Tidbits from ProFootball Weekly (NOT PFT)

[General Chaos]

Feb. 26, 2007



What made new Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt decide that defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast was worth retaining, despite the significant dip in the rankings Pendergast’s unit experienced in 2006 (from eighth to 29th)? “I was impressed with Clancy’s past success before I came to the Cardinals, and when we sat down and talked about the defense, I respected and agreed with what he said and really liked the plan he had in mind moving forward,” Whisenhunt told PFW at the Combine. “There are two real positives with Clancy. First off, he knows the players and has a system in place which will make a transition to a new regime easier, and the second thing is that he’s a coordinator that has had success in the league before.” Whisenhunt also explained his rationale behind hiring former Seahawks DB coach Teryl Austin to replace departed DB coach Richard Solomon, whose poor coaching was considered by team insiders a major reason behind the disappointing development of former first-round CB Antrel Rolle, whose problems with technique were pointed out by Whisenhunt in Indianapolis. “TeryI was an intern coach at Baltimore when I was there, so him and I have had a relationship for about seven years,” Whisenhunt said. “I’ve watched him progress as a coach. He is very technically sound; fundamentals are important to him, and that’s why he has progressed through the league. I thought he would be a great fit.”

 

[MadCardDisease]

Good Stuff!

Just shows how Denny's good old boys helped bring down this team.

 

[BACH]

More from PFW:

• Cardinals VP of football operations Rod Graves said at the combine that the "door remains open" for free-agent OLT Leonard Davis to possibly return next season. "Leonard has stated that he wants to return and is excited about the prospect of playing under Russ [new O-line coach Russ Grimm] and Ken [new head coach Ken Whisenhunt]," Graves said. "The important thing we must do is sit down with his agents [Ryan Tollner and Bruce Tollner] and talk about re-establishing a dialogue."

• There are whispers in the desert that the Cardinals might be considering moving LB Karlos Dansby from the strong side to the weak side, which was considered a weak link in last year's defense with Orlando Huff manning the position.

• After really struggling last season and losing his starting position to Nick Leckey, Cardinals C Alex Stepanovich might be on his way out, we hear.

 

[MadCardDisease]

More from PFW:

• After really struggling last season and losing his starting position to Nick Leckey, Cardinals C Alex Stepanovich might be on his way out, we hear.

See Ya Alex!

I really like Ryan Kalil out of USC. Initially thought he might drop in the draft because he is a center. However with his great workout at the combine He moved his way up to the Second round. I would seriously consider taking him with our second round pick!

 

[BullheadCardFan]

• After really struggling last season and losing his starting position to Nick Leckey, Cardinals C Alex Stepanovich might be on his way out, we hear.

Step had many opportunities to show improvement and failed all the way around .. I really believe that we need to improve the depth and/or bring in a starter at the C position ..

 

[vinnymac]

the cardinals need a new center for sure. i like leckey stepping in, but it seems he gets to low for leinart. How many times did leinart stumble while pulling away from the center. i can't bare to watch that again. Rameriz from texas tech is the guy the cardinals should try to get. I don't know where he ranks in the draft, but he is a beast.

 

[PrescottLooie]

I do NOT understand why everyone seems to be on Leckey's case. For those that say he's to small, note that the kid from USC is smaller. When Leckey took over the job our line play improved and when Wells moved to RT the line play improved dramatically ! I hafta think Leckey was a factor in that improvement.

 

[MadCardDisease]

I do NOT understand why everyone seems to be on Leckey's case. For those that say he's to small, note that the kid from USC is smaller. When Leckey took over the job our line play improved and when Wells moved to RT the line play improved dramatically ! I hafta think Leckey was a factor in that improvement.

I haven't seen anyone on Leckey's case. Everyone thinks that Alex needs to go and leaves a hole at Center that needs to be filled. Leckey was a key part to the improvement of the O-Line during the second half of the season.

 

[BigRedArk]

Good Stuff!

Just shows how Denny's good old boys helped bring down this team.

My thoughts exactly. I am hoping Rolle will improve with Austin. I wonder if and how CP will change the scheme now to help Antrelle, and how much was DG at play in all of last year's scheme? Time will tell like it always does.

 

[Goldfield]

I do NOT understand why everyone seems to be on Leckey's case. For those that say he's to small, note that the kid from USC is smaller. When Leckey took over the job our line play improved and when Wells moved to RT the line play improved dramatically ! I hafta think Leckey was a factor in that improvement.

I agree. People seem to have "stereo-typed" Lecky as a small barely talented center. If you watched him closely last year he is awfully good and he has that unteachable mean streak you love to see in Linemen.

And he is not small unless you see him next to our current guards who are huge.

 

[kerouac9]

I'm really not sure if we can gauge how well Step played when he had to cover for Reggie Wells on one side of him. Those were two smallish guys in the center of the line. Is it any wonder that we got pushed around by larger DTs?

I agree that Leckey probably did a better job making line calls, but I think he got a lot of help from just the more physical presences of Lutui and Milford Brown on either side of him.

I think that Stepanovich at least deserves the low FA tender and a chance to prove himself in camp.

 

[BACH]

I'm really not sure if we can gauge how well Step played when he had to cover for Reggie Wells on one side of him. Those were two smallish guys in the center of the line. Is it any wonder that we got pushed around by larger DTs?

I agree that Leckey probably did a better job making line calls, but I think he got a lot of help from just the more physical presences of Lutui and Milford Brown on either side of him.

I think that Stepanovich at least deserves the low FA tender and a chance to prove himself in camp.

Even playing next tp Wells Leckey was an instant upgrade. I hear what you're saying, but I think Step deserves most of the blame. Step had Milford next to him too, but didn't play nearly as well.

 

[vinnymac]

I'm not sure if we can gauge how well Step played when he had to cover for Reggie Wells on one side of him.

How about getting pushed 3 yards in the backfield. Getting James killed almost every running play. The guy sucked.

 

[Indiana Hoosier]

Bottom line, "STEP" couldn't cut it! He regressed!