Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
1. The #31 pick was going to cause a serious dilemma for the Cardinals, as we all expected. Somers had us taking RB Donald Brown and Wolfley has us taking OLB34 Larry English. Even though, as it turned out, neither Brown nor English was available at #31, the RB/OLB34 dilemma was still in full effect as RB Beanie Wells and OLB34s Everette Brown, Connor Barwin, Paul Kruger and Clint Sintim were all in play, as was, unbelievably, ILB34 Rey Maualuga.
What the Cardinals did was draft their BPA at #31 in Wells and hoped to get equally as lucky in round two, thinking that one of their prized pass rushing OLB34 prospects would be there.
Where the draft took a difficult turn for the Cardinals is that the middle portion of round two became a drafting frenzy for pass rushing OLB34 types. Even the NY Giants who already can rush the passer like noone in the league tabbed Clint Sintim, arguably the best pass rushing LB in the draft. Heck, the Carolina Panthers, who already have a formidible pass rush with Julius Peppers on the edge and Kris Jenkins on the inside traded up into the 2nd round giving up their 2010 1st round pick and other picks to land Everette Brown, the swiftest of speed rushers in this draft...while the Cardinals sat back and waited.
By the time their pick was on the clock, the best rated pass rusher left was Cody Brown from UConn. But they deliberated the pick...they wondered if FS Rashad Johnson was the BPA at that point. Sensing they had to snag one of the better pass rushers in the draft before the well was empty, they elected to go with Cody Brown.
The pick was a good and wise one...but, Brown will need time and patience, whereas others like Everette Brown are more ready to make a rookie impact.
The Cardinals then rolled the dice on OLB34 Will Davis in the 6th round. Davis, perhaps due to a series of injury and ailment setbacks, vastly underachieved at Illinois last year and at the Senior Bowl, where his performance was underwhleming to say the least. Now, Davis does have pass rushing ability if he adds strength and technique...thus he is a project and will likely need at least a year on the practice squad to assimilate into the system as a 34OLB and to get stronger and more sudden on the edge. That may happpen...but the return on Davis will not be immediate.
What all of this means is that the Cardinals 2009 pass rush may not be any better than it was last year, unless Bill Davis somehow finds a way to get his aged veterans Berry, Okeafor and Haggans to discover the 4 hour thrills of pass rushing Viagra...and it will be a boon if Davis gets underperforming but talented Travis LaBoy to stay healthy and thrive in the newly coached system. Cody Brown should help some later on in the season, when fresh legs will be welcome and a rookie no longer feels likem well, a rookie.
The one thought I have at this point is what about Jason Taylor or even Roosevelt Colvin?...How about kicking the tires on these two rushers...just as situational rushers.
The great news is, despite the questionable improvement for this year's pass rush, the Cardinals may now be boasting one of the most talented secondaries in the NFL. The major signing this off-season was of the physical and aggressive CB Bryant McFadden who will combine with DRC and Rod Hood to form a terrific CB trio...and line up next to two hard charging safeties in Adrian Wilson and Antrell Rolle...and since Bill Davis loves to tap into his safeties' aggressive nature, he wants to keep moving them up in passing situation to blitz Wilson as much as possible---who is an instant pass rush all by himself---and to play Rolle in the intermediate zones where his a back-flipping take the ball to the house rover.
This is where today's selection of FS Rashad Johnson comes in. Johnson, who will also star in what is now turning out to be the most talented special teams perhaps in decades, will become the nickle and dime FS, a role that he is particularly skilled at. The thing about Johnson is---and this is a thing that is very hard to teach---he has the instincts to smell where a play is going and to cut it off wherever it is headed...over the middle or over the top. In my years of being a Cardinal fan I don't think the organization has ever been as smart as it was in tabbing Johnson at the #95 pick today. And what's even better about it is that Whiz and Keim and RG and Davis were thinking about taking Johnson at #63.
I am shocked that the Cowboys, who have never had a smart instinctive cover safety like Rashad Johnson, passed on him in the third round. Just as the Cardinals dodged a bullet when the Saints were unable to move in front of them to take Beanie Wells, the Cardinals dodged another one when Jerry Jones nodded off during this one.
Now if the news about the secondary wasn't at an all-time high, the next addition was extraordinary. There has been a draft buzz over CB Greg Toler for a couple of months now. Forget that he ran a 4.4 in the wind and rain...this kid runs a 4.3 and he is quick as Skkorp is brushing his teeth when the Cardinals are on the clock.
This is a pick the old Cardinals would have never made...it was BPA all the way...and what it means is the Cardinals now have two speed burner CB...which is extra timely seeing as in this draft the Philadelphia Eagles added WR Jeremy Maclin to go with DeSean Jackson, thus becoming the speediest WR duo in the NFL. But, our crafty Cardinals now have an answer for that!
And with Toler's great speed they can also use him in several other roles: gunner on STs, the dime and nickel twin FS with Johnson if need be, and you know Whiz is going to sneak him up the sideline on a go-route the way he did with DRC last year.
After these four picks, the Cardinals went for low risk-high reward prospects. Mammouth guard Herman Johnson of LSU has enormous potential. For the last two years he was a First Team All-SEC LG...and that says something. You don't win that recognition by just being big.
The problem for Johnson was he looked super tentative at the Senior Bowl, not as much in the game, but in the practices, and in particular the one-on-one drills. Johnson looked to me like a player who was afraid of making mistakes. He also didn't get off the ball with authority and exert his physical prowess the way he is certainly capable of doing. Russ Grimm loved the kid at the combine and even kidded him, "I am going to coach you." Well, now he indeed is, and Grimm will take the fear of making mistakes out of this kid so he can get roll his enormous hips and slam his long tree trunk arms into defenders and root them out of their comfort zone and little private Idahos.
If adding Johnson wasn't good enough, the Cardinals got, IMO, one of the major steals of this draft by taking G Trevor Canfield of Cincinnati with the #254 pick. Having watched Canfield closely on tape, this kid is a superb competitor who has already began to master the techniques of playing guard at a high level of efficiency. The negative on him is that he has a little pudge in that belly of his, which makes him look like he's a little out of shape. But, Canfield does not play like he's out of shape, quite the contrary. He and RB LSH (LeRon Stephens-Howling) were the only two players I hit on in my mocks, only I had Canfield going in the 5th (which at the time I thought was very wishful thinking) and LSH right where he was taken.
The additions of Herman Johnson and Trevor Canfield present an interesting roster problem for the Cardinals. While Russ Grimm said they would try Johnson initially at guard and tackle and see what the best fit is and then let him focus on one spot...it's clear to me that Johnson is a LG, just as he was at LSU...he certainly isn't a LT and he's not going to beat out Levi Brown at RT. Canfield has some versatility in that he has told the coaches he can also play center...that in itself, if indeed he can, can make his chances of making the roster this year far greater, as he would have to prove to the coaches he is more valuable than keeping C Donovan Raiola.
But, if both Johnson and Canfield make the roster that would mean one current player (Elton Brown, Elliot Vallejo and Brandon Keith) would have to be let go. I don't see any of those three getting released. Vallejo projects as the heir to the LT position when Gandy leaves and Keith has an even odd's chance of beating out Deuce Lutui for the RG spot.
What probably happens is that Johnson makes the roster...and BTW, I was laughing thinking that he was brought in to be a blocking height match in practice for Calais Campbell...which at LG he would be!!!...but BTW imagine having those two giants lined up side by side in the middle of the field goal blocking team...now that's going to be a sight to relish!
Canfield can be kept on the PS for a year, as Elton Brown is on a one-year contract...and Reggie Wells would have to be the emergency center.
And if the Cardinals didn't do enough by drafting the most enormous player in the draft, they also drafed the most diminutive player: RB LSH. This kid could be the kickoff returner the Cardinals have been looking for and a nifty third down RB, a la J.J. Gotta love how emotional he got in his interview...I felt the same way when Aaron Curry was drafted yesterday and they showed him overcome with emotion in the Blue Room. What a dream come true for these young men!
The plan may be to have Steve Breaston start the year on kickoff and punt returns, and then call LSH up from the PS when the time is right. Otherwise the Cardinals would have to keep 4 RBs, and with this tight roster that would be tough to do...but not impossible. I fully expect the Cardinals to keep only 1 FB this year instead of 2, and 3 TEs instead of 4.
But make no mistake about it...when he's ready, LSH will be the next J.J. he has the feet, vision and acceleration to be outstanding. And actually as is the case for Darren Sproles his lack of height is an advantage of sorts as it's harder for taller players to land direct hits on them.
So...I'd have to say the Cardinals are very happy to have acquired the most talented RB in this draft at #31...pleased that they got a good pass rusher at #63, albeit perhaps not one of their favorites (but, in time Brown may be the best fit anyway)...the smartest and best playmaking FS at #95...one of the true speed burner CBs in the draft at #131...by far the most enormous offensive lineman at #167...one of the more talented edge rushers when healthy at #204...one of the speediest and best utility RBs at #240...and one of the most comeptitive and fundamental guards at #254.
I think the roster is pretty much set at this point except: (1) as I said, adding another real immediate "threat" as a pass rusher; and (2) there's been noone to replace backup ILB Monty Beisel, which means a UCFA could win that job or Pago Togafau might or the coashes might kick the veteran Victor Hobson inside when need be.
I just want to say how proud I am of the way the Cardinals did their due diligence in this draft. While I was hoping for other players in other spots, as we all probably were, it was great to hear how well prepared the Cardinals were in their research...and one of the great common denominator I kept hearing from the coaches in their interviews: "the rookies come in at the bottom of the depth charts and have to compete for jobs"...with all the emphasis on the word "competition."
This is a new era in Arizona. Anyone still have doubts?
Peace and love...thanks for a great week my bros and sisters...it's been fun riding this wave with you.
Mitch
P.S. I am now NFL Network all the way...did you see the warped heads??? Man oh man, was that funny!!! And Casserly today was hysterical. But Jon Gruden, to me, stole the show...that guy is about as entertaining and insightful as there is. And noone breaks down tape like Mayock, not even Mel. And I loved Rich Eisen, Charles Davis and Jamie Dukes as well...very engaging, very smart. There was great chemistry on that set.
What the Cardinals did was draft their BPA at #31 in Wells and hoped to get equally as lucky in round two, thinking that one of their prized pass rushing OLB34 prospects would be there.
Where the draft took a difficult turn for the Cardinals is that the middle portion of round two became a drafting frenzy for pass rushing OLB34 types. Even the NY Giants who already can rush the passer like noone in the league tabbed Clint Sintim, arguably the best pass rushing LB in the draft. Heck, the Carolina Panthers, who already have a formidible pass rush with Julius Peppers on the edge and Kris Jenkins on the inside traded up into the 2nd round giving up their 2010 1st round pick and other picks to land Everette Brown, the swiftest of speed rushers in this draft...while the Cardinals sat back and waited.
By the time their pick was on the clock, the best rated pass rusher left was Cody Brown from UConn. But they deliberated the pick...they wondered if FS Rashad Johnson was the BPA at that point. Sensing they had to snag one of the better pass rushers in the draft before the well was empty, they elected to go with Cody Brown.
The pick was a good and wise one...but, Brown will need time and patience, whereas others like Everette Brown are more ready to make a rookie impact.
The Cardinals then rolled the dice on OLB34 Will Davis in the 6th round. Davis, perhaps due to a series of injury and ailment setbacks, vastly underachieved at Illinois last year and at the Senior Bowl, where his performance was underwhleming to say the least. Now, Davis does have pass rushing ability if he adds strength and technique...thus he is a project and will likely need at least a year on the practice squad to assimilate into the system as a 34OLB and to get stronger and more sudden on the edge. That may happpen...but the return on Davis will not be immediate.
What all of this means is that the Cardinals 2009 pass rush may not be any better than it was last year, unless Bill Davis somehow finds a way to get his aged veterans Berry, Okeafor and Haggans to discover the 4 hour thrills of pass rushing Viagra...and it will be a boon if Davis gets underperforming but talented Travis LaBoy to stay healthy and thrive in the newly coached system. Cody Brown should help some later on in the season, when fresh legs will be welcome and a rookie no longer feels likem well, a rookie.
The one thought I have at this point is what about Jason Taylor or even Roosevelt Colvin?...How about kicking the tires on these two rushers...just as situational rushers.
The great news is, despite the questionable improvement for this year's pass rush, the Cardinals may now be boasting one of the most talented secondaries in the NFL. The major signing this off-season was of the physical and aggressive CB Bryant McFadden who will combine with DRC and Rod Hood to form a terrific CB trio...and line up next to two hard charging safeties in Adrian Wilson and Antrell Rolle...and since Bill Davis loves to tap into his safeties' aggressive nature, he wants to keep moving them up in passing situation to blitz Wilson as much as possible---who is an instant pass rush all by himself---and to play Rolle in the intermediate zones where his a back-flipping take the ball to the house rover.
This is where today's selection of FS Rashad Johnson comes in. Johnson, who will also star in what is now turning out to be the most talented special teams perhaps in decades, will become the nickle and dime FS, a role that he is particularly skilled at. The thing about Johnson is---and this is a thing that is very hard to teach---he has the instincts to smell where a play is going and to cut it off wherever it is headed...over the middle or over the top. In my years of being a Cardinal fan I don't think the organization has ever been as smart as it was in tabbing Johnson at the #95 pick today. And what's even better about it is that Whiz and Keim and RG and Davis were thinking about taking Johnson at #63.
I am shocked that the Cowboys, who have never had a smart instinctive cover safety like Rashad Johnson, passed on him in the third round. Just as the Cardinals dodged a bullet when the Saints were unable to move in front of them to take Beanie Wells, the Cardinals dodged another one when Jerry Jones nodded off during this one.
Now if the news about the secondary wasn't at an all-time high, the next addition was extraordinary. There has been a draft buzz over CB Greg Toler for a couple of months now. Forget that he ran a 4.4 in the wind and rain...this kid runs a 4.3 and he is quick as Skkorp is brushing his teeth when the Cardinals are on the clock.
This is a pick the old Cardinals would have never made...it was BPA all the way...and what it means is the Cardinals now have two speed burner CB...which is extra timely seeing as in this draft the Philadelphia Eagles added WR Jeremy Maclin to go with DeSean Jackson, thus becoming the speediest WR duo in the NFL. But, our crafty Cardinals now have an answer for that!
And with Toler's great speed they can also use him in several other roles: gunner on STs, the dime and nickel twin FS with Johnson if need be, and you know Whiz is going to sneak him up the sideline on a go-route the way he did with DRC last year.
After these four picks, the Cardinals went for low risk-high reward prospects. Mammouth guard Herman Johnson of LSU has enormous potential. For the last two years he was a First Team All-SEC LG...and that says something. You don't win that recognition by just being big.
The problem for Johnson was he looked super tentative at the Senior Bowl, not as much in the game, but in the practices, and in particular the one-on-one drills. Johnson looked to me like a player who was afraid of making mistakes. He also didn't get off the ball with authority and exert his physical prowess the way he is certainly capable of doing. Russ Grimm loved the kid at the combine and even kidded him, "I am going to coach you." Well, now he indeed is, and Grimm will take the fear of making mistakes out of this kid so he can get roll his enormous hips and slam his long tree trunk arms into defenders and root them out of their comfort zone and little private Idahos.
If adding Johnson wasn't good enough, the Cardinals got, IMO, one of the major steals of this draft by taking G Trevor Canfield of Cincinnati with the #254 pick. Having watched Canfield closely on tape, this kid is a superb competitor who has already began to master the techniques of playing guard at a high level of efficiency. The negative on him is that he has a little pudge in that belly of his, which makes him look like he's a little out of shape. But, Canfield does not play like he's out of shape, quite the contrary. He and RB LSH (LeRon Stephens-Howling) were the only two players I hit on in my mocks, only I had Canfield going in the 5th (which at the time I thought was very wishful thinking) and LSH right where he was taken.
The additions of Herman Johnson and Trevor Canfield present an interesting roster problem for the Cardinals. While Russ Grimm said they would try Johnson initially at guard and tackle and see what the best fit is and then let him focus on one spot...it's clear to me that Johnson is a LG, just as he was at LSU...he certainly isn't a LT and he's not going to beat out Levi Brown at RT. Canfield has some versatility in that he has told the coaches he can also play center...that in itself, if indeed he can, can make his chances of making the roster this year far greater, as he would have to prove to the coaches he is more valuable than keeping C Donovan Raiola.
But, if both Johnson and Canfield make the roster that would mean one current player (Elton Brown, Elliot Vallejo and Brandon Keith) would have to be let go. I don't see any of those three getting released. Vallejo projects as the heir to the LT position when Gandy leaves and Keith has an even odd's chance of beating out Deuce Lutui for the RG spot.
What probably happens is that Johnson makes the roster...and BTW, I was laughing thinking that he was brought in to be a blocking height match in practice for Calais Campbell...which at LG he would be!!!...but BTW imagine having those two giants lined up side by side in the middle of the field goal blocking team...now that's going to be a sight to relish!
Canfield can be kept on the PS for a year, as Elton Brown is on a one-year contract...and Reggie Wells would have to be the emergency center.
And if the Cardinals didn't do enough by drafting the most enormous player in the draft, they also drafed the most diminutive player: RB LSH. This kid could be the kickoff returner the Cardinals have been looking for and a nifty third down RB, a la J.J. Gotta love how emotional he got in his interview...I felt the same way when Aaron Curry was drafted yesterday and they showed him overcome with emotion in the Blue Room. What a dream come true for these young men!
The plan may be to have Steve Breaston start the year on kickoff and punt returns, and then call LSH up from the PS when the time is right. Otherwise the Cardinals would have to keep 4 RBs, and with this tight roster that would be tough to do...but not impossible. I fully expect the Cardinals to keep only 1 FB this year instead of 2, and 3 TEs instead of 4.
But make no mistake about it...when he's ready, LSH will be the next J.J. he has the feet, vision and acceleration to be outstanding. And actually as is the case for Darren Sproles his lack of height is an advantage of sorts as it's harder for taller players to land direct hits on them.
So...I'd have to say the Cardinals are very happy to have acquired the most talented RB in this draft at #31...pleased that they got a good pass rusher at #63, albeit perhaps not one of their favorites (but, in time Brown may be the best fit anyway)...the smartest and best playmaking FS at #95...one of the true speed burner CBs in the draft at #131...by far the most enormous offensive lineman at #167...one of the more talented edge rushers when healthy at #204...one of the speediest and best utility RBs at #240...and one of the most comeptitive and fundamental guards at #254.
I think the roster is pretty much set at this point except: (1) as I said, adding another real immediate "threat" as a pass rusher; and (2) there's been noone to replace backup ILB Monty Beisel, which means a UCFA could win that job or Pago Togafau might or the coashes might kick the veteran Victor Hobson inside when need be.
I just want to say how proud I am of the way the Cardinals did their due diligence in this draft. While I was hoping for other players in other spots, as we all probably were, it was great to hear how well prepared the Cardinals were in their research...and one of the great common denominator I kept hearing from the coaches in their interviews: "the rookies come in at the bottom of the depth charts and have to compete for jobs"...with all the emphasis on the word "competition."
This is a new era in Arizona. Anyone still have doubts?
Peace and love...thanks for a great week my bros and sisters...it's been fun riding this wave with you.
Mitch
P.S. I am now NFL Network all the way...did you see the warped heads??? Man oh man, was that funny!!! And Casserly today was hysterical. But Jon Gruden, to me, stole the show...that guy is about as entertaining and insightful as there is. And noone breaks down tape like Mayock, not even Mel. And I loved Rich Eisen, Charles Davis and Jamie Dukes as well...very engaging, very smart. There was great chemistry on that set.
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