This could snowball, and our O may be the ones pulling games out for us

[SissyBoyFloyd]

Our D may take a huge step backwards this year. At present we may be playing a rookie at S along with some 2nd stringers, depending on the complete recovery of last years surprise at S. We still didn't draft or sign a top OLB and now are weak at ILB. Yes, we have some rookies and 2nd year players to help fill the gaps, but you count on them for sure yet.

Other teams coaches know how to exploit weaknesses in a team's D, and we will surely have them this year over last year. I hate to say it, but we better all pray this isn't simply another example of (I won't use the J word here) bad luck that seems too often to hit the Cards before the season even starts. We haven't even gotten to pre-season yet, where we seem to lose a couple good players due to injury for the year on a regular basis.

I think personally, I am going to reset my expectations for this year's succes. This just might be the 1 step backwards year in a 2 step forwards march to success.

Whichever, it still will be an exciting Cardinal season with our young players getting more experience and the coaches having another year to fill in the holes.

 

[52brandon]

Mathieu wasn't the 100% starter last year at FS. Johnson still started some packages. And I still have plenty of faith in his ability to play going into this season. Jefferson was a very pleasant surprise last year too.He came out of nowhere and impressed me in his limited playing time. I am, however, concerned with the state of the SS position. I would feel MUCH better if Bell returned so we could at very least be the same as last year. I think Bucannon will be the upgrade we needed, but I have zero proof. I'd be much more comfortable with Bell being able to step in should he not be ready. Cromartie should be a huge upgrade as well, but at least we still have Cason who can make it at worst the same as last year at that position as well. Our D line is still the exact same talented bunch we lad last season, with our #2 NT coming back from injury, which may present a slight issue. Maybe Stinson will be able to get in on some of the plays too. Hopefully. OLB, we've got Abraham returning from a fantastic season for us playing alongside Matt Shaughnessy. Starters Sam Acho, Lorenzo Alexander and rotational player and rookie Alex Okafor are returning from injury. All 5 return from last year. And Kareem Martin is an athletic freak who will likely get some time at OLB. I believe every position on our defense will be equal to or better than it was last year... all except for one...

ILB, we're screwed. No sugarcoating that. No amount of kool-aid makes that seem better. We lost 2 of the best ILBs in the league from 2013. Maybe they weren't in the Pro Bowl. But Dansby was a first-time All Pro. Washington made the top 100 players in all of the NFL. They were DOMINANT. Now we have NEITHER this season. It's downright terrifying. I can only hope Minter is as good as he was expected to be when we took him in the 2nd round. Right before Kiko Alonso, who ended up being an amazing player. If Minter ends up being close to that good, we will have dodged a HUGE bullet. We're very empty at the position we were strongest at last year. I have my fingers crossed with Minter and really hope we can find someone left over in FA, on waivers, etc.

The ILB situation is downright scary. But I am very confident in the moves made by our front office for the rest of the roster. With the improvements made on offense, our D should actually be able to get a decent bit more rest, allowing them to go harder with their time on the field

 

[Jetstream Green]

Or the defense will still be good... the defense will still be good and teams still won't be able to run on us. I rather have Washington missing than Peterson or Campbell

 

[52brandon]

Or the defense will still be good... the defense will still be good and teams still won't be able to run on us. I rather have Washington missing than Peterson or Campbell

agreed. But losing him for the yer at the same time we lost Dansby couldn't be worse timing. Instead of having to integrate 1 new ILB into the system, we have to integrate both. We're lucky we got Dansby after the draft, so we still have a (supposedly) talented ILB in Minter. Plus he had an entire season to learn the playbook and watch 2 elite ILBs in Dansby and DWash show him how to do it. Losing DWash really sucks, but it definitely could have been worse as you pointed out. I hope we don't cut him though. I know everybody is disappointed, myself included, but I still don't think the best move for us as an organization is to get rid of him. During this year-long suspension, he needs to go through a drug-diversion program and get himself together. I don't think his career is over, as a football player or as an Arizona Cardinal. He's got a lot of work to do to prove himself to the organization and the fans. But I absolutely believe he can do it. Time will tell

 

[Jetstream Green]

I wish Washington the best just as a human being alone and wish he could do well and remain a Cardinal but the man is a knucklehead presently. I think we are a little spoiled by the elite status of our defense the last two seasons. With the odd turnover found in the NFL from year to year, well winning with just a good defense that is not elite is still something that is highly probable... but this does suck because it is fun being elite lol

 

[WindCardinal]

Mathieu wasn't the 100% starter last year at FS. Johnson still started some packages. And I still have plenty of faith in his ability to play going into this season. Jefferson was a very pleasant surprise last year too.He came out of nowhere and impressed me in his limited playing time. I am, however, concerned with the state of the SS position. I would feel MUCH better if Bell returned so we could at very least be the same as last year. I think Bucannon will be the upgrade we needed, but I have zero proof. I'd be much more comfortable with Bell being able to step in should he not be ready. Cromartie should be a huge upgrade as well, but at least we still have Cason who can make it at worst the same as last year at that position as well. Our D line is still the exact same talented bunch we lad last season, with our #2 NT coming back from injury, which may present a slight issue. Maybe Stinson will be able to get in on some of the plays too. Hopefully. OLB, we've got Abraham returning from a fantastic season for us playing alongside Matt Shaughnessy. Starters Sam Acho, Lorenzo Alexander and rotational player and rookie Alex Okafor are returning from injury. All 5 return from last year. And Kareem Martin is an athletic freak who will likely get some time at OLB. I believe every position on our defense will be equal to or better than it was last year... all except for one...

ILB, we're screwed. No sugarcoating that. No amount of kool-aid makes that seem better. We lost 2 of the best ILBs in the league from 2013. Maybe they weren't in the Pro Bowl. But Dansby was a first-time All Pro. Washington made the top 100 players in all of the NFL. They were DOMINANT. Now we have NEITHER this season. It's downright terrifying. I can only hope Minter is as good as he was expected to be when we took him in the 2nd round. Right before Kiko Alonso, who ended up being an amazing player. If Minter ends up being close to that good, we will have dodged a HUGE bullet. We're very empty at the position we were strongest at last year. I have my fingers crossed with Minter and really hope we can find someone left over in FA, on waivers, etc.

The ILB situation is downright scary. But I am very confident in the moves made by our front office for the rest of the roster. With the improvements made on offense, our D should actually be able to get a decent bit more rest, allowing them to go harder with their time on the field

Lorenzo Alexander is moving inside this year and Antoine Cason is no longer on the team. Perhaps you meant Powers?

 

[52brandon]

Lorenzo Alexander is moving inside this year and Antoine Cason is no longer on the team. Perhaps you meant Powers?

yeah. Thanks. It's baan a long day and I'm terrible with names. I esoecially mix up Powers/Cason and Shaughnessy/Alexander for some reason

 

[Garthshort]

1. No doubt that our 'D' won't be as good at the ILB position. But we should be better at all others. Unfortunately, I have to go back to the chain reference, which I won't bore you with.
2. All signs indicate a much better offense, this year. We improved considerably over the second half of the year, and on paper the OL will be better, this year. TE, RB and slot receiver are on the upswing. Fitz and Floyd will be tough on the outside. If all goes as expected, it will come down to the play of CP. No excuses.