Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
* QB Matt Barkley---what concerns me about releasing him is how bare the QB cupboard is around the league and if one of our two QBs gets hurt, who will the #3 QB be? If Barkley clears waivers and signs to the PS---then BA&SK saved a roster spot and still have a QB who knows the system.
But, what if Barkley is claimed today off waivers?
I am surprised that Steve Keim didn't get any calls on Barkley.
I wonder how much of Barkley's negative perception around the league has to do with personality. Even when Barkley played well, BA was quick to point out the two passes that were nearly intercepted. From the get-go it seemed that BA did not like Barkley---and it makes me wonder why Steve Keim gave up a 7th rounder for him and whether Keim has a different view of Barkley than BA does.
Mike Jurecki has been saying for weeks that he thinks the Cardinals have targeted former ASU QB Mike Bercovici as their PS QB.
In my opinion, Barkley is the better player---plus, we all know how hard it is for new QBs to learn BA's system.
If history has taught BA a lesson it should be that having depth at the QB position is important---it just feels so odd to watch the #3 QB clearly outplay the #2 QB by a significant margin and see him get cut.
* Red Bryant---we all saw how fond BA is of Red on "All or Nothing." Red's role was to come in and bottle up the running game, which he did very well last year.
What's curious to me is that Red Bryant still seems like the best space eater and run stuffer on the team.
Plus, what was BA's point of naming Red Bryant one of the game captains for the 3rd pre-season game?
Was it a token farewell gesture?
The Chargers need run stuffers---and it seemed surprising to me that Steve Keim has thus far been unable to make a trade with them or some other team for one of the defensive linemen.
Are the Chargers on the phone with Red Bryant as we speak?
* Olsen Pierre---what i like about him is his pass rushing ability from the inside of the 4 man rush. He seems to be athletic enough to shed his blocker and make plays on the QB when the QB tries to scramble---this is an area of the Cardinals' pass rush that needs improvement, as QBs have been able to sift through pressure up the middle of the pocket too easily at times.
* Gabe Martin---one of the biggest surprises for me was that he and Lamar Louis made the roster. Rugby called this---hats off to you, pal! Martin had the big interception versus Paxton Lynch and he's pretty solid on STs.
* Lamar Louis---STs stud in the making.
* Ed Stinson---the coaches seem very high on him, but man he is a quiet player, production-wise and he still shows little ability to rush the passer. Still can't believe the coaches tabbed him as "Little Dockett" when he was a rookie---his game is nowhere close to Dockett's.
* Andre Ellington---is he really going to be the return man on kickoffs and punts? Will Steve Keim add a return man today?
* Marcus Cooper---is he going to be the only addition at CB? Can he revert to his rookie year form?
* Patrick Peterson---is he going to cover Julian Edelman (the Pats' top WR) and thus spend most of the night covering the slot? Will the coaches put him on Gronk if Branch is having trouble? Can Tony Jefferson cover Martellus Bennett?
* Elijhaa Penny---does he get claimed today? His performance versus the Broncos was about as tough and hard-nosed a rushing performance as I have seen from a Cardinals' RB---he seems made to order for the Cardinals' new power running game, yet the coaches don't see it that way. Seems odd.
* Bill Belichick---does he claim one of the Cardinals' cuts? He likes to play head games with upcoming opponents. Yesterday, he held a workout for T/G Clay DeBord. I have thought all along that the Cardinals have been trying to hide DeBord---but Belichick gets his intel on things like that.
* Kareem Martin---anyone heard what his MRI results were? BA was saying that they are going to have to find someone to take all his spots on STs---I wonder who that someone will be. My first thought was Jermaine Gresham, if he isn't already on those STs himself.
* Harlan Miller---seems like he didn't get a lot of snaps the last two games. Is it because they are hiding him---or---do they really like Ronald Zamort more? Zamort is feisty and instinctive, albeit a tad undersized and not as fast as one would prefer in a CB. But, one would think that Miller, the Defensive MVP of the Senior Bowl, would have made a bigger case for himself by now.
* Ifeanyi Momah---if he goes unclaimed, will the Cardinals sign him or Hakeem Valles to the PS? Or both? I get the sense that the coaches are enamored with Valles' physical skills.
* Jaxson Shipley---will he be claimed? If not, will he decide to sign with another team's PS. It would seem his style would suit the Patriots'.
* Chris Hubert---he was tweeting that he made the Cardinals' PS. Interesting, if true, and if he goes unclaimed.
* Alani Fua---will we see him rush the edge this week? Will Steve Keim add an edge guy?
But, what if Barkley is claimed today off waivers?
I am surprised that Steve Keim didn't get any calls on Barkley.
I wonder how much of Barkley's negative perception around the league has to do with personality. Even when Barkley played well, BA was quick to point out the two passes that were nearly intercepted. From the get-go it seemed that BA did not like Barkley---and it makes me wonder why Steve Keim gave up a 7th rounder for him and whether Keim has a different view of Barkley than BA does.
Mike Jurecki has been saying for weeks that he thinks the Cardinals have targeted former ASU QB Mike Bercovici as their PS QB.
In my opinion, Barkley is the better player---plus, we all know how hard it is for new QBs to learn BA's system.
If history has taught BA a lesson it should be that having depth at the QB position is important---it just feels so odd to watch the #3 QB clearly outplay the #2 QB by a significant margin and see him get cut.
* Red Bryant---we all saw how fond BA is of Red on "All or Nothing." Red's role was to come in and bottle up the running game, which he did very well last year.
What's curious to me is that Red Bryant still seems like the best space eater and run stuffer on the team.
Plus, what was BA's point of naming Red Bryant one of the game captains for the 3rd pre-season game?
Was it a token farewell gesture?
The Chargers need run stuffers---and it seemed surprising to me that Steve Keim has thus far been unable to make a trade with them or some other team for one of the defensive linemen.
Are the Chargers on the phone with Red Bryant as we speak?
* Olsen Pierre---what i like about him is his pass rushing ability from the inside of the 4 man rush. He seems to be athletic enough to shed his blocker and make plays on the QB when the QB tries to scramble---this is an area of the Cardinals' pass rush that needs improvement, as QBs have been able to sift through pressure up the middle of the pocket too easily at times.
* Gabe Martin---one of the biggest surprises for me was that he and Lamar Louis made the roster. Rugby called this---hats off to you, pal! Martin had the big interception versus Paxton Lynch and he's pretty solid on STs.
* Lamar Louis---STs stud in the making.
* Ed Stinson---the coaches seem very high on him, but man he is a quiet player, production-wise and he still shows little ability to rush the passer. Still can't believe the coaches tabbed him as "Little Dockett" when he was a rookie---his game is nowhere close to Dockett's.
* Andre Ellington---is he really going to be the return man on kickoffs and punts? Will Steve Keim add a return man today?
* Marcus Cooper---is he going to be the only addition at CB? Can he revert to his rookie year form?
* Patrick Peterson---is he going to cover Julian Edelman (the Pats' top WR) and thus spend most of the night covering the slot? Will the coaches put him on Gronk if Branch is having trouble? Can Tony Jefferson cover Martellus Bennett?
* Elijhaa Penny---does he get claimed today? His performance versus the Broncos was about as tough and hard-nosed a rushing performance as I have seen from a Cardinals' RB---he seems made to order for the Cardinals' new power running game, yet the coaches don't see it that way. Seems odd.
* Bill Belichick---does he claim one of the Cardinals' cuts? He likes to play head games with upcoming opponents. Yesterday, he held a workout for T/G Clay DeBord. I have thought all along that the Cardinals have been trying to hide DeBord---but Belichick gets his intel on things like that.
* Kareem Martin---anyone heard what his MRI results were? BA was saying that they are going to have to find someone to take all his spots on STs---I wonder who that someone will be. My first thought was Jermaine Gresham, if he isn't already on those STs himself.
* Harlan Miller---seems like he didn't get a lot of snaps the last two games. Is it because they are hiding him---or---do they really like Ronald Zamort more? Zamort is feisty and instinctive, albeit a tad undersized and not as fast as one would prefer in a CB. But, one would think that Miller, the Defensive MVP of the Senior Bowl, would have made a bigger case for himself by now.
* Ifeanyi Momah---if he goes unclaimed, will the Cardinals sign him or Hakeem Valles to the PS? Or both? I get the sense that the coaches are enamored with Valles' physical skills.
* Jaxson Shipley---will he be claimed? If not, will he decide to sign with another team's PS. It would seem his style would suit the Patriots'.
* Chris Hubert---he was tweeting that he made the Cardinals' PS. Interesting, if true, and if he goes unclaimed.
* Alani Fua---will we see him rush the edge this week? Will Steve Keim add an edge guy?
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