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ARIZONA CARDINALS
Salary cap
The Cardinals are estimated to be a cool $41.7 million under the $123 million cap, and that's either the league's first or second-most room to work with, depending on whose up-to-the-minute cap calculations you trust. That said, with only 37 players under contract for '09, Arizona has plenty of work to do, with several major decisions on the horizon. Some will be no-brainers (re-signing quarterback Kurt Warner, if he wants to keep playing), and some will be considerably trickier situations -- what to do about unhappy receiver Anquan Boldin?
Free agency
Where to begin? Well, quarterback is always a good guess. If Warner decides he wants to continue playing -- and I can't see him walking away after a season as memorable as '08 -- the Cardinals will be waiting with open arms and an open checkbook. It has been reported that Warner will seek a two-year deal in the range of $18 million, with Arizona hoping for something considerably south of that, but probably willing to pay his price. Don't look for there to be any real animosity to the negotiations, because both sides know the good thing they have going and don't want to risk ruining the relationship.
The tougher situation to anticipate will be Matt Leinart's response to a new Warner contract. Will his agent, Tom Condon, immediately request a trade if Warner is secured through '10, which would leave Leinart waiting until his sixth NFL season to become the team's unquestioned starter? It would be career suicide for Leinart to be that patient.
There are plenty of other potential land mines as well. Boldin wants out via a trade or his release after accusing the Cardinals of reneging on their promise to give him a new, fatter contract last offseason. The team also will prioritize the re-signing of linebacker Karlos Dansby, who might approach $8 million a year on the open market. Running back Edgerrin James wants to be a No. 1 back elsewhere, and he'll likely get that opportunity.
Of their own potential free agents, look for the Cardinals to also try and keep defensive end Antonio Smith if his expectations aren't too out of line. But Arizona drafted defensive end Calais Campbell in '08, and believe he's ready to take the next step if Smith leaves. Veteran defensive end Bertrand Berry could also return at the right bargain price. Even though he'll be 34 by next season, he's an effective situational rusher and has a leadership role on the team. Veterans such as running back J.J. Arrington, linebacker Clark Haggans and guard Elton Brown could be back at affordable salaries. But the club would let any of them walk if the money gets too rich from another suitor.
One more name to remember: Baltimore linebacker-defensive end Terrell Suggs can be a free agent, and the former Arizona State star would fill a real need in the Cardinals pass rush. He'll be pricey, and it's not head coach Ken Whisenhunt's or general manager Rod Graves' preference to spend a ton on one player, but they could make an exception for Suggs.
Coaching staff
If all the speculation is accurate, the Cardinals could be about to lose offensive coordinator Todd Haley to the Chiefs' head coaching vacancy. It makes more than a little sense, given that Haley and new Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli have a history together from their days with the Jets, and that Haley is a protégé of Pioli's father-in-law, Bill Parcells. But trying to discern Pioli's intentions, who always plays his cards close to the vest, is a fool's game, so let's just see what develops on Haley's front this week.
Should Haley be K.C.-bound, the thought is that Whisenhunt will either have to take on the play-calling duties himself or go outside his own staff to find a replacement. Assistant head coach/offensive line coach Russ Grimm is thought to have his hands full with the O-line and not a likely coordinator/play-caller candidate.
Draft
The Cardinals are in the penultimate No. 31 slot of the first round, a position they are wholly unaccustomed to. What they get accomplished in free agency will obviously determine the direction of their draft needs, but the good news is that they don't have the glaring holes in their roster that once was a yearly occurrence in Arizona.
Defensive end would be a point of concern if Smith and Berry move on. Linebacker bears monitoring depending on how Dansby's negotiations turn out, and if the club decides to part ways with Chike Okeafor in a cap move. Another running back option to replace James seems necessary, especially if Arrington signs elsewhere. The offensive line could also use some attention, particularly if Brown gets away.
2009 schedule
The Cardinals went 6-0 in their division, but 3-7 against the rest of the NFL in '08. They matched the latter win total in the playoffs alone. If they intend to repeat as NFC West champs and carve out their own little Super Bowl window of opportunity, you have to think the schedule won't ever be softer for them than it was in '08.
Next season, Arizona has five games against '08 playoff teams, drawing games against the NFC's top two seeds, the Giants and Carolina, and the AFC's No. 2, Tennessee. But interestingly, all five of the '08 playoff teams the Cardinals will face (the above mentioned three, plus Indianapolis and Minnesota) lost their postseason openers, a stat that may or may not count for much come next season.
Arizona at least won't have as tough a travel schedule as it did this season, when it made those five well-chronicled regular-season trips to the Eastern Time Zone, losing all five games. They have just three road games to the east (the Giants, Jacksonville and Detroit) in '09, although Central Time Zone trips to Tennessee and Chicago will be no picnic.
The Cardinals will play the tough AFC South and the somewhat easier NFC North in '09, and they total six games against teams with winning records from '08, and seven games against clubs that finished .500 or better.
Salary cap
The Cardinals are estimated to be a cool $41.7 million under the $123 million cap, and that's either the league's first or second-most room to work with, depending on whose up-to-the-minute cap calculations you trust. That said, with only 37 players under contract for '09, Arizona has plenty of work to do, with several major decisions on the horizon. Some will be no-brainers (re-signing quarterback Kurt Warner, if he wants to keep playing), and some will be considerably trickier situations -- what to do about unhappy receiver Anquan Boldin?
Free agency
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Where to begin? Well, quarterback is always a good guess. If Warner decides he wants to continue playing -- and I can't see him walking away after a season as memorable as '08 -- the Cardinals will be waiting with open arms and an open checkbook. It has been reported that Warner will seek a two-year deal in the range of $18 million, with Arizona hoping for something considerably south of that, but probably willing to pay his price. Don't look for there to be any real animosity to the negotiations, because both sides know the good thing they have going and don't want to risk ruining the relationship.
The tougher situation to anticipate will be Matt Leinart's response to a new Warner contract. Will his agent, Tom Condon, immediately request a trade if Warner is secured through '10, which would leave Leinart waiting until his sixth NFL season to become the team's unquestioned starter? It would be career suicide for Leinart to be that patient.
There are plenty of other potential land mines as well. Boldin wants out via a trade or his release after accusing the Cardinals of reneging on their promise to give him a new, fatter contract last offseason. The team also will prioritize the re-signing of linebacker Karlos Dansby, who might approach $8 million a year on the open market. Running back Edgerrin James wants to be a No. 1 back elsewhere, and he'll likely get that opportunity.
Of their own potential free agents, look for the Cardinals to also try and keep defensive end Antonio Smith if his expectations aren't too out of line. But Arizona drafted defensive end Calais Campbell in '08, and believe he's ready to take the next step if Smith leaves. Veteran defensive end Bertrand Berry could also return at the right bargain price. Even though he'll be 34 by next season, he's an effective situational rusher and has a leadership role on the team. Veterans such as running back J.J. Arrington, linebacker Clark Haggans and guard Elton Brown could be back at affordable salaries. But the club would let any of them walk if the money gets too rich from another suitor.
One more name to remember: Baltimore linebacker-defensive end Terrell Suggs can be a free agent, and the former Arizona State star would fill a real need in the Cardinals pass rush. He'll be pricey, and it's not head coach Ken Whisenhunt's or general manager Rod Graves' preference to spend a ton on one player, but they could make an exception for Suggs.
Coaching staff
If all the speculation is accurate, the Cardinals could be about to lose offensive coordinator Todd Haley to the Chiefs' head coaching vacancy. It makes more than a little sense, given that Haley and new Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli have a history together from their days with the Jets, and that Haley is a protégé of Pioli's father-in-law, Bill Parcells. But trying to discern Pioli's intentions, who always plays his cards close to the vest, is a fool's game, so let's just see what develops on Haley's front this week.
Should Haley be K.C.-bound, the thought is that Whisenhunt will either have to take on the play-calling duties himself or go outside his own staff to find a replacement. Assistant head coach/offensive line coach Russ Grimm is thought to have his hands full with the O-line and not a likely coordinator/play-caller candidate.
Draft
The Cardinals are in the penultimate No. 31 slot of the first round, a position they are wholly unaccustomed to. What they get accomplished in free agency will obviously determine the direction of their draft needs, but the good news is that they don't have the glaring holes in their roster that once was a yearly occurrence in Arizona.
Defensive end would be a point of concern if Smith and Berry move on. Linebacker bears monitoring depending on how Dansby's negotiations turn out, and if the club decides to part ways with Chike Okeafor in a cap move. Another running back option to replace James seems necessary, especially if Arrington signs elsewhere. The offensive line could also use some attention, particularly if Brown gets away.
2009 schedule
The Cardinals went 6-0 in their division, but 3-7 against the rest of the NFL in '08. They matched the latter win total in the playoffs alone. If they intend to repeat as NFC West champs and carve out their own little Super Bowl window of opportunity, you have to think the schedule won't ever be softer for them than it was in '08.
Next season, Arizona has five games against '08 playoff teams, drawing games against the NFC's top two seeds, the Giants and Carolina, and the AFC's No. 2, Tennessee. But interestingly, all five of the '08 playoff teams the Cardinals will face (the above mentioned three, plus Indianapolis and Minnesota) lost their postseason openers, a stat that may or may not count for much come next season.
Arizona at least won't have as tough a travel schedule as it did this season, when it made those five well-chronicled regular-season trips to the Eastern Time Zone, losing all five games. They have just three road games to the east (the Giants, Jacksonville and Detroit) in '09, although Central Time Zone trips to Tennessee and Chicago will be no picnic.
The Cardinals will play the tough AFC South and the somewhat easier NFC North in '09, and they total six games against teams with winning records from '08, and seven games against clubs that finished .500 or better.
