CARDINALS NOTEBOOK
Stepanovich hopes to play
in opener
By DARREN URBAN TRIBUNE
CONTACT WRITER: (480) 898-6495 or [email protected]
Alex Stepanovich was finally back with his teammates Monday — at least in the locker room.
The Cardinals center, wearing a protective wrap on his surgically repaired broken right hand, was going through conditioning work on the side during practice. Afterward, he said it was still a "possibility" he would be ready to play Sept. 11 in the season opener against the New York Giants.
"I just want to be on the field," Stepanovich said. "I am hoping this thing heals enough so I can snap normally going into that first game."
Coach Dennis Green said the team is hopeful Stepanovich will be cleared to practice next Monday. But Green also said it wasn’t realistic to expect Stepanovich to be able to snap lefthanded because the right hand would still be needed to block, an outlook that has to temper optimism.
"We have to be patient," Green said.
Moving from center to guard is an option, Green re iterated, and Stepanovich said that after having played guard in college, a move should be an easy transition.
Backup center Nick Leckey continues to sit out with a high ankle sprain, an injury Green said could keep Leckey out a few more weeks.
WORKING IT OUT
When it was suggested Monday the Cards’ first-team offense might only play a quarter in Friday’s preseason finale, Green quickly corrected that idea.
"They will play more than the first quarter," Green said. "They have a lot of work to do, so I think they will play more than the first quarter."
Quarterback Kurt Warner had mixed feelings on the subject.
"You always like to play, especially going into the regular season," Warner said. "At the same time, you never want to be banged up. It’s always a catch-22. My approach is whatever the coach thinks, whatever he thinks our unit needs to be ready for the next week, I am ready to go."
KING’S BAD LUCK
Green was again disappointed that defensive tackle Kenny King was lost for the season after he said King refractured his wrist. The same problem kept King out all of 2004.
"As soon as we were in pads, it seemed to be bothering him," Green said. "It was something he did not anticipate and we did not anticipate."
EXTRA POINTS
Safety Ifeanyi Ohalete and defensive end Peppi Zellner were cut on Monday. The Cardinals like both special teams ace Adrian Mayes and undrafted rookie Ernest Shazor at backup safety, while Zellner was out because of an impressive preseason by Calvin Pace and the potential of second-year man Antonio Smith. Other players cut Monday were linebacker Isaiah Ekejiuba, cornerback Rhett Nelson, tackle Alan Reuber and defensive tackle Keith Wright. . . .
Receiver Larry Fitzgerald was limited in practice with his knee strain, but he still got in some work, while defensive tackle Darnell Dockett (ribs) and safeties Adrian Wilson (leg contusion) and Robert Griffith (groin) all practiced. Tight end Eric Edwards (pectoral muscle) also has returned to work and should play Friday.
Stepanovich hopes to play
in opener
By DARREN URBAN TRIBUNE
CONTACT WRITER: (480) 898-6495 or [email protected]
Alex Stepanovich was finally back with his teammates Monday — at least in the locker room.
The Cardinals center, wearing a protective wrap on his surgically repaired broken right hand, was going through conditioning work on the side during practice. Afterward, he said it was still a "possibility" he would be ready to play Sept. 11 in the season opener against the New York Giants.
"I just want to be on the field," Stepanovich said. "I am hoping this thing heals enough so I can snap normally going into that first game."
Coach Dennis Green said the team is hopeful Stepanovich will be cleared to practice next Monday. But Green also said it wasn’t realistic to expect Stepanovich to be able to snap lefthanded because the right hand would still be needed to block, an outlook that has to temper optimism.
"We have to be patient," Green said.
Moving from center to guard is an option, Green re iterated, and Stepanovich said that after having played guard in college, a move should be an easy transition.
Backup center Nick Leckey continues to sit out with a high ankle sprain, an injury Green said could keep Leckey out a few more weeks.
WORKING IT OUT
When it was suggested Monday the Cards’ first-team offense might only play a quarter in Friday’s preseason finale, Green quickly corrected that idea.
"They will play more than the first quarter," Green said. "They have a lot of work to do, so I think they will play more than the first quarter."
Quarterback Kurt Warner had mixed feelings on the subject.
"You always like to play, especially going into the regular season," Warner said. "At the same time, you never want to be banged up. It’s always a catch-22. My approach is whatever the coach thinks, whatever he thinks our unit needs to be ready for the next week, I am ready to go."
KING’S BAD LUCK
Green was again disappointed that defensive tackle Kenny King was lost for the season after he said King refractured his wrist. The same problem kept King out all of 2004.
"As soon as we were in pads, it seemed to be bothering him," Green said. "It was something he did not anticipate and we did not anticipate."
EXTRA POINTS
Safety Ifeanyi Ohalete and defensive end Peppi Zellner were cut on Monday. The Cardinals like both special teams ace Adrian Mayes and undrafted rookie Ernest Shazor at backup safety, while Zellner was out because of an impressive preseason by Calvin Pace and the potential of second-year man Antonio Smith. Other players cut Monday were linebacker Isaiah Ekejiuba, cornerback Rhett Nelson, tackle Alan Reuber and defensive tackle Keith Wright. . . .
Receiver Larry Fitzgerald was limited in practice with his knee strain, but he still got in some work, while defensive tackle Darnell Dockett (ribs) and safeties Adrian Wilson (leg contusion) and Robert Griffith (groin) all practiced. Tight end Eric Edwards (pectoral muscle) also has returned to work and should play Friday.
