Long Made Roster: Cuts in!

[PoolBoy]

Totally agree!

I am also psyched that Highsmith and Walker made it.

Would have preferred Onrea over Long but oh well.

Raise your glass to Pope and Fransisco being gone!

i'll raise one of the many tonight to the departures.

 

[lobo]

Lastly, I think that very few players on this roster could hold Aaron Francisco's jock as a ST player. And had the Cardinals' FO have had the wisdom to sign a real cover FS last year, Francisco wouldn't be the consistent subject of scorn on this board. He clearly was not suited for that role. And it was a testament to his character when he slipped on the play where Santonio Holmes was left alone by the CB and missing LB up the seam and still got back up to make a TD saving tackle at the five yard line.[/quote]


great work mitch....you echoed my thoughts after i stopped crying on that nightmare evening....i don't know how so many people missed that play and what he did...he is as mentioned a heckuva special teams player....too bad.

 

[ajcardfan]

Kreider has been in the league for 10 years and is a battering ram.

Personally, I'm not that impressed. He doesn't keep his feet on blocks as well as Terelle Smith.

 

[joeshmo]

He would have been too big a cap hit if we cut him.

That and coach liked what he saw of him as a DE in preseason game #4. According to the presser he just did that is.

He provided a better option at DE in one preseason game then Dykes had shown in preseason.

If you can play more then one position it is only going to help your cause and I think Branch getting playing at DE that final game was a godsend for him making the team.

 

[ajcardfan]

I would hold off congratulations for a couple more days. My guess is that either Long or Byrd is cut for a defensive player picked up off the waiver wire.

That might be the case. But, anyone who can't see how much Whiz genuinely likes Long isn't paying attention IMO. He sees him as another Sean Morey, who was as likely to be cut as Fitzgerald was. Those two guys (Long and Morey) epitomize what he wants in attitude and work ethic.

Also, Byrd just oozes talent as a receiver compared to the other TEs. I said after the first weekend of camp he was going to be playing for us this year and I don't think he'll get cut when Patrick returns. I think having Becht and Spach is a bit redundant. I'd guess one of them would go before Byrd.

 

[ActingWild]

I too hope we sign Palko to the Practice Squad. I don't know why, but I see a little bit of Montana in the guy...not the level of Montana obviously, but maybe it's because he scrambles well and throws well on the run.

Crossing my fingers that we keep him in some fashion.

 

[CardLogic]

There are four reasons that Long made the cut:

1) Boldin - hamstring
2) Urban - knee
3) Doucet- rib
4) Breatson - knee: back but healthy enough to return kicks? And LSH - concussion, so he may not be ready to return kicks next week either.

 

[Buckybird]

There are four reasons that Long made the cut:

1) Boldin - hamstring
2) Urban - knee
3) Doucet- rib
4) Breatson - knee: back but healthy enough to return kicks? And LSH - concussion, so he may not be ready to return kicks next week either.

I think you're right, but unless he can make a contribution as a punt returner(which I doubt) during the regular season he will either be cut at some point or deactivated every game.

 

[RON_IN_OC]

I wish Palko would've been kept over BSP. I think Palko will be better at pushing Leinart for the starting job in 2 years.

 

[Jetstream Green]

I personally think that Leinart is a lot better than most people give him credit and though I hardly think Palko would be a legit threat to him starting, Palko makes a hell of lot more sense in keeping around than St.Pierre IMHO

 

[Vermont Maverick]

I still wonder about Adams. He plays with heart, just wish I could have seen more that made me say we have to have this guy.

Go back and watch last years work as the gunner on special teams. This guy is a definite keeper, no chance we were letting him go.

 

[JeffGollin]

I'm surprised by Hobson and Fowler. Ben Claxton doesn't seem like an NFL caliber player to me. Good move keeping Byrd over Pope. Long hasn't looked anything more than average to me, but I'll trust Whis on that one.

Ditto. I was stunned by the release of Hobson.

And while CW was that Ross would be cut, I'm wondering what we'd do should Gandy go down? (Would we stick E Brown in there? Or would we disrupt 2 positions by shifting Levi over to LT and make Herman Johnson our new RT?

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

They cut Hobson? I am quite shocked by that move...

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

They Kept Ware over Francisco? Geesh...Francisco is better than Ware...

 

[freebyrd]

i like the fact that we kept byrd because he spells his name with a y like me
freebyrd

talent helps too

 

[Goldfield]

It seems guaranteed contracts to depth players were quite a topic of discussion in the coaches' room. Don't be surprised if after a week the Cardinals re-sign C Melvin Fowler, possibly T Oliver Ross (although doubtful), LB Victor Hobson (if he isn't picked up or if he isn't ticked off), and possibly S Aaron Francisco (who would have to sign at the veteran minimum if he isn't signed elsewhere).

The Cardinals kept as many of their young talents as they could...at least thus far. That's exciting.

Leonard Pope will be claimed. Wonder if they called around to try to get a small value trade for him? It wouldn't have helped that cause to play Pope with the 3rd stringers this past week.

Boy oh boy did Ralph Brown and Bertrand Berry get mulligans. They did absolutely nothing to earn their spots this pre-season. Heck, Berry didn't even show up for OTA's.

Poor statement by the Cardinals for keeping those two (this is why this team takes games off, when two guys who take the whole pre-season off still make the team)...and neither one of them contributes much at all on STs. That is...if they aren't cut tomorrow following a couple of waiver moves or trades. Anything can still happen.

Lastly, I think that very few players on this roster could hold Aaron Francisco's jock as a ST player. And had the Cardinals' FO have had the wisdom to sign a real cover FS last year, Francisco wouldn't be the consistent subject of scorn on this board. He clearly was not suited for that role. And it was a testament to his character when he slipped on the play where Santonio Holmes was left alone by the CB and missing LB up the seam and still got back up to make a TD saving tackle at the five yard line.

I agree with you on Francisco. He was a very good STer. He was not very good as a defender. But I would love to see them resign him for cheap.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

It seems guaranteed contracts to depth players were quite a topic of discussion in the coaches' room. Don't be surprised if after a week the Cardinals re-sign C Melvin Fowler, possibly T Oliver Ross (although doubtful), LB Victor Hobson (if he isn't picked up or if he isn't ticked off), and possibly S Aaron Francisco (who would have to sign at the veteran minimum if he isn't signed elsewhere).

I wouldnt be surprised either. I wanted Fowler of Claxton but its pretty close either way.

Leonard Pope will be claimed. Wonder if they called around to try to get a small value trade for him? It wouldn't have helped that cause to play Pope with the 3rd stringers this past week.

The same team that couldn't be bothered to try to get something, anything for Big who went to the probowl the year after he was cut by us? This organization doesn't seem to understand that eventhough they do not think that a player is not in their plans, he may still have value.

Boy oh boy did Ralph Brown and Bertrand Berry get mulligans. They did absolutely nothing to earn their spots this pre-season. Heck, Berry didn't even show up for OTA's.

Poor statement by the Cardinals for keeping those two (this is why this team takes games off, when two guys who take the whole pre-season off still make the team)...and neither one of them contributes much at all on STs. That is...if they aren't cut tomorrow following a couple of waiver moves or trades. Anything can still happen.

Would have liked to see Hobson, but Ralph showed up for us in the playoffs when it counted last year... so at least he has that going for him.

Lastly, I think that very few players on this roster could hold Aaron Francisco's jock as a ST player. And had the Cardinals' FO have had the wisdom to sign a real cover FS last year, Francisco wouldn't be the consistent subject of scorn on this board. He clearly was not suited for that role. And it was a testament to his character when he slipped on the play where Santonio Holmes was left alone by the CB and missing LB up the seam and still got back up to make a TD saving tackle at the five yard line.

Francisco was a liability before the Superbowl. That was just a fluke catch. He shouldn't get the flack that he gets for that one catch, but we have to agree (funny) that he is a liability as a FS.

Would you rather have Francisco or Long on this team right now? Because if the choice was between those two, I would take Francisco.




.... interesting stuff as always.

 

[Unsterblich856]

Francisco's ST play is no longer needed. What we have to remember that Rashad Johnson was a special teams captain in college. Rashad Johnson can be as good of a ST player and a good nickle safety, something Francisco wasn't.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Francisco's ST play is no longer needed. What we have to remember that Rashad Johnson was a special teams captain in college. Rashad Johnson can be as good of a ST player and a good nickle safety, something Francisco wasn't.

Do you know how bad our special teams are? We need everyone we can get. In fact, we might need to get some starters in there to shore it up soon. It's that bad.

 

[az1965]

No surprises... both Francisco and Pope needed to be cut.

 

[Totally_Red]

That might be the case. But, anyone who can't see how much Whiz genuinely likes Long isn't paying attention IMO. He sees him as another Sean Morey, who was as likely to be cut as Fitzgerald was. Those two guys (Long and Morey) epitomize what he wants in attitude and work ethic.

Also, Byrd just oozes talent as a receiver compared to the other TEs. I said after the first weekend of camp he was going to be playing for us this year and I don't think he'll get cut when Patrick returns. I think having Becht and Spach is a bit redundant. I'd guess one of them would go before Byrd.

Agree on both points.

Dominique Byrd is a godsend for the no-huddle offense IMO. He may be more reliable in that role than Jerheme Urban. My guess is that Whis kept both Anthony Becht and Steven Spach because he wants to make sure Spach is all the way back and there are no setbacks before cutting Becht, even though they are on the hook for Becht's full salary.

Sean Morey isn't going to play football forever. He's getting up there in years, and in the long run Whis may be grooming Lance Long to be his replacement down the line. The other thing on Lance is that Whis' confidence in Early Doucet actually staying healthy and available is probably shot at this point. Early doesn't seem to be an especially quick healer. Why risk losing Lance to KC, then possibly lose Early to another nagging injury?

Cutting Aaron Francisco hurts special teams without question. As Mitch mentioned, it's too bad the Cardinals ignored their top heavy quotient of strong safeties and didn't acquire a center fielder before this year's draft. With the 31st ranked special teams units last season, it is not a good thing IMO. Despite what Whis said, it had to come down to compensation. After Ware's disastrous special teams performance in the Giants game, I was surprised he was brought back this season.

All in all, these roster cuts make a lot of sense. They kept the guys who wouldn't make it through waivers IMO.

 

[187]

Thank you football gods Aaron Francisco is GONE!!



Best news I've read all day. Yeah, he was good on special teams but him being on our roster meant there was a solid chance of him playing safety on defense a few snaps a game...I no longer have to worry about that.

 

[JeffGollin]

They Kept Ware over Francisco? Geesh...Francisco is better than Ware...

Ware can play both safety and corner. (And he played well all preseason).

I'll concede Francisco was good on ST's, but for every big play he'd make as a safety, there would be 2 or 3 where he was out of position or a step late to the party.

I'm guessing, that keeping Highsmith (who's lights out on ST's) may be one reason why the coaches were willing to let Francisco go.