NT.

There still may be a chance that DG will snag G David Dixon at some point, if Dixon wants to play another season. His association with Green and Everett Lindsay could be an impetus.

The Cardinals have to find a free safety with cover 2 range. It will be interesting to see of Robert Griffith can play the deep half of the cover 2...something he's not been asked to do much. It would make sense to find a speedy cover 2 nickel safety who can get to the deep go patterns and fades up the sideline. This was Ohalete's problem...he didn't have the speed or the anticipation to get to the deep balls. Quentin Harris has a little better range, but he too isn't fast enough. Maybe CP will look at Raymond Walls to fill the role. Walls has the best speed of all the DBs. Aaron Francisco might surprise as well.

Like always it is a wait and see like everyone else but I can tell you that Robert Griffith will prove to be the most significant free agent pickup this year and for many years. If there are those who do not believe me then go to San Diego St. campus and watch this workout warrior workout....Rob is a stud and If DG wants him to play deep during cover 2 I know this veteran will come thru.

 

[Russ Smith]

On the O-Line Roaf and Shields were 1st rounders I believe, and when Tait was there he was a first round selection.

Roaf was taken by another team though.

I looked it up, Welbourn in round 4 by Philly, Wiegmann UDFA with the Colts, Waters a late round pick, Roaf was a first, and I think Shields was a 2nd but don't recall he's a 13 year vet. They have done a great job of plugging in guys and keeping the OL great, and Rowen was a big part of that so I hope he can help Lindsay here.