azdad1978
Championship!!!!
Kent Somers
On Cardinals
Dec. 8, 2004 12:00 AM
Meaningful negotiations rarely occur without a looming deadline, and that's why the Cardinals and the agent for safety Adrian Wilson have resumed negotiations in the hopes of agreeing to a new contract.
John Idzik, the team's senior director of football operations, continues to handle the negotiations, and he met last weekend in Detroit with Greg Williams, Wilson's agent.
It's not known whether progress was made, but reaching a deal in the next month would be beneficial to both parties.
The Cardinals would be able to count some of the signing bonus toward this season's salary cap, and Wilson would avoid the unknowns of unrestricted free agency and fulfill his stated desire to remain with the Cardinals.
Williams did not return phone calls, and club officials declined comment.
The Cardinals, however, aren't likely to budge from an offer they made several weeks ago, which Williams rejected.
The club also continues to pursue extending the contract of receiver Anquan Boldin, but there's been little progress in talks with his agent, Drew Rosenhaus.
The Cardinals aren't facing a deadline in that situation, because Boldin has two years left on his contract. If the Cardinals think Rosenhaus is asking for too much, they could table negotiations.
Boldin had a brilliant rookie season last year, but this season has been a struggle. He missed six games with a knee injury and has had trouble with dropped passes and penalties.
Playing Kreskin
The Cardinals are 4-8, but that doesn't mean the last month of the season will be uneventful. Coach Dennis Green, who has fired a coach, hired two others and changed quarterbacks, keeps things interesting.
So here are five predictions:
1. A relaxed, more confident Josh McCown will play better down the stretch than he did in the first nine games. He's the starting quarterback again because of John Navarre's fractured finger. So what is there now for McCown to lose? His job? He's already lost that once. He may as well go out in the final four games and let it rip.
2. L.J. Shelton will start at least one game at left tackle. Leonard Davis is bothered by a knee injury and didn't practice much last week. He will miss a game or two, and Shelton will start in his place, with Anthony Clement replacing him at right tackle.
3. Bob Wylie, fired as offensive line coach after six games, will maintain his silence until he gets another job, perhaps in January or early February. Then we'll hear a story or two about his time with the Cardinals.
4. Running back Emmitt Smith will return from a toe injury to start two more games, the final ones in his career. Smith, 35, is in the last year of his contract and has shown everyone that he had something left in the tank. But it would be surprising if he didn't call it a career.
5. The Cardinals will win two more games and finish 6-10. One of the victories will be a thrilling come-from-behind victory over Tampa Bay in the season finale at home, knocking the Buccaneers out of the playoffs and giving Carolina the wild-card berth.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/cardinals/articles/1208cardsinsider1208.html
On Cardinals
Dec. 8, 2004 12:00 AM
Meaningful negotiations rarely occur without a looming deadline, and that's why the Cardinals and the agent for safety Adrian Wilson have resumed negotiations in the hopes of agreeing to a new contract.
John Idzik, the team's senior director of football operations, continues to handle the negotiations, and he met last weekend in Detroit with Greg Williams, Wilson's agent.
It's not known whether progress was made, but reaching a deal in the next month would be beneficial to both parties.
The Cardinals would be able to count some of the signing bonus toward this season's salary cap, and Wilson would avoid the unknowns of unrestricted free agency and fulfill his stated desire to remain with the Cardinals.
Williams did not return phone calls, and club officials declined comment.
The Cardinals, however, aren't likely to budge from an offer they made several weeks ago, which Williams rejected.
The club also continues to pursue extending the contract of receiver Anquan Boldin, but there's been little progress in talks with his agent, Drew Rosenhaus.
The Cardinals aren't facing a deadline in that situation, because Boldin has two years left on his contract. If the Cardinals think Rosenhaus is asking for too much, they could table negotiations.
Boldin had a brilliant rookie season last year, but this season has been a struggle. He missed six games with a knee injury and has had trouble with dropped passes and penalties.
Playing Kreskin
The Cardinals are 4-8, but that doesn't mean the last month of the season will be uneventful. Coach Dennis Green, who has fired a coach, hired two others and changed quarterbacks, keeps things interesting.
So here are five predictions:
1. A relaxed, more confident Josh McCown will play better down the stretch than he did in the first nine games. He's the starting quarterback again because of John Navarre's fractured finger. So what is there now for McCown to lose? His job? He's already lost that once. He may as well go out in the final four games and let it rip.
2. L.J. Shelton will start at least one game at left tackle. Leonard Davis is bothered by a knee injury and didn't practice much last week. He will miss a game or two, and Shelton will start in his place, with Anthony Clement replacing him at right tackle.
3. Bob Wylie, fired as offensive line coach after six games, will maintain his silence until he gets another job, perhaps in January or early February. Then we'll hear a story or two about his time with the Cardinals.
4. Running back Emmitt Smith will return from a toe injury to start two more games, the final ones in his career. Smith, 35, is in the last year of his contract and has shown everyone that he had something left in the tank. But it would be surprising if he didn't call it a career.
5. The Cardinals will win two more games and finish 6-10. One of the victories will be a thrilling come-from-behind victory over Tampa Bay in the season finale at home, knocking the Buccaneers out of the playoffs and giving Carolina the wild-card berth.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/cardinals/articles/1208cardsinsider1208.html
