Practice squad released

[CardsGuy]

http://azcardinals.com/blog/post.php?author=1&id=1102

 

[PJ1]

No Harrington or Keyes? Really surprises me.

Glad we held onto Long. Pat Ross is a necessity right now. Don't know anything about the 3 signings from other teams.

 

[Billy Flynt]

RELEASED! What will we do without a practice squad!!!!

 

[Billy Flynt]

Kind of disturbing to take Chicago and Atlanta rejects...

 

[Mainstreet]

I'm thrilled the Cardinals put WR Lance Long on the PS. He looks legitimate to me. However, it especially surprises me that the Cardinals added another receiver, WR Onrea Jones (Indianapolis), to their PS. The Cardinals are really deep at WR. I'm beginning to wonder what gives?

 

[Totally_Red]

Anthony Oakley

Anthony Oakley has been around for awhile. I'm surprised he is still practice squad eligible. Here's an 2007 article from da Bears web site...

http://www.chicagobears.com/news/NewsStory.asp?story_id=3707

Oakley making strong push to earn role with Bears


By Larry Mayer

You must be registered for see images

.main_content_well {font-size:11px;} BOURBONNAIS, Ill. – If Anthony Oakley were a stock, now would probably be a good time to call your broker.
The backup center’s value is seemingly on the rise after he performed well with the No. 2 offense in last Saturday’s preseason win in Houston and held his own while subbing for Olin Kreutz with the first unit Wednesday in practice.



“Oak’s done a nice job,” said offensive coordinator Ron Turner. “He’s had a really good camp, and he had a great offseason. He’s a smart guy and he’s watching Olin and learning and picking up as much as he can from Olin.

“The biggest thing he needs to work on is consistency with the snap and he’s been doing a great job of that all camp.”

Oakley entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Cleveland Browns in 2004. He spent the entire 2005 campaign on the Bears’ practice squad and all of last season on Chicago’s 53-man roster, though he has yet to appear in an NFL regular-season game.

Given his inexperience, Oakley was determined Wednesday to prove that he belongs when he worked with four veteran starters in John Tait, Ruben Brown, Roberto Garza and Fred Miller who have combined to play 37 NFL seasons.

“I didn’t play any game last year,” Oakley said. “So by me coming in I have to step up to the plate every time and show them that I’ve got it and I won’t let them down when I get in. Working with the ones, you’ve got to step it up.”

Oakley can also play guard and knows that versatility isn’t only a plus but a requirement. Last season the Bears generally only dressed seven offensive linemen on game day with John St. Clair and Terrence Metcalf the only reserves in uniform.

 

[joeshmo]

Like Urban stated once Al Johnson shows up able to play Patt Ross is probably gone. Making room for Harrington or Keyes or someone else, both guys who seem at this point in time were not picked up on waivers and also neither were asked to be on any other teams PS. Cant fault the Cards what so ever on those two considering not a single team in the league wanted them for the 53 man roster or even for theer practice squads.

Only thing that seems sort of odd if a PS squad could be odd is the fact that we have 2 WR's, 2 DL, 2 OL, and 2 CB's. You would think they would diversify a little more then that. Oh well, not that big of a deal. I am sure Keyes, Harrington, Baylark, Vincent, Morelli will all still be there by midseason if we still need or want them.

 

[General Chaos]

Congrats to Wilrey Fontenot (U of A). He could develop into a nice nickel or dime back.

 

[joeshmo]

Kind of disturbing to take Chicago and Atlanta rejects...

Just depends on what other guys were on the teams, if they fit in the scheme and so on. Patriots put in a waiver claim and was awarded a player off of the Bears. Not only did they take a Chicago reject they are putting him on their 53 man roster.

I wouldnt put to much stock into where these players came from.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

So much for: "If Harringtom isn't included on our 53, someone is bound to pick him up on waivers."

 

[black]

Harrington was a bad pick, we've had them before. Oh well.

 

[bg7brd]

7 players from the draft made our final 53. I don't think we should be complaining.

 

[PJ1]

Harrington played well for us. Problem is every other team has this type of player everyone hopes makes it and doesn't.

In the scheme of things the practice squad may not mean much but I still liked what I saw from Harrington in preseason.

 

[TJ]

Harrington was good, but we shouldnt have picked him. That extra pick could have gone elsewhere

 

[ajcardfan]

It's a bit surprising that we have two WRs and kept both Banks and Dykes at DT, who both didn''t flash anything special in preseason IMO. Harrington actually played better than you would expect for a sixth rounder learning a new position. He played well on STs too, where Banks and Dykes did nothing. They easily could've put him on either the practice squad, or even the active roster, and no one would've argued it much.

Oh, well. We never know the whole story on these kinds of decisions.

 

[Mitch]

The reason why Harrington and Keyes may not be on the PS is that they elected to sign up for another team's PS...although Darren Urban has no knowledge of this and did seemed very surprised Harrington was not re-signed.

The Harrington situation is perplexing. It seemed odd to begin with back at the draft that after already drafting two DEs, they drafted another in Harrington, even though they projected him as an OLB (but didn't typically fit the edge LB mode the Cards look for). There were other good players at other positions of need available in the 6th round...like CB DeJuan Tribble who made San Diego's roster.

However, Harrington played well this pre-season...he was one of the better tacklers on STs and he made plays on the outside stopping the run and then two weeks ago he was in on two sacks versus the Raiders. He seemed to be catching on to the defense rather nicely.

Same can be said for Keyes...who, IMO, has far more upside than Oliver Celestin, both as a STer and as a SS. This kid is a playmaker and he's a physical tackler.

Thus..while I am delighted to see Adams, Banks, Dykes, Long and Ross on the PS...and the three newbies are intriguing (although duplicates of positions at C-Oakley [Ross] , CB-Fontenot [Adams] and WR-Jones [Long--although Jones is a 6'2, 200 pound wideout]--which is a little perplexing itself, seeing as there are no LBs...no TEs...no RBs...no Morelli (4th QB).), I am very disappointed about Harrington and Keyes.

 

[cardsfanmd]

Harrington was good, but we shouldnt have picked him. That extra pick could have gone elsewhere

Damn right, we should have used it on Durant Brooks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Mitch]

It's a bit surprising that we have two WRs and kept both Banks and Dykes at DT, who both didn''t flash anything special in preseason IMO. Harrington actually played better than you would expect for a sixth rounder learning a new position. He played well on STs too, where Banks and Dykes did nothing. They easily could've put him on either the practice squad, or even the active roster, and no one would've argued it much.

Oh, well. We never know the whole story on these kinds of decisions.

Yeah, AJ, this is a puzzling assemblage of duplicates: 2 DEs, 2WRs, 2 Cs, and 2 CBs...although Banks can play NT and Oakley can play G too.

I agree with you about Harrington.

Banks was coming on strong in recent weeks...he played very well last week and was making some good interior tackles. And he was playing NT some in addition to DE, so he's versatile.

Dykes, on the other hand, didn't make many plays...which surprised me, seeing as he was a real gamer at West Virginia. But, it didn't surprise me that they kept him. A year with John Lott could do wonders and Antonio Smith is set to become a UFA.

Adams and Fontenot are both diminutive, speedy nickelback types...

Long and Jones are different types of WRs...Long is a slot WR and Jones is a wideout...so this one is a little different.

 

[ajcardfan]

Damn right, we should have used it on Durant Brooks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Five years from now, it's probable that we can say something similar about every single one of our picks in this draft. Even if all the guys we kept turn into starters for us.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

So much for: "If Harringtom isn't included on our 53, someone is bound to pick him up on waivers."

Agreed.

I am one of those people who were saying that. Still wonder how this guy makes it through waivers and Calvin Pace gets 22 mil ?

 

[RugbyMuffin]

1. Onrea Jones, WR from Hampton

http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=32343&draftyear=2007&genpos=WR

2. Wilrey Fontenot, CB from Arizona

http://www.sportsline.com/nfl/players/draft/410733

3. Anthony Oakley, C/G from Chicago Bears. <-- Strange pick up.

Undrafted rookie, signed by the Browns in 2004.
Has played in 3 total games from 2005 to 2007 with the Da Bears, no starts.

http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=58892&draftyear=2004&genpos=OG

 

[RugbyMuffin]

kept both Banks and Dykes at DT, who both didn''t flash anything special in preseason IMO.

They probably kept those two, especially Dykes, because Watson and Branch are hurt. <---from Urban's blog, I didn't think of that

 

[cardsfanmd]

Five years from now, it's probable that we can say something similar about every single one of our picks in this draft. Even if all the guys we kept turn into starters for us.

Of course, but my statement wasn't based on any hindsight like yours.
I had been begging for Brooks prior and during the draft.

I am sorry, but for the life of me I dont understand how a guy who projects as decent depth in a best case scenario should be valued over the best punter to come out of college in years. Brooks' #s last year were better than both of the starting punters in the PB! STs has been KILLING us for years. To think that we could have greatly improved that 1/3 of our team game, with a 6th round pick and chose not to do so boggles my mind.

 

[ajcardfan]

Of course, but my statement wasn't based on any hindsight like yours.
I had been begging for Brooks prior and during the draft.

I am sorry, but for the life of me I dont understand how a guy who projects as decent depth in a best case scenario should be valued over the best punter to come out of college in years. Brooks' #s last year were better than both of the starting punters in the PB! STs has been KILLING us for years. To think that we could have greatly improved that 1/3 of our team game, with a 6th round pick and chose not to do so boggles my mind.

You wouldn't have seen me complaining had we drafted Brooks in round 6.

I'm just saying it's not like Harrington came in here and stunk it up like Buster Davis did. Had he been kept on either the active roster, or practice squad, there would not have been an outcry from either the fans or media over it. Thus, he was not a horrible pick. It's likely he'll wind up back here at some point.

 

[cardsfanmd]

You wouldn't have seen me complaining had we drafted Brooks in round 6.

I'm just saying it's not like Harrington came in here and stunk it up like Buster Davis did. Had he been kept on either the active roster, or practice squad, there would not have been an outcry from either the fans or media over it. Thus, he was not a horrible pick. It's likely he'll wind up back here at some point.

No, I agree with you. I like Harrington and doubt we have seen the last of him. I'm not as sold on our depth at OLB as most on the board are. Laboy and Berry are both injuries waiting to happen and Okeafor is coming of a season on the IR. Personally, I would have kept Harrington around.

Not anti-Harrington, just pro-Brooks