Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
Here are the Cardinal players who are virtual locks to make the roster:
QB (2): Warner, Leinart.
RB (4): Hightower, Wells, Wright, Stephens-Howling. Wright's ability to block as a 3rd down RB and his ST play, make him a lock. LSH has quickly become the Cardinals' version of Darren Sproles.
FB (1): Kreider. Whiz's history with him matters in terms of trust.
WR (6): Fitzgerald, Boldin, Breatson, Urban, Doucet, Morey. Doucet has done enough and may not play until week 3, 4 or 5, but that's OK for now.
TE (1): Becht. He was signed to be the blocking TE and he's shown that's his forte.
OL (7): Gandy, Wells, Sendlein, Lutui, L. Brown, Keith, H. Johnson.
NT (2): Robinson, Branch. Branch has shown good flashes, and certainly has been outplaying Watson.
DE (3): Dockett, Campbell, Iwebema.
ILB (2): Hayes, Dansby.
OLB (4): Haggans, Okeafor, Davis, Hobson. Hobson has shown enough and is versatile.
CB (4): Rodgers-Cromartie, McFadden, Adams, Toler. Adams' value is increasing each year. Team's best gunner on STs and now is playing hard and well on defense.
S (4): Wilson, Rolle, Francisco, R. Johnson.
ST (3): Rackers, Graham, Leach.
That's 43...so 10 spots remain.
Bubble Battles:
QB (1): St. Pierre vs. Palko. BSP has struggled and is now injured (back), but he knows the system. Palko is a little wet behind the ears, but if he turns in a good performance at Denver, who knows? Whiz operates on a trust factor, and he trusts BSP. Odd on favorite: St. Pierre.
FB (?): Castille vs. Maiu'a. Castille is versatile. Maiu'a is a load. Odds are neither one of them makes the roster...too much need elsewhere.
WR (?): Long vs. Jones. Currently three of the Cardinals top six WRs are nursing injuries. The odds are good that the Cardinals will keep a 7th WR because of the injury issue. Long struggled last week, but appeared early in the game and often. Jones has been relegated to the 4th quarter, but he has two very nice TDs in limited action. Long has a better upside on STs, and for that reason he is the odds on favorite.
TE (2?): Spach vs. Pope vs. Byrd. Whiz loves Spach, but Spach's not quite yet back to the player he was last year and is coming off a poor game. Pope has been thrown to and for the most part he's made the catches, but has not shown much of an interest in advancing the ball (RAC). Byrd, on the other hand, has shown very good RAC ability. Right now the odds are a toss-up on all three. Who knows? And maybe Whiz decides because of having to keep an extra WR, to only keep 2 TEs until Patrick gets back in Week 5.
OL (2?): What's needed are a backup LT and backup C. Odds are that Oliver Ross and the winner of Claxton vs. Fowler get the nod. The wild card here is E. Brown...a versatile player who has played tackle before and held his own...so the other battle really is Ross vs. E. Brown. The odds are in Ross' favor, seeing as he's been playing LT and E. Brown hasn't. As for Claxton vs. Fowler, what's interesting is that Fowler hasn't beaten Claxton out for the #2 center job, at least thus far, although Fowler has played well late in games. Odds would seem to be in Fowler's favor becuae he's been a starter in this league and his blocks to spring Wright on the screens last week were two of the better blocks in the game. But, Claxton has hung in there...so who knows? Russ Grimm may just stick with Claxton, and i think there's a possibilty that the Cardinals cut both Claxton and Fowler with the intention of re-signing Claxton to the Ps and activating him to the roster if Sendlein gets hurt.
NT/DE (1): Watson vs. Leisle vs. Dykes. Watson struggled last week and does not look like himself. Leisle hasn't exactly distinguished himself. Dykes has the upside the coaches have been raving about, but has been injured all pre-season. The coaches know what they have in Watson when he's in shape and at 100%. But, is he either right now? Odds are they stick with Watson in the hope that he will get stronger as the weeks go on. Leisle has an outside shot. But, if the coaches like Dykes' upside more they might just stick with him with the thought that he too will be ready to contribute in a couple of weeks. This one is a crapshoot.
ILB (2): Highsmith vs. Walker vs. Waiver Wire, Highsmith is hurt again and his scenario looks like a waived/injured or IR decision. My guess is IR, especially with Dansby's potential to walk after this season. Walker has showed up in games and delivered one of the very best and fundamental goal-line tackles you will ever see. For that reason, he could already be an asset in the goal-line defense...the odds are he makes the team. Looks like the Cardinals will be looking to add another ILB off waivers.
OLB (1): Berry vs. Holloway vs. Waiver Wire. Berry has done nothing to warrant a roster spot thus far. If he shows up versus Denver, he likely gets the nod. Holloway is a long shot no matter how you look at it. Odds are that the Cardinals try to swing a trade or pick up a player off of waivers, because they need another edge rusher like the desert needs rain.
CB (1): R. Brown vs. Waiver Wire. Ralph Brown laid an egg last week and this has to be a concern. If the Cardinals can snag a player they like, Brown is gone. If not, he sticks, in the hope that he will wake up and smell the coffee the way he did in the playoffs.
S (1?): Matt Ware vs. Waiver Wire. The coaches have always liked Ware, because he can play nickel safety, STs and CB in a pinch. Likely he sticks for all those reasons...but what the Cardinals really need is a legitimate nickel cover 2 safety.
Here's IMO what the Cardinals do:
QB (1): St. Pierre
WR (1): Long
TE (2): Spach, Byrd. They trade Pope for an OLB.
OL (1): Ross. They sign Claxton to PS.
DE (1): Dykes.
ILB (1): Walker. They put Highsmith on IR and they count on Hobson to be able to help here and at OLB.
OLB (1); Player acquired in Pope trade.
CB (1): Brown.
S (1): Ware.
What I Would Do:
QB (1): St. Pierre.
WR (1): Long. Try to trade Onrea Jones, if possble. I think Long can be a nifty little punt returner when he gets comfortabe and confident.
TE (1): Byrd. Keep only 2 until Patrick gets back. Tell Spach he'll get a call when the need him.
OL (1): Fowler. Good player. Keep him. Let L. Brown move to T in case of injury to Gandy and H. Johnson play RT. Sign a G and a T to the practice squad.
DE (1): Dykes. Dude can play, worth waiting for.
ILB (2): Walker and waiver claim. Highsmith to IR.
OLB (1): Trade Pope and Watson to Tennessee for OLB/DE Jacob Ford.
CB (1): Waiver wire.
S (1): Trade 2010 6th round pick to Green Bay for S/CB Jarret Bush.
QB (2): Warner, Leinart.
RB (4): Hightower, Wells, Wright, Stephens-Howling. Wright's ability to block as a 3rd down RB and his ST play, make him a lock. LSH has quickly become the Cardinals' version of Darren Sproles.
FB (1): Kreider. Whiz's history with him matters in terms of trust.
WR (6): Fitzgerald, Boldin, Breatson, Urban, Doucet, Morey. Doucet has done enough and may not play until week 3, 4 or 5, but that's OK for now.
TE (1): Becht. He was signed to be the blocking TE and he's shown that's his forte.
OL (7): Gandy, Wells, Sendlein, Lutui, L. Brown, Keith, H. Johnson.
NT (2): Robinson, Branch. Branch has shown good flashes, and certainly has been outplaying Watson.
DE (3): Dockett, Campbell, Iwebema.
ILB (2): Hayes, Dansby.
OLB (4): Haggans, Okeafor, Davis, Hobson. Hobson has shown enough and is versatile.
CB (4): Rodgers-Cromartie, McFadden, Adams, Toler. Adams' value is increasing each year. Team's best gunner on STs and now is playing hard and well on defense.
S (4): Wilson, Rolle, Francisco, R. Johnson.
ST (3): Rackers, Graham, Leach.
That's 43...so 10 spots remain.
Bubble Battles:
QB (1): St. Pierre vs. Palko. BSP has struggled and is now injured (back), but he knows the system. Palko is a little wet behind the ears, but if he turns in a good performance at Denver, who knows? Whiz operates on a trust factor, and he trusts BSP. Odd on favorite: St. Pierre.
FB (?): Castille vs. Maiu'a. Castille is versatile. Maiu'a is a load. Odds are neither one of them makes the roster...too much need elsewhere.
WR (?): Long vs. Jones. Currently three of the Cardinals top six WRs are nursing injuries. The odds are good that the Cardinals will keep a 7th WR because of the injury issue. Long struggled last week, but appeared early in the game and often. Jones has been relegated to the 4th quarter, but he has two very nice TDs in limited action. Long has a better upside on STs, and for that reason he is the odds on favorite.
TE (2?): Spach vs. Pope vs. Byrd. Whiz loves Spach, but Spach's not quite yet back to the player he was last year and is coming off a poor game. Pope has been thrown to and for the most part he's made the catches, but has not shown much of an interest in advancing the ball (RAC). Byrd, on the other hand, has shown very good RAC ability. Right now the odds are a toss-up on all three. Who knows? And maybe Whiz decides because of having to keep an extra WR, to only keep 2 TEs until Patrick gets back in Week 5.
OL (2?): What's needed are a backup LT and backup C. Odds are that Oliver Ross and the winner of Claxton vs. Fowler get the nod. The wild card here is E. Brown...a versatile player who has played tackle before and held his own...so the other battle really is Ross vs. E. Brown. The odds are in Ross' favor, seeing as he's been playing LT and E. Brown hasn't. As for Claxton vs. Fowler, what's interesting is that Fowler hasn't beaten Claxton out for the #2 center job, at least thus far, although Fowler has played well late in games. Odds would seem to be in Fowler's favor becuae he's been a starter in this league and his blocks to spring Wright on the screens last week were two of the better blocks in the game. But, Claxton has hung in there...so who knows? Russ Grimm may just stick with Claxton, and i think there's a possibilty that the Cardinals cut both Claxton and Fowler with the intention of re-signing Claxton to the Ps and activating him to the roster if Sendlein gets hurt.
NT/DE (1): Watson vs. Leisle vs. Dykes. Watson struggled last week and does not look like himself. Leisle hasn't exactly distinguished himself. Dykes has the upside the coaches have been raving about, but has been injured all pre-season. The coaches know what they have in Watson when he's in shape and at 100%. But, is he either right now? Odds are they stick with Watson in the hope that he will get stronger as the weeks go on. Leisle has an outside shot. But, if the coaches like Dykes' upside more they might just stick with him with the thought that he too will be ready to contribute in a couple of weeks. This one is a crapshoot.
ILB (2): Highsmith vs. Walker vs. Waiver Wire, Highsmith is hurt again and his scenario looks like a waived/injured or IR decision. My guess is IR, especially with Dansby's potential to walk after this season. Walker has showed up in games and delivered one of the very best and fundamental goal-line tackles you will ever see. For that reason, he could already be an asset in the goal-line defense...the odds are he makes the team. Looks like the Cardinals will be looking to add another ILB off waivers.
OLB (1): Berry vs. Holloway vs. Waiver Wire. Berry has done nothing to warrant a roster spot thus far. If he shows up versus Denver, he likely gets the nod. Holloway is a long shot no matter how you look at it. Odds are that the Cardinals try to swing a trade or pick up a player off of waivers, because they need another edge rusher like the desert needs rain.
CB (1): R. Brown vs. Waiver Wire. Ralph Brown laid an egg last week and this has to be a concern. If the Cardinals can snag a player they like, Brown is gone. If not, he sticks, in the hope that he will wake up and smell the coffee the way he did in the playoffs.
S (1?): Matt Ware vs. Waiver Wire. The coaches have always liked Ware, because he can play nickel safety, STs and CB in a pinch. Likely he sticks for all those reasons...but what the Cardinals really need is a legitimate nickel cover 2 safety.
Here's IMO what the Cardinals do:
QB (1): St. Pierre
WR (1): Long
TE (2): Spach, Byrd. They trade Pope for an OLB.
OL (1): Ross. They sign Claxton to PS.
DE (1): Dykes.
ILB (1): Walker. They put Highsmith on IR and they count on Hobson to be able to help here and at OLB.
OLB (1); Player acquired in Pope trade.
CB (1): Brown.
S (1): Ware.
What I Would Do:
QB (1): St. Pierre.
WR (1): Long. Try to trade Onrea Jones, if possble. I think Long can be a nifty little punt returner when he gets comfortabe and confident.
TE (1): Byrd. Keep only 2 until Patrick gets back. Tell Spach he'll get a call when the need him.
OL (1): Fowler. Good player. Keep him. Let L. Brown move to T in case of injury to Gandy and H. Johnson play RT. Sign a G and a T to the practice squad.
DE (1): Dykes. Dude can play, worth waiting for.
ILB (2): Walker and waiver claim. Highsmith to IR.
OLB (1): Trade Pope and Watson to Tennessee for OLB/DE Jacob Ford.
CB (1): Waiver wire.
S (1): Trade 2010 6th round pick to Green Bay for S/CB Jarret Bush.
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