Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
27-CB-Michael Adams: B-. Good ST player. Feisty defender. Needs to factor into nickel and dime packages to stick next year.
28-RB-J.J. Arrington: B+. Ideal speed back for the spread offense. Above average kickoff returner. His re-signing is a must.
52-LB-Monty Beisel: C+. Still solid on STs. Seems healthy after back injury. UFA who would be good to re-sign as ST and depth ILB.
92-DE-Bertrand Berry: B. Still the best and most consistent pass rusher on the team. Decent versus the run, especially when he can keep contain. UFA who would be great to re-sign to a similar deal as last year's, perhaps with added incentives.
81-WR-Anquan Boldin: A-. Remarkable season in light of his fast start and amazingly quick recovery from facial surgery. His 3 fumbles hurt. But his 11 TDs in 12 games were huge. Pro Bowl starter. Would like to be traded and may get his wish (if the return is right), especially if he remains dubious about renegotiating with the Cardinals.
78-DT-Alan Branch: F. Did play hard and well in his one game back from a season-long benching. Coaches have questioned his fire but still laud his physical abilities. Needs a monster off-season.
15-WR-Steve Breaston: A-. Who would have ever thought that Breaston would be a 1,000 yard WR this season? Most Improved Player Award. His emergence enables the Cardinals to think twice about trading Boldin.
61-G-Elton Brown: C. Good, versatile backup, who didn't see the field much. Will ikely be re-signed to same role and could eventually make a push to start. Has a good combination of stength and footwork.
75-T-Levi Brown: B. Emerging player who is still a ittle inconsistent, but has the tools and the mental toughness to become one of the better NFC tackles.
20-CB-Ralph Brown: C+. After poor start has settled down and been a positive factor on STs and in the nickel.
93-DE-Calais Campbell: B-. Tends to stand out when he plays. Very good tackler and chaser for a player his size. Should be playing more. Has tremendous upside.
46-FB-Tim Castille: D. After excellent training camp, very much faded during the season and has not been particularly productive on STs.
58-LB-Karlos Dansby: B. Leads team in tackles and is a good chaser, cover LB, and inside blitzer. Struggles versus runs right at him. Not physical enough at the point of attack. Too many big plays happene to his side. Should play on the outside where he can threaten the edge with his size and athleticism. Cards may franchise him again, but, unless they play him where be belongs, he's not worth $9M a year to play the inside.
90-DE-Darnell Dockett: C+. Takes too many plays off. Takes some games off too. When motivated is a tenacious penetrator. Talk a big game, but does not always walk the walk. A tad undersized and is not particularly strong versus the run. Probably needs to become an edge DE.
80-WR-Early Doucet: C-. Has shown good hands and toughness on short routes, but injuries and lack of playing time have thwarted his impact on the offense. Needs to drink whatever Steve Breaston was drinking last off-season.
11-WR-Larry Fitzgerald: A+. Elite Pro Bowl WR who should be first team All-Pro with Andre Johnson of Texas. Has emerged as a leader and a consummate competitor. Has unique skills.
47-S-Aaron Francisco: B-. Still the best STs tackler on the team. Still a step or two behind on defense, although he delivers big stops and hits from time to time.
69-T-Mike Gandy: B+. Unsung performer who plays at a very high level. Still occasionally gets caught reaching and twisted around on some pass blocks, but is mostly rock solid.
5-P-Ben Graham: D. Funny the Cardinals chose to replace Dirk Johnson with a punter who kicks line-drive end-over-end punts. Is a good holder for Rackers, though!
25-CB-Eric Green: F. Has really fallen off the charts the past two years due to injuries and inconsistent play. Has cover talent but zero ball skills. can aslo deliver solid tackles. Has done nothing to improve his UFA stock. It will be interesting to see if the Cardinals attempt to re-sign him. The price should be right.
54-LB-Gerald Hayes: C+. As hot and cold as the Cardinals. Can play lights-out one game and disappear in the next. Seemes to stepping up more a little lately, which is good. has good range and finishing ability, but is sometimes a step slow filling the holes. Pretty good cover LB.
34-RB-Tim Hightower: B-. For a rookie, despite a poor average, Hightower has been great in the red zone (10 TDs) and has shown promise. Not made for the spread offense. Needs to be run out of the I formation and needs a running head start. Has good acceleration and nifty feet.
57-LB-Victor Hobson: I. Just added, made one nice tackle last week. Is signed into 2009, which is interesting.
48-LS-Nathan Hodel: A. Is there any better LS in the league? Plus this guy loves to get down field on punts to make tackles.
26-CB-Roderick Hood: C+. With his ability to shadow WRs, if he just would start finding the ball and stop clutching he could be one of the better CBs in the NFC. Of course, having stronger safety help deep would be nice.
91-DE-Kenny Iwebema: D. Really hasn't made much of an impact at all on STs or on the defense. has the physical tools, but looks far too tentative at this point.
32-RB-Edgerrin James: C. Has run hard and been durable, but not a great fit in the spread offense, especially for guy who still wants to be the feature player on offense.
72-T-Brandon Keith: I. Had a very good pre-season and with a strong off-season could make a strong push to contribute next year. Physically gifted big man.
55-DE-Travis LaBoy: C. Started out hot, got hurt and has not been nearly as effective since. When healthy he's a good edge rusher.
7-QB-Matt Leinart: B. Handled himself well the last two games. Looks more relaxed in the system. With a $15M escalator clause due in 2010, the Cardinals have to figure out whether he is the QBOF or whether they should try to trade him.
76-G-Deuce Lutui: C. Inconsistent player...kind of like the Dockett of the offense. Blows up a hole one minute and gets beat inside the next. Lacks consistent focus. Needs this to change if he is going to remain a starter in 2009.
87-ST-Sean Morey: A-. Pro Bowl ST player who made perhaps the biggest play all year when he blocked the punt versus the Cowboys. Has picked up his tackle numbers as well this year.
56-LB-Chike Okeafor: C. Seems to be coming on a little lately after a pretty lackluster year.
89-TE-Ben Patrick: D. Disappointing year due to injuries and inconsistent play. Has a ton of ability.
82-TE-Leonard Pope: D. Same as above. And it really makes one question if the Cardinals need to address the TE position once again this off-season.
1-K-Neil Rackers: B+. Placekicking has been very good. Kickoffs have been inconsistent.
97-DT-Bryan Robinson: C. Average player. Good veteran leader.
29-CB-Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie: B+. Has grown more and more confident and electrifying with each week. A special athlete. And, he plays with a chip on his shoulder. Ask Steve Smith.
21-S-Antrel Rolle: C-. Very uneven season at FS. Has had tackling problems, pursuit angle problems and significant deep coverage problems. Has sparked here and there. But, his incosnistency has been a concern.
70-C-Pat Ross: I. Hasn't played, but was a solid backup in the pre-season.
63-C-Lyle Sendlein: C+. Has held up pretty well for a second year player. Not yet as stout at the point of attack as one would like, but he battles to the whistle every play. A strong off-season should do wonders now that he has all this experience.
94-DE-Antonio Smith: C+. Just like Dockett, he's great some games and invisible in others. Has a very good size to strength to quickness ratio. A bit of an underachiever, to say the least. It will be tempting to offer him solid money to stay...but the inconsistency is a concern, as is his lack of prowess stopping the run.
45-FB-Terrell Smith: B. Has performed his limited role reasonably well. Too bad he isn't more of a factor on STs.
83-TE-Stephen Spach: C. This newcomer adapted quickly and has been decent at a position of real need. It should be interesting to see what he can do with a training camp under his belt.
2-QB-Brian St. Pierre: I. Hasn't played. It would be very wise of the Cardinals to re-sign him this off-season, as he knows the system and has the skills to be effective in it when called upon.
51-LB-Pago Togafau: C. Has made some STs tackles which is why he was brought back. But, he's whiffed on some long gainers too.
85-WR-Jerheme Urban: B. Has been a nice surprise this year as the #4 WR. Has made some big plays. And has shown some impressive RAC ability. Still needs to be more alert on hot routes and quick passes his way.
68-T-Elliot Vallejo: I. Hasn't played, but the coaches like him.
22-S-Matt Ware: C-. Really hasn't had a very good year. Makes an occasional ST tackle, but hasn't figured into the defense much as a cover safety, an area the Cardinals need help in.
13-QB-Kurt Warner: A-. Pro Bowl starter who has put up record numbers this season. His turnovers remain a concern. But, at his age, to have held up physically the way he has throwing the ball as much as he does and taking as many hits as he does is phenomenal. He still has the best timimg and accuracy of any Cardinal QB ever.
98-DT-Gabe Watson: C-. Battled back strong from knee surgery. And while he's had some good moments, he's not been the player he was last year as of yet.
74-G-Reggie Wells: B. Good, solid season at LG for Wells. He's smart and commendably steady. Another unsung player on this team. Still needs to get a better push on running plays to his side. He's excellent pulling and finsishing off blocks the other way, particularly near the goal-line.
24-S-Adrian Wilson: B. High effort player who should be sent on blitzes much more than he currently is...because he is virtually an unstoppable blitzer. He's still excellent playing near the box, although he doesn't wrap up on his tackles as consistently as he needs to. In space, he still struggles, although his deep help versus Seattle was textbook last week.
28-RB-J.J. Arrington: B+. Ideal speed back for the spread offense. Above average kickoff returner. His re-signing is a must.
52-LB-Monty Beisel: C+. Still solid on STs. Seems healthy after back injury. UFA who would be good to re-sign as ST and depth ILB.
92-DE-Bertrand Berry: B. Still the best and most consistent pass rusher on the team. Decent versus the run, especially when he can keep contain. UFA who would be great to re-sign to a similar deal as last year's, perhaps with added incentives.
81-WR-Anquan Boldin: A-. Remarkable season in light of his fast start and amazingly quick recovery from facial surgery. His 3 fumbles hurt. But his 11 TDs in 12 games were huge. Pro Bowl starter. Would like to be traded and may get his wish (if the return is right), especially if he remains dubious about renegotiating with the Cardinals.
78-DT-Alan Branch: F. Did play hard and well in his one game back from a season-long benching. Coaches have questioned his fire but still laud his physical abilities. Needs a monster off-season.
15-WR-Steve Breaston: A-. Who would have ever thought that Breaston would be a 1,000 yard WR this season? Most Improved Player Award. His emergence enables the Cardinals to think twice about trading Boldin.
61-G-Elton Brown: C. Good, versatile backup, who didn't see the field much. Will ikely be re-signed to same role and could eventually make a push to start. Has a good combination of stength and footwork.
75-T-Levi Brown: B. Emerging player who is still a ittle inconsistent, but has the tools and the mental toughness to become one of the better NFC tackles.
20-CB-Ralph Brown: C+. After poor start has settled down and been a positive factor on STs and in the nickel.
93-DE-Calais Campbell: B-. Tends to stand out when he plays. Very good tackler and chaser for a player his size. Should be playing more. Has tremendous upside.
46-FB-Tim Castille: D. After excellent training camp, very much faded during the season and has not been particularly productive on STs.
58-LB-Karlos Dansby: B. Leads team in tackles and is a good chaser, cover LB, and inside blitzer. Struggles versus runs right at him. Not physical enough at the point of attack. Too many big plays happene to his side. Should play on the outside where he can threaten the edge with his size and athleticism. Cards may franchise him again, but, unless they play him where be belongs, he's not worth $9M a year to play the inside.
90-DE-Darnell Dockett: C+. Takes too many plays off. Takes some games off too. When motivated is a tenacious penetrator. Talk a big game, but does not always walk the walk. A tad undersized and is not particularly strong versus the run. Probably needs to become an edge DE.
80-WR-Early Doucet: C-. Has shown good hands and toughness on short routes, but injuries and lack of playing time have thwarted his impact on the offense. Needs to drink whatever Steve Breaston was drinking last off-season.
11-WR-Larry Fitzgerald: A+. Elite Pro Bowl WR who should be first team All-Pro with Andre Johnson of Texas. Has emerged as a leader and a consummate competitor. Has unique skills.
47-S-Aaron Francisco: B-. Still the best STs tackler on the team. Still a step or two behind on defense, although he delivers big stops and hits from time to time.
69-T-Mike Gandy: B+. Unsung performer who plays at a very high level. Still occasionally gets caught reaching and twisted around on some pass blocks, but is mostly rock solid.
5-P-Ben Graham: D. Funny the Cardinals chose to replace Dirk Johnson with a punter who kicks line-drive end-over-end punts. Is a good holder for Rackers, though!
25-CB-Eric Green: F. Has really fallen off the charts the past two years due to injuries and inconsistent play. Has cover talent but zero ball skills. can aslo deliver solid tackles. Has done nothing to improve his UFA stock. It will be interesting to see if the Cardinals attempt to re-sign him. The price should be right.
54-LB-Gerald Hayes: C+. As hot and cold as the Cardinals. Can play lights-out one game and disappear in the next. Seemes to stepping up more a little lately, which is good. has good range and finishing ability, but is sometimes a step slow filling the holes. Pretty good cover LB.
34-RB-Tim Hightower: B-. For a rookie, despite a poor average, Hightower has been great in the red zone (10 TDs) and has shown promise. Not made for the spread offense. Needs to be run out of the I formation and needs a running head start. Has good acceleration and nifty feet.
57-LB-Victor Hobson: I. Just added, made one nice tackle last week. Is signed into 2009, which is interesting.
48-LS-Nathan Hodel: A. Is there any better LS in the league? Plus this guy loves to get down field on punts to make tackles.
26-CB-Roderick Hood: C+. With his ability to shadow WRs, if he just would start finding the ball and stop clutching he could be one of the better CBs in the NFC. Of course, having stronger safety help deep would be nice.
91-DE-Kenny Iwebema: D. Really hasn't made much of an impact at all on STs or on the defense. has the physical tools, but looks far too tentative at this point.
32-RB-Edgerrin James: C. Has run hard and been durable, but not a great fit in the spread offense, especially for guy who still wants to be the feature player on offense.
72-T-Brandon Keith: I. Had a very good pre-season and with a strong off-season could make a strong push to contribute next year. Physically gifted big man.
55-DE-Travis LaBoy: C. Started out hot, got hurt and has not been nearly as effective since. When healthy he's a good edge rusher.
7-QB-Matt Leinart: B. Handled himself well the last two games. Looks more relaxed in the system. With a $15M escalator clause due in 2010, the Cardinals have to figure out whether he is the QBOF or whether they should try to trade him.
76-G-Deuce Lutui: C. Inconsistent player...kind of like the Dockett of the offense. Blows up a hole one minute and gets beat inside the next. Lacks consistent focus. Needs this to change if he is going to remain a starter in 2009.
87-ST-Sean Morey: A-. Pro Bowl ST player who made perhaps the biggest play all year when he blocked the punt versus the Cowboys. Has picked up his tackle numbers as well this year.
56-LB-Chike Okeafor: C. Seems to be coming on a little lately after a pretty lackluster year.
89-TE-Ben Patrick: D. Disappointing year due to injuries and inconsistent play. Has a ton of ability.
82-TE-Leonard Pope: D. Same as above. And it really makes one question if the Cardinals need to address the TE position once again this off-season.
1-K-Neil Rackers: B+. Placekicking has been very good. Kickoffs have been inconsistent.
97-DT-Bryan Robinson: C. Average player. Good veteran leader.
29-CB-Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie: B+. Has grown more and more confident and electrifying with each week. A special athlete. And, he plays with a chip on his shoulder. Ask Steve Smith.
21-S-Antrel Rolle: C-. Very uneven season at FS. Has had tackling problems, pursuit angle problems and significant deep coverage problems. Has sparked here and there. But, his incosnistency has been a concern.
70-C-Pat Ross: I. Hasn't played, but was a solid backup in the pre-season.
63-C-Lyle Sendlein: C+. Has held up pretty well for a second year player. Not yet as stout at the point of attack as one would like, but he battles to the whistle every play. A strong off-season should do wonders now that he has all this experience.
94-DE-Antonio Smith: C+. Just like Dockett, he's great some games and invisible in others. Has a very good size to strength to quickness ratio. A bit of an underachiever, to say the least. It will be tempting to offer him solid money to stay...but the inconsistency is a concern, as is his lack of prowess stopping the run.
45-FB-Terrell Smith: B. Has performed his limited role reasonably well. Too bad he isn't more of a factor on STs.
83-TE-Stephen Spach: C. This newcomer adapted quickly and has been decent at a position of real need. It should be interesting to see what he can do with a training camp under his belt.
2-QB-Brian St. Pierre: I. Hasn't played. It would be very wise of the Cardinals to re-sign him this off-season, as he knows the system and has the skills to be effective in it when called upon.
51-LB-Pago Togafau: C. Has made some STs tackles which is why he was brought back. But, he's whiffed on some long gainers too.
85-WR-Jerheme Urban: B. Has been a nice surprise this year as the #4 WR. Has made some big plays. And has shown some impressive RAC ability. Still needs to be more alert on hot routes and quick passes his way.
68-T-Elliot Vallejo: I. Hasn't played, but the coaches like him.
22-S-Matt Ware: C-. Really hasn't had a very good year. Makes an occasional ST tackle, but hasn't figured into the defense much as a cover safety, an area the Cardinals need help in.
13-QB-Kurt Warner: A-. Pro Bowl starter who has put up record numbers this season. His turnovers remain a concern. But, at his age, to have held up physically the way he has throwing the ball as much as he does and taking as many hits as he does is phenomenal. He still has the best timimg and accuracy of any Cardinal QB ever.
98-DT-Gabe Watson: C-. Battled back strong from knee surgery. And while he's had some good moments, he's not been the player he was last year as of yet.
74-G-Reggie Wells: B. Good, solid season at LG for Wells. He's smart and commendably steady. Another unsung player on this team. Still needs to get a better push on running plays to his side. He's excellent pulling and finsishing off blocks the other way, particularly near the goal-line.
24-S-Adrian Wilson: B. High effort player who should be sent on blitzes much more than he currently is...because he is virtually an unstoppable blitzer. He's still excellent playing near the box, although he doesn't wrap up on his tackles as consistently as he needs to. In space, he still struggles, although his deep help versus Seattle was textbook last week.
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