Pre-camp thoughts - defense

Gandhi

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If you want, you can read my pre-camp thoughts of the offensive side of the ball by clicking here.

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Disclaimer

The situation around Steve Keim could potentially affect this post, but I wrote it before knowing about the case. We know that the story is still developing, and we know that things that we did not see coming can happen. If something were to unfold, like Keim being suspended or even fired, we know that Terry McDonough would likely take over, but we don’t know if he would just continue a plan (I am just going to assume that Keim right now are filling in McDonough on some strategy, just in case), or if he would try to meet some whishes by Steve Wilks. There could be a slight different in the two approaches, especially in selecting the final 53 man roster, I would assume. This post includes some free agent-targets, but I doubt they would be affected either way.

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I am expecting this team to be anything from 5-11 to 8-8, and I don’t see them as a contender for the division. This is not just a roster filled with new acquisitions, as every team is going into camp. This is a team with, for the most part, a brand new coaching staff, and us fans don’t know what to expect from it.

I think the roster includes a living legend at wide receiver, one of the very best edge rushers in the game, and one of the best cornerbacks in the game. That’s not a bad start but is must be followed up by good depth, and that is where I have my doubts about this team. In previous years they have somewhat surprised me with better records than I expected, but how much of that was Bruce Arians and his coaching staff, and how much of it was talented players? I suppose it was a little bit of both things, which would mean that anything better than the last couple of seasons hinges primarily on Steve Wilks and his coaching staff.

You can’t argue that almost any team goes as far as their quarterback takes them. This is where Steve Keim has to come through right now. The DUI aside, what Steve Keim has done this offseason will in large part determine his legacy as a general manager, at least in my mind.

By the way, some of the position groups carries a lot of players and I have not included all of them. The ones I have left out, though, is probably bottom of the roster guys.

If you want, you can read my pre-camp thought of the offensive side of the ball by clicking here.

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Defensive line

I am one of those types that believe everything starts in the trenches, and that your team does not have any chance without good play on both the offensive- and defensive line. I believe that you can have the best skill position players in the world, but if you lose in the trenches, you will also lose the game. Because of that, I believe what I consider to be a questionable defensive line as an underrated potential problem going forward, and that it is just as worrisome as the wide receiver- and cornerback-situation. We have seen multiple times over the last seasons how any good defensive line must have a quality rotation, maybe even seven- or eight players deep. You will probably see why I am worried when I go through the players on the roster. I hope they will add a veteran edge rusher, maybe someone like Charles Johnson who Steve Wilks has worked with in Carolina, or maybe Robert Ayers or Ryan Davis.

I will add that I have wrote multiple times that it simply doesn’t matter if you call the lineup a 4-3 or a 3-4, and I mentions it again because I think it is very important to understand it to judge the defensive line properly. Even someone like Darren Urban often notes how they are switching scheme. I even think it is kind of irresponsible of Urban to not educate the readers, as I assume he knows the reality, even though I choose to believe that he only does not because it, for some reason, seems relevant to the readers and thus he gives them what they want. I have also heard how some of the players do not correct the reporters when talking about the so-called scheme-change, and I can only assume that is because the players don’t know what it means either. Everyone of them also answers that it won’t chance anything for them, which is obvious because they have been doing it for years. I am only mentioning this to hopefully avoid misunderstandings. Now, the switch to a very aggressive one gap-penetrating system on the defensive line is certainly important.

By the way, I heard something about how Al Holcomb’s defense shouldn’t be too complex. That could, in theory, be a very big deal in terms of integrating the young and new players.

Chandler Jones

There’s obviously no problem here. How he was not voted Defensive Player of the Year, even though he had the most sack, the most tackles for loss and the most quarterback hurries, is completely beyond me. It just goes to prove, at least to me, how flawed the voting process it.

Markus Golden

No problem here either. Hopefully he will be good to go when the season starts.

Corey Peters

I think Peters is very underrated. No, he does not produce huge stats. Yes, he is a big reason why others are producing huge stats.

Robert Nkemdiche

This is where my worries start. If Nkemdiche plays to his talent, he will be just as dominant as Darnell Dockett was in his prime. If he does not, I could see him be released after the season.

Rodney Gunter

I think Gunter has been playing well though he hasn’t been impressive in any way. Maybe he will be better in a one gap-system.

Olsen Pierre

I thought he had a little bit of a breakout year last season. As I see it, this season it can go two ways. Either he will disappear from the scene again, or he will continue to make progress and be a good rotational player.

Benson Mayowa

Who? Mayowa probably is the third edge rusher right now and could easily be it going into the season as well.

Bryson Albright

Albright is another good bet to be the #3 edge rusher.

Alec James

I don’t know who else to mention so why not Alec James? At least some people called him a good undrafted free agent pickup.

Linebacker

New defensive coordinator Al Holcomb probably got his current job mainly because he coached up the linebacker-corps in Carolina to be a tremendous unit, and so I believe this group is in good hands. Larry Foote is also an interesting coach, I think. Having said that, I also understand that coaches can only do good if they have talented players to work with, and this group probably isn’t that impressive.

Deone Bucannon

I have written this before, but I think that at some point not that long away from now the pendulum will swing back towards a more running oriented offense because that will take advantage of the small linebackers and many defensive backs that defenses have begun to utilize. If that happens sooner rather than later, Bucannon will be in trouble. I like Bucannon, so this is not at all a swing at him. I am just pointing out some potential problems with using him as a linebacker.

Haason Reddick

I have huge expectations with Reddick. I really think that Foote and Holcomb can speed up his development and make him a big asset.

Josh Bynes

Do to the trend that defenses deploy a lot of sets with only two linebackers, I doubt that Bynes will play an extensive portion of downs. I liked his play last season, though, so I am interested to see if he can take the next step.

Scooby Wright

I know how last season some where arguing that Wright shouldn’t be on the team because of his lack of speed. I will just echo what I have written multiple times, and that is that I feel strongly about that special teams are an important part of any team’s success. Wright is a very good special teams-player.

Dennis Gardeck, Airius Moore, Edmond Robinson

Well, I would guess that one of those four would be the #5 linebacker on the roster. No, I did not know they were on the roster either, so if you didn’t I would find it completely fair. Bring in Navorro Bowman, please.

Safety

Let me just start off by saying that I really would like them to sign Tre Boston. I don’t really have a rational reason, which I will show you in a minute, but I just think he would be really good in this defense – better than any safety on the roster not named Budda Baker. Okay, maybe the lack of depth should justify adding a veteran like Boston.

Budda Baker

Well, now it’s his time. Tyrann Mathieu is gone, so Baker needs to step up. I think Al Holcomb will use him all over the field, sometimes in coverage, sometimes blitzing, sometimes spying, sometimes stopping the run. I can’t wait to follow him throughout the season.

Antoine Bethea

Bethea actually is my main reason that they don’t really need to sign Boston from a personnel standpoint. At least not because of a lack of good players this season. I just argued that Baker needs to step up this season, but as far as I know it is Bethea that calls out the signals, where to line up and stuff like that, and I doubt that Baker will have to take over those responsibilities as long as Bethea is in the lineup.

Rudy Ford

Okay, okay, I get it. When Ford is probably your #3 safety, you might have a problem. I thought Ford played well on special teams last season, but I don’t really remember him as a defender. I don’t even know if he played any snaps on defense. Maybe he will be a good safety. I simply have no idea.

Zeke Turner, A.J. Howard, Travell Dixon

These three undrafted rookies will compete for the #4 safety spot if they don’t sign a veteran. Lord, have mercy.

Cornerback

I think I might be more concerned with the #2 cornerback spot than normally. Going into the season, when they had Cromartie, Powers, Cooper or Tramon Williams on the roster I was more optimistic. Hell, even when Bethel was going to play the #2 spot or when they were going into the season with Brandon Williams as a starter I was more satisfied. Now I think it looks like a disaster waiting to happen, which is why I really want them to add someone. It’s obvious that Bashaud Breeland is not healthy since no one has signed him yet, so it’s sort of a moot point, but if he was added to the roster even with the injury it would at least bring hope, I think. By the way, that the Panthers originally signed Breeland I think could indicate that Steve Wilks sees something in him too as I doubt the scouting in Carolina has changed dramatically in terms of what they want in a player since Wilks left them. Anyway, my thinking basically is that the more options they have, the more likely they are to find someone good.

Patrick Peterson

I think it’s hard to say who is the best cornerback in the NFL when I don’t follow the other teams as closely as I do with the Cardinals, but Patrick Peterson absolutely has to at least be in the discussion. Man, he is a good cover guy. I struggle to remember anyone as good as him as far as being a pure blanket on the opponent.

Jamar Taylor

I think it’s important to remember that his best season came when he was the #2 cornerback across from Joe Haden in Cleveland. Haden was really good at that time, and opponents avoided throwing near him. Basically, the same situation as Taylor faces now.

Brandon Williams

Remember, Williams was not selected by the previous coaching staff. He was selected by Keim, and thus the race to make a success out of a relatively high draft pick is still very much on. Do your magic, Mr. Wilks, please.

Bene’ Benwikere

I have nothing to back this up, but I just think Steve Wilks like Benwikere as a slot corner.

Chris Campbell

I think Steve Wilks was right when he said that we all know what we are getting in the first and second round in the draft, but a team and roster is largely build in the later rounds through developments of players. I don’t know if Campbell will be good. I thought he looked interesting on tape.

Deatrick Nichols

Some calls him one of the more interesting undrafted free agent pickups throughout the league so he’s probably worth keeping an eye on.
 

RugbyMuffin

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Again, great write up.

- Chandler Jones is not defensive player of the year because Aaron Donald is that good. I remember I wanted to draft Donald really bad, and put him at OLBer. People said "He cannot play there", LOL, dude can play where ever he wants. All you have to do is look at the tape of Donald, and it is very easy to see why he is the best defensive player in the NFL. The man is not of this world when he is on the football field. That all being said, Chandler Jones is right behind Donald. Jones was a complete OLB for the Cardinals last year, and excelled every where. Heck he would even quiet haters on this board, mid-game. LOL.

- I'll take the swing at Bucannon. He is a liability in the running game. He gets completely blown out of the play to many times against the run. You put a fullback in the backfield, and it doesn't matter if the Cardinals know its a run, because they just have to run at Bucannon, and he will not be able to stop it.

- At linebacker, a player that has a real good chance at making the roster is Jeremy Cash. He has a history with Wilks when he played for the Panthers, so he is ahead of the curve when it comes to knowing what to do.
 

kerouac9

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Does Holcomb or Wilks have a history of moving their safeties down into the box or using them flexibly? I think the biggest overlooked question on the defense is how will Baker be deployed? Carolina blitzed DBs more than almost anyone else in the league last year, but I don't know from whence they came.

If Baker spends most of his time in the deep third of the field, you're playing away from his strengths. He's too small to cover bigger NFL WRs man-up.

We also really, really need a fifth defensive back. I'm not comfortable with our third corner or our third safety.
 

JeffGollin

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This year's Cardinal defensive flavor is tough to scope out because we don't know what we're getting from the new coaching/mgt regime. This is especially true regarding the development track of each of our younger players - Can they improve? Will they improve? How much will they improve? Or do we pretty much know what we're getting?

All within the context of improved SF and Ram rosters and the decline of Seattle.

We'll just have to cross our fingers and see how things progress throughout the summer.
 

Garthshort

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Besides the depth issue, and the LB starters, I am concerned about Golden. He was pretty good two years ago playing in a 3-4 defense, but is coming off an injury and is now playing in a 4-3. I'm hopeful about Golden, just not confident. Also, we are expecting Robert Nkemdiche to step up, when he hasn't done much in his first two years.
 
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Gandhi

Gandhi

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Again, great write up.

- Chandler Jones is not defensive player of the year because Aaron Donald is that good. I remember I wanted to draft Donald really bad, and put him at OLBer. People said "He cannot play there", LOL, dude can play where ever he wants. All you have to do is look at the tape of Donald, and it is very easy to see why he is the best defensive player in the NFL. The man is not of this world when he is on the football field. That all being said, Chandler Jones is right behind Donald. Jones was a complete OLB for the Cardinals last year, and excelled every where. Heck he would even quiet haters on this board, mid-game. LOL.

It’s hard to argue with you there, Rugby. Aaron Donald is an amazing player, and he affects both the passing- and the running game very much. I am nervous about meeting him and Suh at the same time.

That said, the award often goes to the player with the best stats. Chandler Jones led all the important categories for an edge rusher, and as you wrote he was right there behind Donald in terms of affecting the game. I would argue that he did not get the award because he played for an average team that did not reach the playoff, but like I said, there not really any good arguments for Donald not getting it.

- I'll take the swing at Bucannon. He is a liability in the running game. He gets completely blown out of the play to many times against the run. You put a fullback in the backfield, and it doesn't matter if the Cardinals know its a run, because they just have to run at Bucannon, and he will not be able to stop it.

That’s a great point, and it was also my point that offenses will start to run the ball more. Like you said, it doesn’t matter if the defense knows it’s a run.

- At linebacker, a player that has a real good chance at making the roster is Jeremy Cash. He has a history with Wilks when he played for the Panthers, so he is ahead of the curve when it comes to knowing what to do.

Right. I didn't even think about Cash. My bad.
 
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Gandhi

Gandhi

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Does Holcomb or Wilks have a history of moving their safeties down into the box or using them flexibly? I think the biggest overlooked question on the defense is how will Baker be deployed? Carolina blitzed DBs more than almost anyone else in the league last year, but I don't know from whence they came.

No, but that’s mainly because they don’t have any history, at least not Holcomb, calling plays. When he was a linebacker coach, he certainly did not call the plays. Neither did Wilks when he was a secondary coach, and the one year he was a coordinator he brought defensive backs up to the line of scrimmage a lot, as you have correctly outlined, a lot.

We also really, really need a fifth defensive back. I'm not comfortable with our third corner or our third safety.

Yes, I think so too.
 
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