It's Official: Starting WILB Paris Lenon

[RugbyMuffin]

http://www.azcardinals.com/news-and...Remember/b99172de-b5c5-440f-a16c-521d77b36ea5

He’s Paris Lenon. He isn’t Karlos Dansby – the free agent whom Lenon is replacing and the linebacker who bolted the Cards for riches with the Miami Dolphins. Dansby had the name recognition. Lenon, despite his name's uniqueness, does not.



It hates me to disrespect our new player, but what an HUGE drop off at the position.

I really thought that Lenon was brought in for depth, but why would they run a story like this and state Lenon is the guy.

Sucks. ILB in the draft is a big time need now, it seems that Lenon is pencilled in to be the starter......ugh.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

http://www.azcardinals.com/news-and...Remember/b99172de-b5c5-440f-a16c-521d77b36ea5

He’s Paris Lenon. He isn’t Karlos Dansby – the free agent whom Lenon is replacing and the linebacker who bolted the Cards for riches with the Miami Dolphins. Dansby had the name recognition. Lenon, despite his name's uniqueness, does not.



It hates me to disrespect our new player, but what an HUGE drop off at the position.

I really thought that Lenon was brought in for depth, but why would they run a story like this and state Lenon is the guy.

Sucks. ILB in the draft is a big time need now, it seems that Lenon is pencilled in to be the starter......ugh.

Maybe they aren't targeting one in the draft.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Maybe they aren't targeting one in the draft.

It states later in the article that the plan is to bring in a stud MLB in the draft and wait till he beats Lenon out.

Tho, I would rather go the route you are talking about above.

 

[bg7brd]

http://www.azcardinals.com/news-and...Remember/b99172de-b5c5-440f-a16c-521d77b36ea5

He’s Paris Lenon. He isn’t Karlos Dansby – the free agent whom Lenon is replacing and the linebacker who bolted the Cards for riches with the Miami Dolphins. Dansby had the name recognition. Lenon, despite his name's uniqueness, does not.



It hates me to disrespect our new player, but what an HUGE drop off at the position.

I really thought that Lenon was brought in for depth, but why would they run a story like this and state Lenon is the guy.

Sucks. ILB in the draft is a big time need now, it seems that Lenon is pencilled in to be the starter......ugh.

Of course he's penciled in as the starter now. Big deal. Things can change before opening day.

“The plan is to find an inside linebacker high in the draft and watch him grow and wait until he eventually beats out Paris,” Davis said.
Which may happen during training camp.

 

[BigDavis75]

Of course he's penciled in as the starter now. Big deal. Things can change before opening day.

“The plan is to find an inside linebacker high in the draft and watch him grow and wait until he eventually beats out Paris,” Davis said.
Which may happen during training camp.

Wow, Davis actually said that? Pretty blunt.

 

[Stout]

Whew, I'm glad the thread title was an overreaction! Still, I absolutely HATE the snail-like pace we sometimes see from the coaches. So we're going to draft a stud ILB, but then wait until he develops and in the meantime start Lenon....uh, nonononono! You draft a stud ILB high and let him develop as he plays. If this staff and FO allows us to enter the season with Paris Lenon as a starter on defense, they will earn an EPIC FAIL!

 

[binkar]

“The plan is to find an inside linebacker high in the draft and watch him grow and wait until he eventually beats out Paris,” Davis said.

It's pretty clear we aren't content at the position, so there is no need to overreact.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

It states later in the article that the plan is to bring in a stud MLB in the draft and wait till he beats Lenon out.

Tho, I would rather go the route you are talking about above.

In this year's free agent market, the only inside LB that we could have signed that would preclude it being a priority was Dansby.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Whew, I'm glad the thread title was an overreaction! Still, I absolutely HATE the snail-like pace we sometimes see from the coaches. So we're going to draft a stud ILB, but then wait until he develops and in the meantime start Lenon....uh, nonononono! You draft a stud ILB high and let him develop as he plays. If this staff and FO allows us to enter the season with Paris Lenon as a starter on defense, they will earn an EPIC FAIL!

I'd let Davis and the LB coach decide on the learning curve for a rookie, and between now and then trust that the vet will make fewer mistakes that potentially cost games.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

In this year's free agent market, the only inside LB that we could have signed that would preclude it being a priority was Dansby.

Very true. But there were, and are better options than Lenon for the short term, IMO.

It is what it is now.

 

[Stout]

I'd let Davis and the LB coach decide on the learning curve for a rookie, and between now and then trust that the vet will make fewer mistakes that potentially cost games.

If we get one of the top ILBers, I don't see why they couldn't possibly start from day one. Willis did it. Why couldn't a guy like McClain, 'Spoon, or even Lee (who is considered arguably the most intelligent ILB in the draft)?

Aside from whether or not the team and coaches think a rookie is ready, if Paris Lenon starts for us on defense, we are screwed and I will absolutely blast the front office and, possibly, the coaching staff.

 

[Monty]

“The plan is to find an inside linebacker high in the draft and watch him grow and wait until he eventually beats out Paris,” Davis said.

It's pretty clear we aren't content at the position, so there is no need to overreact.

Exactly. This would indicate to me also that they are thinking one of the top ILB's in the draft can be obtained at #26. At least i hope it does.

 

[Shane]

Article is no big deal. I think any decent rookie will unseat him.

 

[Shzm13]

Pretty surprising that they would say were interested in a LB high in the draft. I mean, its pretty clear that we are, but teams usually play the smoke and mirrors game. I would have expected him to mask Lennons lack of talent as a "veteran LB with experience in many defenses" or something along those lines.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Pretty surprising that they would say were interested in a LB high in the draft. I mean, its pretty clear that we are, but teams usually play the smoke and mirrors game. I would have expected him to mask Lennons lack of talent as a "veteran LB with experience in many defenses" or something along those lines.

Cards and the Suns for that matter are usually up front about what they are going to do and use little smoke and mirrors. RB was expected last year. They weren't as open about DRC the year before, though. Before that, they were opening praising Levi Brown saying that he was a Joe Thomas equal.

 

[kerouac9]

Paris Lenon was still looking for a job into August last season. Even Darren wouldn't try and blow smoke up fans' kiesters that Paris Lenon is a good football player. I e-mailed him about Lenon two weeks ago and the response that I got was, "Well, if he's so bad why does he keep getting jobs?"

Saying that Paris Lenon is the starting WILB is just stating the obvious. Any well-drafted and -scouted rookie will take Paris Lenon's position before the end of the preseason.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

If we get one of the top ILBers, I don't see why they couldn't possibly start from day one. Willis did it. Why couldn't a guy like McClain, 'Spoon, or even Lee (who is considered arguably the most intelligent ILB in the draft)?

Aside from whether or not the team and coaches think a rookie is ready, if Paris Lenon starts for us on defense, we are screwed and I will absolutely blast the front office and, possibly, the coaching staff.

We simply don't know how NFL ready a rookie is, no matter his College credentials.

Willis and Cushing stepped in seamlessly; Curry after a good start, struggled mightily. The job of evaluating falls to the Coaches who have a duty to put the best player on the field - period.

Because - "We play to win the game... hello"!

And, frankly - at this point - you have absolutely no idea how well Paris will play with a much better supporting staff than he's had anywhere in his career.

 

[Duckjake]

I'd let Davis and the LB coach decide on the learning curve for a rookie, and between now and then trust that the vet will make fewer mistakes that potentially cost games.

Has Lenon ever played ILB in a 3-4? I don't think he has. Looks like he'll have a learning curve as well.

 

[ajcardfan]

This staff has done a pretty good job the first three years of finding marginal free agents who turned out to be good players for us. That's about all I got as a positive spin for this situation though.

I did try to tell some of you when he was signed that he wasn't just "camp fodder". Camp fodder is signed after the draft or during camp itself. Not during March.

 

[Shogun]

Wow. Yes, it was obvious from the start, but still startling for them to go that far and just blurt out at they're looking at ILB help. That cuts the list for the first two picks considerably.

I'm convinced they'll use one of the thirds to trade up in the second now.

 

[kerouac9]

We simply don't know how NFL ready a rookie is, no matter his College credentials.

Willis and Cushing stepped in seamlessly; Curry after a good start, struggled mightily. The job of evaluating falls to the Coaches who have a duty to put the best player on the field - period.

Because - "We play to win the game... hello"!

And, frankly - at this point - you have absolutely no idea how well Paris will play with a much better supporting staff than he's had anywhere in his career.

He played on some pretty good defenses in Green Bay from 2002 until 2005. The problem was that he wasn't good enough to crack the starting lineup with good defenses.

2002 - 12th overall, 3rd passing, 21st rushing, 12th scoring
2003 - 17th overall, 23rd passing, 10th rushing, 11th scoring
2004 - 25th overall, 25th passing, 14th rushing, 23rd scoring
2005 - 7th overall, 1st passing, 23rd rushing, 19th scoring

He's good enough to get PT for terrible defenses, though.

 

[Mitch]

We will have to see for ourselves about Lenon. Right now it's a great mystery as to what the Cardinals saw in him to actually prefer him over Larry Foote. I am hoping for the best.

The Hoping for the Best list:

1. Matt Leinart, QB.

2. Paris Lenon, WILB

3. Brandon Keith, RT or Herman Johnson, RT

4. Gabe Watson/Alan Branch, NT

5. Bryant McFadden or Greg Toler, RCB

6. Gerald Hayes, SILB

 

[Crazy Canuck]

We will have to see for ourselves about Lenon. Right now it's a great mystery as to what the Cardinals saw in him to actually prefer him over Larry Foote. I am hoping for the best.

The Hoping for the Best list:

1. Matt Leinart, QB.

2. Paris Lenon, WILB

3. Brandon Keith, RT or Herman Johnson, RT

4. Gabe Watson/Alan Branch, NT

5. Bryant McFadden or Greg Toler, RCB

6. Gerald Hayes, SILB

Alan Branch - DEFENSIVE END

 

[binkar]

We have to look at the Paris Lenon signing as an improvement to the roster because of the extreme lack of talent we have at that position. Although we are still grossly inadequate at ILB. We are better off with Lenon than we are with Highsmith/Walker (I think/hope). We obviously hope a talented rookie is there to unseat him, but at least we aren't still talking about Highsmith/Walker/Monty B. as our starting WILB.

 

[PJ1]

Of course he's penciled in as the starter now. Big deal. Things can change before opening day.

“The plan is to find an inside linebacker high in the draft and watch him grow and wait until he eventually beats out Paris,” Davis said.
Which may happen during training camp.

Actually, I think it happens when the pick is announced.