Cardinals' Room Changes 2016 to 2017

[Mitch]

As NFL teams head into what should be one of the most frenetic 48 hour waiver wire periods in NFL history, it might be worth taking a look at where the Cardinals are personnel-wise this year to where they were last year. Coming off a disappointing 7-8-1 season and losing a dozen free agents to other teams this off-season, one would think that this year's Cardinals would have a sharply different look...but upon further review...

QB:

Returnees: Carson Palmer, Drew Stanton
Defections: None
Addition: UFA Blaine Gabbert

The addition of Gabbert has made the room deeper and has provided Drew Stanton with some added motivation. Gabbert has a year to prove he belongs in the 2018 QB mix. Having Gabbert to share reps with Stanton in practice has helped the coaches keep Palmer fresh.

RB:

Returnees: David Johnson, Kerwynn Williams, Chris Johnson, Andre Ellington, Elijhaa Penny
Defections: Stepfan Taylor
Addition: T.J. Logan (5th round pick---currently on IR)

With Logan on the IR, currently there are no new faces in the room. The thought is that Williams deserved a promotion to #2 RB, and now he's the primary kickoff and punter returner in Logan's absence. BA suggests that Penny could assume Taylor's STs/short yardage #4 RB role. Johnson and Ellington were re-signed to provide depth.

WR:

Returnees: Larry Fitzgerald, Jaron Brown, John Brown, J.J. Nelson, Brittan Golden, Jeremy Ross
Defections: Michael Floyd (MIN)
Addition: Chad Williams (3rd round pick---coming off disappointing camp)

Basically the room is exactly the same as what it was after Floyd was released, save Jaron Brown's return from the IR.

TE:

Returnees: Jermaine Gresham, Troy Niklas, Ifeanyi Momah, Hakeem Valles
Defections: Darren Fells (DET)
Addition: None

The Cardinals made Gresham one of the highest paid TEs in free agency. The room remains the same, save for Fells' departure, filled by a now healthy Niklas.

T:

Returnees: D.J. Humphries, Jared Veldheer, John Wetzel, Ulrich John
Defections: None
Addition: Will Holden (5th round pick---on roster bubble)

Same room essentially, only Humphries and Veldheer have flipped sides. Wetzel remains the #3 T.

G:

Returnees: Mike Iupati, Evan Boehm, Cole Toner
Defections: Evan Mathis (retired), Earl Watford (JAX)
Addition: Dorian Johnson (4th round pick---stayed 3rd stringer throughout camp)

Same room as it was at the end of the year, minus Watford. This time Boehm, who was drafted to succeed Shipley at center, has assumed the starting RG spot. Iupati is lighter this year, but is already nursing a triceps injury.

C:

Returnee: A.Q. Shipley, Daniel Munyer (PS)
Defections: Tyler Boggs (CHI)
Additions: UFA Tony Bergstrom

Shipley was re-signed to a 2 year deal and remains the starter. Munyer may be COF. Bergstrom had a solid camp. Cole Toner was switched here and made a decent transition.

NT:

Returnees: Corey Peters, Rodney Gunter
Defections: None
Addition: UDFA Pasoni Tasini

Same room. Xavier Williams adds depth here as well.

DE:

Returnees: Frostee Rucker, Josh Mauro, Robert Nkemdiche, Olsen Pierre, Xavier Williams, Ed Stinson
Defections: Calais Campbell (JAX)
Addition: None

Rucker and Mauro were re-signed. The room is the same, minus Campbell. The hope is that Nkemdiche will emerge as Campbell's successor.

ILB:

Returnees: Deone Bucannon, Scooby Wright
Defections: Kevin Minter (CIN), Sio Moore (HOU)
Additions: UFA Karlos Dansby, Haason Reddick (1st round pick), Josh Bynes, Philip Wheeler

Dansby was signed to assume the leadership of the defense, but has been injured through most of camp. Reddick is the team's short-term replacement for Deone Buccanon, who is now off the PUP list and hoping to play asap.

OLB:

Returnees: Markus Golden, Chandler Jones, Kareeem Martin, Cap Capi
Defections: Alex Okafor (NO)
Additions: UFA Jarvis Jones (out with disc injury), Alex Bazzie

Same room, especially since Jarvis Jones has not been able to contribute, Martin and Capi have stepped up as depth players.

CB:

Returnees: Patrick Peterson, Justin Bethel, Brandon Williams, Ronald Zamort
Defections: Marcus Cooper (CHI)
Addition: UFA Tramon Williams

Same room (minus Cooper and adding Tramon Williams). Bethel and Brandon Williams have been relied on and thus far have shown improvement.

S:

Returnees: Tyrann Mathieu, Tyvon Branch, Harlan Miller
Defections: Tony Jefferson (BAL), D.J. Swearinger (WAS)
Additions: UFA Antoine Bethea, Budda Baker (2nd round pick---good camp, should contribute in the nickel), Rudy Ford (6th round pick---looks like a good STs player and centerfield tackler)

While the starters, Mathieu and Branch, are returnees, significant depth was added in Bethea, Baker and Ford.

STs:

Returnees: LS Gabe Brewer, P Matt Wile
Defections: K Chandler Catanzaro (NYJ)
Additions: UFA K Phil Dawson, P Richie Leone

Dawson may be the most valuable addition on the roster if he steadies the kicking game.

Room Analysis:

Pretty much all of the rooms remain the same (QB, RB, WR, TE, T, G, C, NT, DE, OLB, CB) except some depth added at ILB and S, and the addition of a veteran kicker.

Two new starters who were not on the roster last year: ILB Karlos Dansby, K Phil Dawson.

Steve Keim's Philosophy: build from within, maintain continuity, meanwhile adding 4 compensatory picks in the 2018 NFL Draft (projected to be a 3rd, a 4th and two 6th rounders).

Keim has put a great deal of trust into the likes of RB Kerwynn Williams, C A.Q. Shipley, G Evan Boehm, WR Jaron Brown, WR John Brown, TE Jermaine Gresham, TE Troy Niklas, NT Corey Peters, DE Frostee Rucker, DE Josh Mauro, DE Robert Nekmediche, ILB Kalros Dansby, $LB Deone Bucannon, OLB Kareem Martin, CB Justin Bethel, CB Brandon Williams, S Tyrann Mathieu and S Tyvon Branch.

Will Keim's trust in building the roster from within be rewarded? Or will the 2017 team prolong the 2016 team's struggles? is this 2017 team, personnel-wise stronger that the 2016 team? is the team chemistry, resiliency and resolve stronger?

Steve Keim is banking on a couple of highly affordable room changes to increase the value of the house.

 

[Catfish]

Nice Job Mitch-------------

I am going on the record with saying that, despite the fact that we lost some flashy talent in free agency, this entire roster is deeper, stronger, and will play with more resolve than last year's roster. The huge difference should be in the kicking game, and the punting game should be significantly better as is the return game. I don't see our STs giving away field position this year like they did last year.

Both the D-line and the O-line seem to be deeper, and more adept at working with each other. Nkemdiche looks to be an animal on the DL, and will energize the entire defense with his fiery presence and plays. I like how the OLBs are setting good hard edges and turning the play back inside most of the time where help is waiting to smother the ball carrier.

Best of all, it is clear that BA is healthy this year, and that he is once again IN CHARGE of this entire roster and playbook. His hands-on approach has been seen over and over again this off season, most effectively with the way his entire roster was prepared for the Falcons game and the manner in which they performed. Perhaps best of all is the way that he and Blaine Gabbert have taken to each other, and how they seem to be resurrecting Gabbert's career from the trash pile, much like BA did by winning back to back Coach of the Year titles after he had been trashed by Pittsburgh. Much of the cohesiveness of our different units, and their obvious improved play with basically the same players is due to his hands on smoozeshing and manipulations of players within the groups. I look for a much better performing team this year compared to last.

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

With this team being essentially the same, I'm more concerned with the coaches room. Namely, Amos Jones.

ST cost us a division title last season and change should've been a given. Loyalty is a curse, Bruce.

 

[Cardsmasochist]

With this team being essentially the same, I'm more concerned with the coaches room. Namely, Amos Jones.

ST cost us a division title last season and change should've been a given. Loyalty is a curse, Bruce.

Special teams (sans Phil Dawson) and the OL scares me. Carson does not perform well when under presser. He's great when he has a clean pocket but I am not seeing it from these starters. I hope I'm wrong.

 

[WildBB]

Stay healthy and it's a playoff team, for sure. Dawson should steady the mis haps in the kicking game last year.

Main issue is stopping the run and MUCH better ST play that I see.

 

[Mitch]

Special teams (sans Phil Dawson) and the OL scares me. Carson does not perform well when under presser. He's great when he has a clean pocket but I am not seeing it from these starters. I hope I'm wrong.

What's tough about the offensive line this early in the season is that Humphries and Iupati are a new tandem on one side and Beohm and Veldheer are a new tandem on the other. That and A.Q. Shipley, while being good communicator, looks like he is having trouble running and has very little agility. It may take some time again to get this unit in unison and in a groove.