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Jurecki's Preseason Wrap-Up and Bird Seed
by: Mike Jurecki
The Arizona Cardinals have trimmed down the roster to 53 players and really without any major surprises. The draft class survived with the exception of sixth-round draft pick Tony Gilbert who could end up on the practice squad. This is the first time in a long time that I can remember that an undrafted rookie free agent didn’t make the team. What this means is that the Cardinals have done a better job of drafting, which is evident in this rookie class and their contributions. It also helps when a team goes out and signs six to eight middle-tier free agents that automatically come in and help build the belly of a football team, which is depth.
Bird Seed
Q- How many teams finished unbeaten in the preseason last year? (See answer below)
How would you like your pie…Now that teams are game planning for the opening of the football season there are still a few players around the league worth looking into. Considering that special teams hasn’t looked real good during the preseason, it would be in the Redbirds best interest to take a look at former Cardinal MarTay Jenkins who was recently released by the Atlanta Falcons. Jenkins, 28, led the NFL in kickoff returns, averaging 28 yards in eight games before suffering a collarbone injury. He was offered a $400,000 signing bonus and a two-year contract at $800,000 a year to remain in the desert. However, he ended up signing with Atlanta for a one-year deal worth $530,000. The bottom line is that if he ends up here in Arizona, he’ll have to eat some humble pie. There are a few other teams (Green Bay Packers and New York Jets interested in him though). He can come in right away and be the kick returner and gunner, plus get back into the rotation at wide receiver which shouldn’t take him too long.
Anything left in the tank…Another player that comes to mind is 11-year veteran defensive end Marco Coleman who was voted to the Pro Bowl in 2000 with a career high of twelve sacks. His total career sacks are 61.5 coming from the left defensive end spot, normally known for stuffing the run. Due to a dislocated elbow, he has missed only five games in his career, four of them were in 2001. Coleman, 33, has flirted with coming to the Valley before, but he decided against it to sign with Jacksonville. Last year, Coleman started all sixteen games with the Jaguars; they saved 1.3 million against the cap by releasing him and he was due to make $755,000 this year. With the absence of Kyle Vanden Bosch who went down for the season with a knee injury and Marcus Bell on the shelf for at least a few weeks, Coleman is a player who can come in right away to help this team put pressure on the quarterback.
Were expectations too high?Second-year pro Jason McAddley didn’t have a great training camp. Now there are whispers that he isn’t 100%, and perhaps the concentration level is missing. When the top three receivers went down last year due to injuries, he made strides and made some plays. By him scratching the surface last year, the coaches believed that he could be one of the top receivers. Keep in mind, McAddley was a fifth-round pick and he’s still learning what it takes to be in the National Football League. In years past, the Cardinals have dressed four or five receivers on Sundays. Looking at the wide receivers as we speak, McAddley is fifth or sixth and because Kevin Kasper returns kicks, he will likely get the nod over McAddley. Production was down for McAddley during the preseason as he ended with one catch for six yards. He was fair returning kickoffs, looking tentative at times.
If its third and one, I know which way they’re running… Emmitt Smith’s play was limited during the preseason and Leonard Davis hasn’t played at all. These players are two vital parts of this offense. Both will be counted on with high expectations. If the preseason offense was intriguing, just imagine seeing both of them play at the same time.
Late pick-up…Due the to injuries of cornerbacks Duane Starks and Michael Stone, the Cardinals needed to go out and find a veteran corner with decent cover skills and someone who can contribute on special teams. Eight-year pro Emmanuel McDaniel is the guy. He’s been a nickel corner his entire career and will be counted on to help out with the young defensive backs. In 60 career games he has had eight starts plus eight interceptions.
Who’s driving the H2 Hummer…?If you cruise around the Valley lately you may notice an Arizona license plate “22 N AZ”. You can probably figure out the rest.
The breakdown of the 53 man roster…
Offense…26
QB-3 Blake, McCown, Parsons
RB-4 Smith, Shipp, Anderson, Scobey
FB-1 Hodgins (Bush is the backup)
WR-6 Foster, Gilmore, Boldin, Johnson, McAddley, Kasper
TE-3 Jones, Bush, Banks
OL-9- Shelton, Spikes, Kendall, Davis, Clement, Dishman, Wells, Starkey, Rogers
Defense…24
DL-8 Wakefield, Davis, Bryant, Pace, Bell, Tanner, King, Johnson
LB-7 Thompson, McKinnon, Fisher, Darling, Woods, Hayes, Young
DB-9 Barrett, Jackson, Wilson, Hill, Rhinehart, Lucas, Harris, McDaniel, Goss
Special teams…3
LS-1 Hodel
P-1 Player
K-1 Garmatica
Kick returner- 1-Kevin Kasper, 2-Josh Scobey…
Punt returner- 1-Auquan Boldin, 2-Bryant Johnson…
Long snapper- 1-Nate Hodel, 2-Frank Garcia, 3-Steve Bush
Oh by the way, this is what happens when a team finishes 4-0 in the preseason…
2003 Preseason Individual & Team Statistical “Leaders”… Elias Sports Bureau tracked stats
Rushing yards… Damien Anderson, NFC, 270
Justin Fargas (R), AFC, 215
Longest run from scrimmage… Damien Anderson, NFC, 82
Travis Henry, AFC, 62
Rushing yards per game… Arizona, NFC, 180.0
Oakland, AFC, 140.3
Interceptions… Arizona, NFC, 7
N.Y. Jets, AFC, 7
Sacks… Arizona, NFC, 16
New England, AFC, 19
Must read… confident or cocky?
(In Sports Illustrated NFL preview magazine about Jeff Blake and the Cardinals)
Listening to Jeff Blake talk about this year's Cardinals, you want to shake him, snap him out of his delusional state. Blake, Arizona's new starting quarterback, is discussing his team's prospects this year. "I guarantee you, we are going to turn this franchise around -- myself, Emmitt and Coach Mac," says Blake. "Every year, a team no one thinks is any good goes to the playoffs. I've played in the worst place there is, and I'm telling you, this team will win some games." He says this with a megawatt smile lighting up his face. Which seems appropriate -- until you realize he's not joking
Blake, who started for the Bengals from 1994 to '99, does know something about losing… A much-maligned quarterback who is playing for his fourth team in the last five seasons and has a giant chip on his shoulder.
Oddly enough, that's just what the team has lacked. "We need a guy like Jeff, someone who's a bit angry, who feels like he has something to prove," says Dave McGinnis, in his third full season as the Cardinals' coach. "Everywhere he's been, he's proved he can play, and then they've decided they want someone else. Here, he's the guy. The team has taken to him, and he's been great, particularly for the young receivers."
Blake heartily endorses himself as well. "Everybody says the Cardinals are doormats," Blake says. "I've tried to show the guys that perceptions are worth nothing. It might not happen overnight, but I want to get this team fixed."
In Blake the Cardinals have found the ultimate company man, relentlessly optimistic in the face of certain disaster. Asked why things will be different in the Valley of the Sun this time, he points to his career touchdown-to-interception ratio (119 to 83) versus Jake Plummer's (90 to 114) and his experience with untested receivers. "And I still throw the best ball in the league," he says. "It ain't no secret."
A- Both Teams that finished 4-0 in the preseason last year, made the playoffs
2002- Atlanta Falcons 4-0, New York Jets 4-0…
How many this year?
(2003- Arizona 4-0, Carolina 4-0, New England 4-0, Tennessee 4-0)
Practice Squad players…
FB- Josh Rue
TE- Lorenzo Diamond
OL-Tony Wragge
LB-Tony Gilbert
DE-Alton Moore
It appears that the Cardinals are going to wait until next week when it comes to signing veteran free agents. ????
Jurecki's Preseason Wrap-Up and Bird Seed
by: Mike Jurecki
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The Arizona Cardinals have trimmed down the roster to 53 players and really without any major surprises. The draft class survived with the exception of sixth-round draft pick Tony Gilbert who could end up on the practice squad. This is the first time in a long time that I can remember that an undrafted rookie free agent didn’t make the team. What this means is that the Cardinals have done a better job of drafting, which is evident in this rookie class and their contributions. It also helps when a team goes out and signs six to eight middle-tier free agents that automatically come in and help build the belly of a football team, which is depth.
Bird Seed
Q- How many teams finished unbeaten in the preseason last year? (See answer below)
How would you like your pie…Now that teams are game planning for the opening of the football season there are still a few players around the league worth looking into. Considering that special teams hasn’t looked real good during the preseason, it would be in the Redbirds best interest to take a look at former Cardinal MarTay Jenkins who was recently released by the Atlanta Falcons. Jenkins, 28, led the NFL in kickoff returns, averaging 28 yards in eight games before suffering a collarbone injury. He was offered a $400,000 signing bonus and a two-year contract at $800,000 a year to remain in the desert. However, he ended up signing with Atlanta for a one-year deal worth $530,000. The bottom line is that if he ends up here in Arizona, he’ll have to eat some humble pie. There are a few other teams (Green Bay Packers and New York Jets interested in him though). He can come in right away and be the kick returner and gunner, plus get back into the rotation at wide receiver which shouldn’t take him too long.
Anything left in the tank…Another player that comes to mind is 11-year veteran defensive end Marco Coleman who was voted to the Pro Bowl in 2000 with a career high of twelve sacks. His total career sacks are 61.5 coming from the left defensive end spot, normally known for stuffing the run. Due to a dislocated elbow, he has missed only five games in his career, four of them were in 2001. Coleman, 33, has flirted with coming to the Valley before, but he decided against it to sign with Jacksonville. Last year, Coleman started all sixteen games with the Jaguars; they saved 1.3 million against the cap by releasing him and he was due to make $755,000 this year. With the absence of Kyle Vanden Bosch who went down for the season with a knee injury and Marcus Bell on the shelf for at least a few weeks, Coleman is a player who can come in right away to help this team put pressure on the quarterback.
Were expectations too high?Second-year pro Jason McAddley didn’t have a great training camp. Now there are whispers that he isn’t 100%, and perhaps the concentration level is missing. When the top three receivers went down last year due to injuries, he made strides and made some plays. By him scratching the surface last year, the coaches believed that he could be one of the top receivers. Keep in mind, McAddley was a fifth-round pick and he’s still learning what it takes to be in the National Football League. In years past, the Cardinals have dressed four or five receivers on Sundays. Looking at the wide receivers as we speak, McAddley is fifth or sixth and because Kevin Kasper returns kicks, he will likely get the nod over McAddley. Production was down for McAddley during the preseason as he ended with one catch for six yards. He was fair returning kickoffs, looking tentative at times.
If its third and one, I know which way they’re running… Emmitt Smith’s play was limited during the preseason and Leonard Davis hasn’t played at all. These players are two vital parts of this offense. Both will be counted on with high expectations. If the preseason offense was intriguing, just imagine seeing both of them play at the same time.
Late pick-up…Due the to injuries of cornerbacks Duane Starks and Michael Stone, the Cardinals needed to go out and find a veteran corner with decent cover skills and someone who can contribute on special teams. Eight-year pro Emmanuel McDaniel is the guy. He’s been a nickel corner his entire career and will be counted on to help out with the young defensive backs. In 60 career games he has had eight starts plus eight interceptions.
Who’s driving the H2 Hummer…?If you cruise around the Valley lately you may notice an Arizona license plate “22 N AZ”. You can probably figure out the rest.
The breakdown of the 53 man roster…
Offense…26
QB-3 Blake, McCown, Parsons
RB-4 Smith, Shipp, Anderson, Scobey
FB-1 Hodgins (Bush is the backup)
WR-6 Foster, Gilmore, Boldin, Johnson, McAddley, Kasper
TE-3 Jones, Bush, Banks
OL-9- Shelton, Spikes, Kendall, Davis, Clement, Dishman, Wells, Starkey, Rogers
Defense…24
DL-8 Wakefield, Davis, Bryant, Pace, Bell, Tanner, King, Johnson
LB-7 Thompson, McKinnon, Fisher, Darling, Woods, Hayes, Young
DB-9 Barrett, Jackson, Wilson, Hill, Rhinehart, Lucas, Harris, McDaniel, Goss
Special teams…3
LS-1 Hodel
P-1 Player
K-1 Garmatica
Kick returner- 1-Kevin Kasper, 2-Josh Scobey…
Punt returner- 1-Auquan Boldin, 2-Bryant Johnson…
Long snapper- 1-Nate Hodel, 2-Frank Garcia, 3-Steve Bush
Oh by the way, this is what happens when a team finishes 4-0 in the preseason…
2003 Preseason Individual & Team Statistical “Leaders”… Elias Sports Bureau tracked stats
Rushing yards… Damien Anderson, NFC, 270
Justin Fargas (R), AFC, 215
Longest run from scrimmage… Damien Anderson, NFC, 82
Travis Henry, AFC, 62
Rushing yards per game… Arizona, NFC, 180.0
Oakland, AFC, 140.3
Interceptions… Arizona, NFC, 7
N.Y. Jets, AFC, 7
Sacks… Arizona, NFC, 16
New England, AFC, 19
Must read… confident or cocky?
(In Sports Illustrated NFL preview magazine about Jeff Blake and the Cardinals)
Listening to Jeff Blake talk about this year's Cardinals, you want to shake him, snap him out of his delusional state. Blake, Arizona's new starting quarterback, is discussing his team's prospects this year. "I guarantee you, we are going to turn this franchise around -- myself, Emmitt and Coach Mac," says Blake. "Every year, a team no one thinks is any good goes to the playoffs. I've played in the worst place there is, and I'm telling you, this team will win some games." He says this with a megawatt smile lighting up his face. Which seems appropriate -- until you realize he's not joking
Blake, who started for the Bengals from 1994 to '99, does know something about losing… A much-maligned quarterback who is playing for his fourth team in the last five seasons and has a giant chip on his shoulder.
Oddly enough, that's just what the team has lacked. "We need a guy like Jeff, someone who's a bit angry, who feels like he has something to prove," says Dave McGinnis, in his third full season as the Cardinals' coach. "Everywhere he's been, he's proved he can play, and then they've decided they want someone else. Here, he's the guy. The team has taken to him, and he's been great, particularly for the young receivers."
Blake heartily endorses himself as well. "Everybody says the Cardinals are doormats," Blake says. "I've tried to show the guys that perceptions are worth nothing. It might not happen overnight, but I want to get this team fixed."
In Blake the Cardinals have found the ultimate company man, relentlessly optimistic in the face of certain disaster. Asked why things will be different in the Valley of the Sun this time, he points to his career touchdown-to-interception ratio (119 to 83) versus Jake Plummer's (90 to 114) and his experience with untested receivers. "And I still throw the best ball in the league," he says. "It ain't no secret."
A- Both Teams that finished 4-0 in the preseason last year, made the playoffs
2002- Atlanta Falcons 4-0, New York Jets 4-0…
How many this year?
(2003- Arizona 4-0, Carolina 4-0, New England 4-0, Tennessee 4-0)
Practice Squad players…
FB- Josh Rue
TE- Lorenzo Diamond
OL-Tony Wragge
LB-Tony Gilbert
DE-Alton Moore
It appears that the Cardinals are going to wait until next week when it comes to signing veteran free agents. ????
