Cardinals 53 Man Roster Prediction I
August 3, 2007 by Walter Mitchell
Each week throughout the pre-season, I will attempt to predict the Cardinals’ 53 Man Roster and 8 Man Practice Squad. Determining this year’s roster will be very difficult for first-year head coach, Ken Whisenhunt, and his staff, because the Cardinals may very well have the most talented pre-season roster they have ever had. In offering these initial decisions, I will try to provide some notes as to what the thought process was.
QBs (3): 7-Matt Leinart, 13-Kurt Warner and 9-Shane Boyd.
Comment: The question here: Will Whiz elect to carry three QBs? The Steelers elected to go with two last year when the final cuts were made. If Whiz likes QB Toby Korrodi and feels certain that he will pass through waivers and be signed to the practice squad, then he may feel justified in keeping two QBs, while having a third in the wings. I believe that Shane “Radar” Boyd will perform more than well enough this pre-season to warrant a spot on the roster, and that Korrodi will pass through waivers and be signed to the practice squad.
RBs (3): 32-Edgerrin James, 31-Marcel Shipp and 28-J.J. Arrington.
Comment: Steve Baylark will turn some heads in camp this year. Like Korrodi, he will pass through waivers and be added to the practice squad. Although, if Baylark shines on special teams and Whiz feels that Marcel Shipp can double as a second fullback, Baylark has a shot at making the roster.
FB (2): 45-Terrelle Smith and 46-Tim Castille.
Comment: I gave the edge to Castille over BranDon Snow and Roshon Vercher because of his versatility and red zone skills. Castille needs to distinguish himself on special teams as well. If Snow or Vercher proves to be a better lead blocker and special teams player than Castille, then this initial decision will have to be reconsidered.
WR (6): 81-Anquan Boldin, 11-Larry Fitzgerald, 80-Bryant Johnson, 15-Michael Spurlock, 18-Steve Breaston and 14 Todd Watkins.
Comment: Spurlock is just the kind of slot WR/return man that Whiz likes and should emerge as a roster lock this pre-season. Breaston has been coming on of late, as has the speedy Watkins, who offensive coordinator Todd Haley was raving about this week. I have included Sean Morey in the special teams keepers, because I do not expect him to see much game action at WR. LeRon McCoy hasn’t done much yet to get himself squarely in the picture, but the player to keep and eye on is Matt Trannon.
TE (3): 82-Leonard Pope, 83-Troy Bienemann, 89-Ben Patrick.
Comment: It’s quite possible that Pope will be the only TE in this current group to make the final roster. If Beinemann and Patrick don’t show significant improvement and potential as blockers, it may behoove Whiz to comb the waiver wires or make a trade. Tim Euhus and John Bronson have golden opportunities here to step up and be the blocking TE the team needs. But, my hunch is that Whiz will stick with the three young prospects above and will coach them up big-time. I also expect Whiz to slide Mike Gandy to TE in the short-yardage and goal-line packages alongside of Oliver Ross or Levi Brown.
OL (9): 69-Mike Gandy, 74-Reggie Wells, 50-Al Johnson, 76-Deuce Lutui, 79-Oliver Ross, 61-Elton Brown, 75, Levi Brown, 60-Nick Leckey and 72-Brandon Gorin.
Comment: The player to keep a close eye on here is G Brian Johnson of LSU. He has a chance to make this roster if he can beat out Elton Brown. Quasim Mitchell has a chance to beat out Brandon Gorin. And if C Lyle Sendlein of Texas keeps having a good camp, it’s possible that the Cardinals could trade Nick Leckey to a team desperate to pick up a starting caliber center. Perhaps Leckey for a TE? Note: I still like Leckey’s chances of starting for the Cardinals at center at some point this year, so this is not a trade I would endorse. But, Leckey is in a contract year and may be long gone this time next year.
DL (6): 90-Darnell Dockett, 98-Gabe Watson, 94-Antonio Smith, 63-Jonathan Lewis, 78-Alan Branch and 93-Chris Cooper.
Comment: Right now Jonathan Lewis gets the edge over Rodney Bailey and Ross Kolodziej. Like Dockett, Lewis is quick off the ball and is disruptive. However, Bailey’s size and strength are attractive…and we all know by now that we should never count the opportunistic Kolodziej out. The competition between these three should be one of the more interesting ones in camp.
LB (8): 56-Chike Okeafor, 54-Gerald Hayes, 58-Karlos Dansby, 92-Bertrand Berry, 97-Calvin Pace, 52-Monty Beisel, 53-Buster Davis and 55-Darryl Blackstock.
Comment: The odd man out here is Brandon Johnson, although his size and speed translates well to the WLB spot and nickel and dime packages where he would be asked to cover the TE. At the very least Johnson should be a lock for the practice squad. He needs to get stronger and John Lott can take care of that! The player to keep a close eye on is Blackstock…who needs to come into his own this year. If Blackstock falters, the pass rushing veteran Joe Tafoya may make an impressive run at this roster.
DB(9): 21-Antrel Rolle, 24-Adrian Wilson, 42-Terrence Holt, 25-Eric Green, 26-Roderick Hood, 47-Aaron Francisco, 22-Matt Ware, 37-Hanik Milligan and 23 Darrell Hunter.
Comment: I went with eight DBs because Matt Ware can double as a free safety and cornerback, and I intend to keep two DBs on the practice squad to call on if needed. Young Michael Adams has been making some noise in camp…and keep an eye of two other undrafted rookies, CB Travarous Bain and FS Brandon Keeler. The veteran candidate to watch is Ralph Brown…it will be interesting to see how well he plays and fits in.
ST (4): 1-Neil Rackers, 10-Scott Player, 48-Nathan Hodel, 37-Hanik Milligan and 87-Sean Morey.
Comment: All five of these players shoud have outstanding seasons and lead the Cardinal special teams to unprecedented success. P Ricky Schmitt from West Virginia has been booming the ball in practice…but as we saw last year, Scott Player’s job does not appear to be in any jeopardy whatsoever. Milligan and Morey should be the special teams’ captains and I list them here for that reason, and because neither of them figure all that much into the team’s plans as position players.
PS (8): QB-12-Toby Korrodi, RB-33-Steve Baylark, WR-17-Matt Trannon, C-63-Lyle Sendlein, G-65-Brian Johnson, LB-59-Brandon Johnson, CB-41-Travarous Bain and FS-38-Brandon Keeler.Â
Comment: The players that I want to get a close look at as practice squad candidates: FB-34-Brandon Snow, FB-36-Roshon Vercher, G-66-Jon Hameister-Reis, T-68-Ellliot Vallejo, DT-62-Ray Blagman, LB-57-David Holloway, LB-51-Pago Tagafau and CB-27-Michael Adams.
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There’s no way this team goes into the regular season with 7 WRs (Morey’s been getting a lot of plays at WR in camp) and only 4 CBs (Matt Ware isn’t a cornerback; he never was except in the fevered imagination of Dennis Green).
I also think that we keep an extra DE on the final roster, most likely Rodney Bailey, who has 3-4 experience with the Steelers.
The Cards are in trouble at TE. Real trouble.
This is a really good list, though.
As good a guess as can be made now. Thank you for the effort.
Scary. Based solely on camp buzz, I agree with you 100% on all 53.
But I’d keep an eye on Sendlein (especially if he can play guard as well as center). Rodney Bailey and Brandon Johnson are still in the thick of it, but each will have to step up and do something special.
Future game-performance and injuries no doubt will have an impact on your list, but, as of now, I think you’re dead-on.
Good Job Walter1
I can’t see Brandon Johnson making the final cut. Whiz has a lot of work cut out for him.
That means that about 19 kids walk away, correction are asked to turn in their playbooks and get out. I agree that your 53 man roster could be right on. You just never know who is going to surprise.
GBR
40
I work at a local sports radio show and have had the luxury of going to camp, TE is not an issue Leonard Pope is grooming to be a stud. People said the same exact things about the Pittsburgh TE situation 3 years ago. Heath Miller was groomed by a guy named Ken Whisenhunt. Pope has looked impressive and so has Biennaman, now Patrick has struggled but he is signed and we’re not going to cut him. Matt Trannon is making the 53 man roster, I predict him to be our No. 3 WR by years end. Close on your predictions though.
Heath Miller was a good blocker coming out of Virginia, though. Pope is almost a pure receiver.
Patrick is only a 7th round pick. They fail to make rosters all the time. I don’t think he makes it.
Actually the Bidwills have never cut a player they have drafted. So, I would wager a very high dollar amount Patrick doesn’t get cut. Pope is a receiving TE, so is Winslow, so is Shockey, Shannon Sharpe, Antonio Gates, the blocking TE has almost been eliminated from the NFL. On Blocking situations, a OL will fill the Te spot, they have been running these formations in camp. Miller developed into a receiving TE, now he himself does not play in run blocking situations. So, Patrick makes team and Cardinals are very deep at TE.
??? The “Bidwills” cut players all the time that they have drafted. They cut Tony Gilbert and added him to the practice squad, for example.
Yeah your right they cut Tony Gilbert in 2003 , I can’t believe they cut so many players they drafted—————–OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!! One player. Patrick is making the team.
Look, Ryan, YOU’RE the one who said the Bidwills have “never” cut a player they drafted. Last season they cut Jon Lewis and Todd Watkins and placed them both on the practice squad. In 2004 Antonio Smith was cut and placed on the practice squad.
Of course, you saying the the Cards “are very deep at TE” really makes me wonder if you’re connected to this organization at all. The only group that coach Whisenhunt has openly criticized has been the tight ends, and the critique is repeated in the press daily. Even the official website notes how disappointed the Cards were that they were rebuffed by the Bengals’ TE.
According to the team depth chart, Ben Patrick is riding high as the 5TH TE, behind Jon Bronson. So, unless you expect the Cards to keep 5 TEs on the active roster, I think you should probably prepare to eat some crow.
. Quick question are you saying they won’t make the 53 man roster or the team. There have been players that have been drafted that were put on the Practice Squad, but that is still part of the team. I was under the impression that you were saying they won’t be apart of the team. Whisenhunt has critisized the TE position. He has also been upset with the offense and Leinart being picked off so frequently. Edgerrin not hustling on certain plays. It is training camp. Patrick was the 3rd best TE in this draft. They are not going to cut him. I know what the cardinals website says for the depth chart. Do you know how often it is updated? I don’t. Tim Euhus and Bronson will be cut from our organization. Patrick, has a big upside. Whisenhunt knows it, you should know it.
The depth chart was posted Monday afternoon.
Ok. your the man kerouac9