Spotlight #1: Missouri TE Michael Egnew

Spotlight #2: Arizona State WR Gerell Robinson 

1^st quarter

9:11: I was originally going to scout Jacquies Smith, but he’s hurt so I switched to Arizona WR Gerell Robinson. Robinson, a former highly recruited player, has yet to make his mark as a wide receiver, with a career high 29 catches for 387 yards and 5 touchdowns last year as a junior. He’s got one last chance and nice measurables (6-4 220 4.4). He got 4 balls in the opener against UC Davis and he catches the deep ball here for 51 yards. Nice job of getting open deep.

5:01: Michael Egnew with his first catch. Not been impressed with him thus far. He’s not holding up as a blocker (on the rare occasions he’s been asked to block) and this is just his 3^rd catch of the season. He clearly misses Blaine Gabbert. This one goes for 14 yards.

2^nd quarter

12:41: 2^nd catch by Egnew. This time for 10 yards. Still not impressed with him. Very one dimensional player. Don’t see how he’s a 2^nd rounder. He reminds me of former Missouri tight end Chase Coffman.

7:31: Arizona State quarterback Brock Osweiler with the 60 yard strike down the middle of the field. The 6-8 quarterback has got such a strong arm. He’s a junior and a first year starter so he probably won’t come out until next year, but he’s really impressing me tonight. He’s got a cannon and he’s poised in the pocket.

3^rd quarter

4^th quarter

8:55: Robinson able to catch the ball, just his 2^nd catch on the night. As has been the case his entire time in Arizona State, the athletic Robinson has been borderline invisible tonight.

3:10: Pass incomplete to Egnew in the end zone, the 3^rd straight incompletion thrown his way. That’s not completely his fault, but it’s definitely not good on his part.

2:55: Pass complete to Egnew in the end zone this time for the 3 yard score. Nice route run for only his 3^rd catch of the game.

0:00: Egnew had 90 catches last season. This year he has 5 in 2 games. He clearly misses Blaine Gabbert who could dump off short passes with the best of them. He doesn’t look like a very good tight end. He can’t block very well at all and he’s no longer making a huge impact with the passing game. He’s not overly athletic and didn’t catch balls for a high average last season (8.5 yards per catch). He’s way too one dimensional to be considered as the top tight end in this draft class. As for Robinson, he’s not worth a draft pick. He’s never lived up to his billing and that doesn’t appear to be changing any time soon.

The one big takeaway for me tonight was Brock Osweiler. I doubt he comes out this year, but he’s someone to watch as a senior in 2013. He’s got great size at 6-8 240 and has an absolute cannon for an arm and he’s accurate deep with it as well. He can move a little and he’s got some of Joe Flacco and Ben Roethlisberger in him. He was 24-32 for 353 yards and 3 touchdowns this week, after going 19-26 for 262 yards, 2 touchdowns, and a pick last week.

By Kevin Bonneville

Players are set to report to camp in Flagstaff beginning tomorrow night, which means that I need to finish up Examining The Roster.  Next up, the offensive line, which should be a much improved unit for the upcoming year over years past.

Tackles

Levi Brown: Many people were disappointed when the Cardinals took Brown over Adrian Peterson back in the 2007 draft, but with how bad Arizona’s line was at the time, it was hard to argue against the pick.  Plus, Brown has been pretty good for his first three years in the league.  He will be making the change over to the left side of the line this coming year where he will be playing against top ends week in and week out.  With having a left-handed quarterback though, left tackle isn’t as important if Arizona were starting a righty QB.  Brown should be solid with the change though.

Brandon Keith: With Mike Gandy and Brown starting on the left side, Keith should be the starter at right tackle once the season starts.  He has been the starter throughout the off-season workouts and has played well.  Even though he wasn’t a top pick, the coaching staff has been high on Keith since he was drafted back in 2008 out of Northern Iowa.  Keith’s play and protecting Matt Leinart’s backside will be a major key to this offense having continued success.  Hopefully Keith will be up for the challenge.

Depth guys: Behind Brown and Keith, the guy with the most experience will be Jeremy Bridges.  He started four games last year when injuries hit the line pretty hard.  The 30-year-old can play at both guard and at tackle.  Versatility is always an important quality in an offensive line and Bridges fits right into that mold.  Herman Johnson is another guy that the coaching staff is real high because of how big and strong he is, but he doesn’t have the ideal athleticism to play at tackle.  He could be a heck of a run blocker down the line because the dude is a mammoth.  Jonathan Palmer and Casey Knips will also be in the mix.

Guards

Alan Faneca: The Cards were quick the snatch up Faneca after he was released back in April by the Jets and rightfully so, he is still pretty darn good for his age.  Even though he is nearing 34, he is still playing close to his Pro Bowl level and that is an upgrade over what this line has had at the same spot in recent years.  Faneca has been the starter at left guard since Day One when he signed on the dotted line and there is no reason to think otherwise.

Reggie Wells: Wells was on the left side last season, but with Faneca being on the left side for years now, Wells will be moved over to the right side.  Wells is solid both in run and pass protection and has been one of the Cards most consistent o-linemen over the last couple of years.  Probably the most important thing of all, he can help out Keith, who will need all the help that he can get.

Depth guys: I have talked about Deuce Lutui frequently throughout this off-season because with him wanting a new contract and his suddenly increased body weight.  Lutui has his work cut out for him and it is hard to imagine him starting over Wells because of how he acted over the off-season and how much he will be overweight coming into camp.  You would have to think that the coaching staff isn’t too thrilled with him.  Rex Hadnot was brought over from Cleveland during the off-season and has had several starts over the years.  He will provide nice depth at both guard spots and even at center if need be.

Lyle Sendlein: An undrafted rookie out of Texas, not much was expected out of Sendlein coming out of college, but Russ Grimm changed that.  Sendlein has been the starter at center at three years now and has been the only guy on the line that hasn’t switched positions at one point.  He earned the respect of many after it was learned during the 2009 off-season that he played with a very serious shoulder injury throughout the 2008 season.  Even though he is undersized and gets bullied at times by nose tackles, the former Longhorn has been much better than expected and continues to be the rock on the line.

Depth Guys: Ben Claxton and David Moosman are in the mix for a roster spot, but both are long shots to make it simply because Hadnot can move over and be effective at center if Sendlein gets hurt.

5. CB Patrick Peterson A

Peterson is my top prospect and fills a need at cornerback opposite Domonique Rodgers Cromartie. Getting my top prospect at #5 and filling a need at the same time is a good thing in my book.

38. RB Ryan Williams C-

This one doesn’t make any sense. Beanie Wells is a talented player who has struggled so far in his career, but poor blocking and poor quarterback play last year may be to blame for that. I don’t know if Williams will fare any better if they don’t fix their offensive line or their quarterback play. Obviously, given this year’s quarterback class, quarterback here would have been a mistake, but offensive line would have made a ton of sense here. Benjamin Ijalana would have been a great pick. Williams also doesn’t give Wells a complimentary backup because Tim Hightower does a nice job in that role. I don’t see where Williams fits.

69. TE Rob Housler B

Tight end has been a need position for years for them, but Housler is a minor reach and, again, I think this pick could have been better used on an offensive lineman. They allowed 50 sacks last year and offensive line is one of the toughest positions to address in free agency.

103. RLB Sam Acho A

Acho should have been off the board in the 2^nd round. Getting him in the 4^th is highway robbery. If they didn’t look different, I wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference between him and Brooks Reed at the Senior Bowl and Reed went 2 rounds earlier. Oh, and Acho fills a major need at rush linebacker.

136. FB Anthony Sherman C+

Fullback was a need, but there were better fullbacks available and this team has other needs, offensive line in particular. This team isn’t in a position as a franchise to take a luxury pick at fullback this early.

171. MLB Quan Sturdivant A

Sturdivant should have come off the board in the 4^th round, but came off here to Arizona in the 6^th. They need a long term replacement for Paris Lenon and I think Sturdivant can mature into that.

184. 3-4 DE David Carter B-

Defensive line depth wasn’t their biggest need, but Carter fits the range.

249. WR DeMarco Sampson A

Larry Fitzgerald says he misses having Anquan Boldin opposite him. Steve Breaston does better in the slot and neither Early Doucet nor Andre Roberts have stepped up as future starters. Sampson has the upside with his measurables to become that starter and if he doesn’t, who cares, it’s a 7^th rounder.

Overall:

My only problem with this draft is they didn’t address the offensive line at all. They gave up 50 sacks last year and if they want to sign a veteran like Marc Bulger when they can, they need to protect him well otherwise he’ll start having Vietnam flashbacks. Offensive linemen are really tough to find in free agency. However, I loved their first round selection and I loved adding Sam Acho and Quan Sturdivant in the 4^th and 6^th respectively at positions of need. I liked what they did in the 7^th round and other than the Ryan Williams selection, I didn’t hate any of their picks. If they had taken Ijalana over Williams, this draft would have probably been an A. Clint Boling in the 3^rd over Rob Housler would have been a good decision too, but I like Housler and how he fits in the offense.

Grade: B

By Kevin Bonneville 

Camp is now under way at Flagstaff.  Taking an in depth look at the Cardinals offense is finished, so I will move to the other side of the ball with the defense.  First up, the defensive line.

Ends

Calais Campbell: Coming out of Miami, Campbell was highly thought of coming out of college because of his size and his freakish athletic ability coming off the edge.  He proved that he was worth the second round pick last season in his only second year in the league.  The 23-year-old had 47 tackles and seven sacks and was a constant nuisance for opposing teams quarterbacks.  He has freakish height at 6′7″ for an end which allows him to knock down a lot of passes.  He also has great speed off of the edge.  This is said a lot in sports, but the sky is truly the limit for him.  He is that talented and is a guy that is a Pro Bowl guy down the line, if not as soon as this year if he continues make big strides.

Darnell Dockett: Across from Campbell will be Dockett, who has already been to two Pro Bowls and was  a first team All-Pro selection last year.  Even though he may be known by some for his off the field antics, which includes posting a shower video on his Twitter account during the off-season, the guy has turned into one of the best defensive ends in the game.  Why is he so successful year in and year out?  There is no guy that works harder than he does in the league and that is why he has gotten so much better since his rookie season.  Dockett is looking for a new contract, but don’t expect it to effect his play on the field.  The man is a gamer.

Depth guys: Alan Branch will be the main guy backing up both Dockett and Campbell.  Branch was considered a steal by most when he was drafted in the second round back in 2007, but he has failed to live up to his potential so far with his play on the field and his inability to stay in shape at times.  He started to show some signs of life last season with two sacks to go along with 18 tackles.  Kenny Iwebema will provide solid depth behind Branch and is also solid on special teams.  Keilen Dykes and Dean Muhtadi will try to duke it out to see if they can make the roster.  Dykes made one tackle in two games last year and Muhtadi has yet to see the field in his pro career.

Bryan Robinson: Just because Ken Whisenhunt isn’t a huge fan of starting rookies, Robinson should be the starter at DT when the season starts in St. Louis.  At 36 years old, Robinson has certainly lost a step, but he is still good enough to do a solid job of plugging the gap against the run.  His 28 tackles last season were the highest he had in three seasons, so it appears as though he has a little left in the tank.  Robinson’s biggest job in camp will be to help mentor the next guy that I will talk about.

Dan Williams: I have made no secret how much I loved when he was taken by the Cards in the first round back in April.  Most draft experts agreed with me too.  They thought that Williams could have went in the Top 10 in the first round, but he fell all the way to AZ at 26.  Williams has all the tools to be an elite defensive tackle for years to come and some think that he will start right off the bat, but he has a big learning curve ahead of him with playing the 3-4 at the pro level.  It will be best for his development for him to start the year behind Robinson, but don’t expect it to last too long.  This guy is going to be a good one.

Depth guys: Is is not or never for Gabe Watson.  He has shown some signs of being a good player, but he has never been able to put it all together.  Maybe with the addition of Williams, the competition will bring out the best in Watson.  If not, this will probably be his last season in a Cardinals uniform.  Jeremy Clark will be behind him.  He played four games with the Giants back in 2008.

http://desertflock.com/ 

2010 Preview:

Hopefully Cardinals fans enjoyed their 2 years of playoffs, because it looks like they’ll be back to mediocrity this year. Kurt Warner was far and away the biggest reason why they had success in the past few years and now he’s retired and Matt Leinart, who was their quarterback when they weren’t very good, is back as the starter. Leinart was 274 for 489 for 3294 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 16 picks in his first two years as Arizona’s starter. That’s with Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin at his disposal. Now Boldin is gone. Derek Anderson will compete with him for the starting job, but he absolutely stunk in Cleveland last year. Poor quarterback play was the reason why they stunk earlier this decade and, in what should be a very unsettling fact for Cardinals fans, they once again should have poor quarterback play.

Matt Leinart could have a bounce back year this year thanks to some time on the bench. We’ve seen it before, namely with Vince Young and Alex Smith last year. However, Leinart has been 66 for 106 for 699 yards, 1 touchdown, and 4 picks in limited action since getting benched. That’s not promising. Neither is the fact that the Cardinals, who have had a first hand look at Leinart this offseason, signed Derek Anderson, drafted John Skelton, and considered signing Marc Bulger. That’s not something a team sold on their quarterback as the guy who can take them to the playoffs does.

Now, Warner isn’t the only loss they had this offseason, just their most important. They also lost Boldin, as I mentioned. Cutting Antrel Rolle and replacing him with Kerry Rhodes also will hurt a bit. Same with the loss of Karlos Dansby, who was replaced with 2^nd round pick Daryl Washington. Washington is a 228 pound linebacker who will have trouble fitting their base 3-4 scheme, should they continue transitioning to that scheme. None of those losses will hurt as much as the loss of Warner, but none of them help them at all either.

Projection: 5-11 3rd in NFC West

Power Ranking: 25 

Last season: 10-6 

Draft:

#26 NT Dan Williams (Tennessee)

This pick is a solid pick, if, and only if, Matt Leinart or Derek Anderson are the answer at quarterback. If not, they’ll regret passing on Jimmy Clausen. Still, Williams fills a major need at nose tackle and is a good value. They were a nose tackle away from having a true 3-4 and they could have a very solid defense next year as Williams was the most complete nose tackle in this draft class. Unlike most nose tackles, he’ll be able to play most downs and doesn’t have bad stamina.

Grade: B-

#47 MLB Daryl Washington (TCU)

The Cardinals had a perfect opportunity here, after trading up, to take Jimmy Clausen and still have Dan Williams. However, the completely blew it. Washington is a solid player, but he’s not a good fit for a 3-4 and I don’t like the decision to move up for him.

Grade: D

#88 WR Andre Roberts (Citadel)

Many people in the know have pegged Roberts as a sleeper, as he only dropped 6 passes in his college career and held his own at Senior Bowl week with the best of the best. However, the Cardinals already were three deep at receiver with Fitzgerald, Breaston, and Doucet.

Grade: B-

#130 RLB O’Brien Schofield (Wisconsin)

They probably could have gotten Schofield a little later, but I don’t know that for a fact. However, Schofield is a great pick for them. He was a very good pass rusher in his college career and was one of the league leaders in sacks last year. He’ll have to learn a new position and he had a nasty injury in Senior Bowl week, but he did alright with a new position at the Shrine Game and the Cardinals, with 3 decent pass rushers on the roster already, don’t need Schofield right away. Schofield probably will be able to step in as a starter across from Cody Brown in 2011 or 2012 and a future starter at this juncture is a steal in my book.

Grade: B

#155 QB John Skelton (Fordham)

I wanted them to take Clausen earlier, because he could have been a week 1 starter for them, but I’m so glad they didn’t take a quarterback in the 3^rd round range. Matt Leinart isn’t very good, but he’s also not mentally tough and if he senses his team doesn’t have faith in him, as bringing in a 3^rd round quarterback would suggest, he could lose confidence again and that’ll be bad. Skelton was drafted late enough that Leinart will only see him as a backup and he has good upside in the future. Skelton’s arm fits their downfield offense very well.

Grade: A

#201 CB Jorrick Calvin (Troy)

I hadn’t heard of Calvin before Draft Day and, in my mind, that makes him a reach, though he does fill a position of need.

Grade: D

#223 TE Jim Dray (Stanford)

I would have liked for them to take a pass catching tight end, but Dray is a good blocker and I can’t say that wasn’t needed.

Grade: B-

Overall:

I think there is a good chance the Cardinals look back at this draft with regrets about not taking Jimmy Clausen at either 26 or 47, but if Matt Leinart, Derek Anderson, or John Skelton do pan out longterm as quarterbacks, they’ll have to be very happy getting talented guys like Washington, Williams, and Schofield out of their draft. Even though Washington doesn’t quite fit the scheme, I think he projects as a future starter which gives them at least 3 future starters in this draft. It greatly solidifies their defense as one of the fuller 3-4 defenses in the league and I think Roberts and Skelton give some upside on offense as well. I don’t like that they didn’t take a tackle. Their bookends couldn’t protect Kurt Warner last year and, if they planned on using Matt Leinart next year, it would have at least been a good idea to get him some better protection. Maybe a center who doesn’t step on his feet would have been nice too, as would a pass catching tight end.

Grade: B-

Key undrafted free agents

CB AJ Jefferson (Fresno State)

QB Max Hall (BYU)

WR Stephen Williams (Toledo)

Offseason needs:

Offensive Tackle:

Mike Gandy and Levi Brown each gave up 9 sacks and combined to give up 27 hits, and, 59 pressures and this is even though Gandy missed four starts with injury. Kurt Warner can handle that kind of pressure and not be too effected by it. Matt Leinart is not Kurt Warner. He is not as mentally tough. The Cardinals need to take at least one offensive tackle in the first two rounds and then one more. Trent Williams could be an option at 26.

Quarterback:

I don’t think Matt Leinart is going to work out at quarterback. However, if they take one in the first 3 rounds, it will hurt his development because he will lose confidence knowing the organization has lost confidence in him. They need to go big or go home with this one. They either need to draft a quarterback in the first round, which would likely require a reach, or trade their first rounder for a guy like Donovan McNabb and bench Leinart, or they need to wait until after the 3^rd to take a quarterback, a backup, a fall back plan, and pretend to be confident in Leinart’s abilities. Either way requires them to get a quarterback, it’s just a matter of how much they actually do believe in Leinart. Do they take someone like Tony Pike in the first or trade for McNabb or try to get Jason Campbell from the Redskins, or do they wait for someone like Bill Stull or Jarrett Brown and use them as backup/fall back.

Signed Derek Anderson, Drafted John Skelton (#155) 

Tight End:

If they choose to go with Leinart, it’d be wise to continue building the offense around him. That would require an upgrade at tight end, a true pass catching tight end to help Leinart when in trouble. They should target one in the first 3 rounds.

Drafted Jim Dray (#233) 

Middle Linebacker:

Karlos Dansby is a free agent and, after being franchised twice, he probably is not going to want to come back. Even if he does, Gerald Hayes next to him could be upgraded. If Dansby doesn’t resign, look for them to possibly target Sean Weatherspoon or Brandon Spikes in the 1^st round.

Signed Paris Lenon, Drafted Daryl Washington (#47) 

Nose Tackle:

If the Cardinals got a true nose tackle on their roster, they could switch full time to a 3-4, which would help their defense because their personnel is better suited for it. Terrence Cody is a dark horse at 26 in the first. If he isn’t taken, they’ll look at Cam Thomas in the 2^nd and Linval Joseph in the 3^rd.

Drafted Dan Williams (#26) 

Rush Linebacker:

The Cardinals had 43 sacks last year, but most of that came from their defensive line and if they switch full time to a 3-4, which they should, they’ll need to get more pressure from their linebackers. Their rush linebacker leader in sacks, Bert Berry, has retired and both Clark Haggans, and Chike Okeafor, who finished with 5 and 4.5 respectively, are going to be 33 and 34 respectively next season. Even if Cody Brown, a 2009 2^nd round pick who missed all year with injury, pans out, they’ll need a rush linebacker of the future opposite him.

Signed Joey Porter, Drafted O’Brien Schofield (#130) 

Safety:

Adrian Wilson could be cut this offseason for financial reasons or possibly traded if they can find a suitor. His name was part of a rumored Donovan McNabb deal. If he’s not in Arizona next year, they’ll need a replacement.

Traded for Kerry Rhodes 

Cornerback:

Bryant McFadden could be upgraded and even if they choose not to upgrade him, depth is very clearly needed.

Drafted Jorrick Calvin (#201) 

Center

Lyle Sendlein did a good job of not stepping on Kurt Warner’s foot repeatedly so he’s probably not going to hurt the quarterback anymore, but with 28 QB pressures allowed in 2 years, he’s certainly not going to help. Part of making sure Matt Leinart is comfortable next year includes making sure the guy snapping him the ball doesn’t step on him and/or let some big guy hit him in the face.

Free agents:

FB Justin Green (restricted)

WR Jerheme Urban (restricted)- not tendered, signed with Chiefs

WR Steve Breaston (restricted)- resigned 1 year 2.3 million

TE Ben Patrick (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.6 million

TE Stephen Spach (restricted)- resigned 1 year

OT Mike Gandy

OT Jeremy Bridges- resigned 3 years

G Deuce Lutui (restricted)- resigned 1 year 1.7 million

C Lyle Sendlein (exclusive rights)- resigned 1 year 1.6 million

C Ben Claxton (restricted)- resigned 1 year

3-4 DE Justin Banks (exclusive rights)

3-4 DE Keilen Dykes (exclusive rights)

NT Gabe Watson (restricted)- 1 year 1.8 million

#3 MLB Karlos Dansby- signed with Dolphins 5 years 43 million

Unlike most of the unrestricted free agents on the market, Dansby is young. He doesn’t turn 29 until November. He has made an impact in Arizona every year of his career and has three straight years of 90 tackles or more. He has experience in both a 3-4 and a 4-3 and has the size and skill set to fit both.

CB Michael Adams (exclusive rights)- resigned 1 year

S Antrel Rolle- signed with Giants 5 years 37 million 

S Hazma Abdullah (restricted)- resigned

K Neil Rackers- signed with Texans 2 years 4.2 million

# refers to unrestricted free agent rank

Offseason moves:

Cardinals re-sign G Deuce Lutui

Cardinals sign CB Justin Miller

Cardinals sign G Alan Faneca 

Cardinals sign K Jay Feely

Cardinals re-sign WR Steve Breaston

Cardinals re-sign NT Gabe Watson

Cardinals re-sign C Lyle Sendlein

Cardinals re-sign CB Michael Adams

Cardinals re-sign TE Ben Patrick

Cardinals re-sign S Hamza Abdullah

Cardinals sign RLB Joey Porter 

Cardinals sign QB Derek Anderson

Cardinals sign MLB Paris Lenon

Cardinals sign G Rex Hadnot

Cardinals re-sign C Ben Claxton

Cardinals re-sign OT Jeremy Bridges

Cardinals re-sign TE Stephen Spach

Cardinals re-sign TE Anthony Becht

Cardinals acquire FS Kerry Rhodes from Jets for 2010 4th-rounder and 2011 7th-rounder

Cardinals trade WR Anquan Boldin and 2010 5th-rounder to Ravens for 2010 3rd-, 4th-rounders

Cardinals cut S Antrel Rolle

Cardinals tender CB Michael Adams

Cardinals tender NT Gabe Watson

Cardinals tender WR Steve Breaston

Cardinals tender G Deuce Lutui

Cardinals tender C Lyle Sendlein

Cardinals tender TE Ben Patrick 

The Giants certainly need safety help. None of their safeties could tackle at all last year and they gave up no many big plays both through the air and on the ground. However, Rolle is now the highest paid safety in NFL history after the Giants gave him 5 years 37 million. Rolle is an above average safety, but not greatest safety in NFL history.

Grade: C+