Cardinals Sign Two Cornerbacks

[First Down Guy]

Remember, Wakefield was Vanden Bosch's backup. IMO, He did a pretty good job stepping up to take over after Kyle injured his knee. Is he a lights out all-pro DE? -No. But I'd put him in the top 50% of DEs in the NFL. And that's not bad considering he was a backup. Give him a break.

Now about the CB position? That's another story. We've got a lot more looking to do, but it is good to get these guys under contract to get them invested in the team and see what they can do. But only the workouts, and time in the camps, will tell if they can cut the mustard.

 

[Shane]

Originally posted by First Down Guy
. But I'd put him in the top 50% of DEs in the NFL.

I have seen some outlandish comments on this site but that one might just take the cake. Sorry bro!

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Originally posted by Jim Omohundro
They must have had a decent workout today.

yeah, i heard they were breathing.

 

[AZCB34]

Originally posted by Ouchie-Z-Clown
yeah, i heard they were breathing.

Until I see proof in print they were, this is pure speculation.

 

[JeffGollin]

We have no depth at CB so I too like this signing.

Me too. Here's a thought - Denny and Solomon will probably be installing a new system for the secondary as part of their "Jets" defense. The addition of Tate (who played 5 years for Denny and probably Solomon too) may be partly in order to have a guy on the field who can help Solomon implement the institution of the new system.

But by no means are either of these guys "shutdown corners." We still need a couple of those. All this does is give us some depth.

 

[Mr.Dibbs]

I think the Wakefield comment was supposed to relay that hard work is necessary. Green wants hard working guys. If every guy on this team played as hard as Wakefield, we'd be a contender. That's what I got out of it...

Wakefield is not a starter, but he's a solid back-up/rotation guy.

 

[ajcardfan]

Originally posted by Oran
I think the Wakefield comment was supposed to relay that hard work is necessary. Green wants hard working guys. If every guy on this team played as hard as Wakefield, we'd be a contender. That's what I got out of it...

Wakefield is not a starter, but he's a solid back-up/rotation guy.

I agree with the takes on the Wakefield comment. But, it is also possible that he realizes that there is a chance we might actually need him to start and he is preparing Fred and the fans for that as best he can.

Still, he flat out said he wants a speed rusher. So I hope we can land one in free agency and then we won't have to worry about it.

 

[Stout]

Originally posted by ajcardfan
But, it is also possible that he realizes that there is a chance we might actually need him to start and he is preparing Fred and the fans for that as best he can.

If Wakefield is starting, that means either Pace isn't because we have a real pass rusher on the other side, or Pace IS and we're going with Pace/Wakefield. Either way, if this is what we're being 'prepared' for, I'm officially back on the friggin' dark side!!!

But no worries. No way in hell does Wakefield start for us next year.

 

[40yearfan]

I guess I'm the only one who noticed a marked improvement in Wakefield's play in the last 2 or 3 games. I have never agreed with the majority of this board who insist he is a terrible player. As a matter of fact, I agree with First Down Guy that Wakefield could and would start for 50% of the NFL teams.

The majority of this board expects to have every position on this team covered with an all pro starter. It don't work that way with any team. Every team has positions they are weak at, but they try to cover it by being very strong at other positions. Hopefully that's what the Cards are working towards this year.

 

[ajcardfan]

Originally posted by 40yearfan
I guess I'm the only one who noticed a marked improvement in Wakefield's play in the last 2 or 3 games. I have never agreed with the majority of this board who insist he is a terrible player. As a matter of fact, I agree with First Down Guy that Wakefield could and would start for 50% of the NFL teams.

.

No, I said a few times towards the end of the season that he had some good pressure, better than Pace. But, it's not like he's an unknown commodity. He's played here three years now and he's shown nothing much more than being a decent rotation guy. He couldn't consistently start on our team for the last three years. The last three years which, by the way, we set record lows for sacks. And he can start on 50% of the teams in the NFL? That's pie-in-the-sky poppycock.

And, I do like Wakefield. The year he was drafted, I posted a mock where we took him in round 4 or 5. When he was signed as an undrafted free agent, I said he'd make the team. Now, if he's a starter, we're not going to be a very good defense. At least, that's my opinion.

 

[Shuesters2]

Originally posted by 40yearfan
I guess I'm the only one who noticed a marked improvement in Wakefield's play in the last 2 or 3 games. I have never agreed with the majority of this board who insist he is a terrible player. As a matter of fact, I agree with First Down Guy that Wakefield could and would start for 50% of the NFL teams.

The majority of this board expects to have every position on this team covered with an all pro starter. It don't work that way with any team. Every team has positions they are weak at, but they try to cover it by being very strong at other positions. Hopefully that's what the Cards are working towards this year.

Wakefield

I agree that he stepped it up the last couple of games. ( If I remember right he was inactive for the previous 4 or 5 games.) Anyway it lit a fire under his butt and he came to play. He Johnson and King were the only D-Line that had any penetration to their game there at the end of the season.

Maybe it's the new Fred W., but I'd still get a good DL this off season.

Shuesters

 

[40yearfan]

Originally posted by ajcardfan
No, I said a few times towards the end of the season that he had some good pressure, better than Pace. But, it's not like he's an unknown commodity. He's played here three years now and he's shown nothing much more than being a decent rotation guy. He couldn't consistently start on our team for the last three years. The last three years which, by the way, we set record lows for sacks. And he can start on 50% of the teams in the NFL? That's pie-in-the-sky poppycock.

And, I do like Wakefield. The year he was drafted, I posted a mock where we took him in round 4 or 5. When he was signed as an undrafted free agent, I said he'd make the team. Now, if he's a starter, we're not going to be a very good defense. At least, that's my opinion.

Well, I guess we'll find out this fall.

 

[KingLouieLouie]

Originally posted by Jim Omohundro
A veteran of six NFL seasons as a defensive back and kick returner
with Minnesota (1997–2001) and Baltimore
(2002), Tate owns career totals of 135 tackles, 3
interceptions, and 22 pass deflections from scrimmage, 54 kickoff returns for 1,222 yards (22.6-yard average)and one touchdown on special teams.
Originally a sixth-round selection by the Vikings in the 1997 NFL
Draft after a college career at the University of
Cincinnati, Tate’s early pro career featured
multi-dimensional talents at wide receiver, defensive
back, and as punt and kickoff returner.

Those points I "bolded" might correlate as to why they signed Tate in particular and Carter probably will also see lots of time on special teams....

I am wondering the terms of their contract? It's too premature to believe that they'll actually make the roster and that Green and co. firmly believe that these 2 are the actual solution for their
CB needs.....

 

[nidan]

Originally posted by ajcardfan
I find Green's comments about Wakefield today far more worrisome than these two signings.

Oh, just relax. He also said that our DL needed a lot of upgrading.

Wakefield is a good player to have on the squad, just not maybe on the starting 4.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Originally posted by nidan
Oh, just relax. He also said that our DL needed a lot of upgrading.

Wakefield is a good player to have on the squad, just not maybe on the starting 4.

Thank god I'm not the only one with a sense of reality. Wakefield will not start. Dennis Green is not a complete idiot. Wakefield will end up where he belongs with good coaching, as a motivating special-teams player.

PS - I love Wakefield's heart and determination. If our entire team had it last year we would have been around .500.

 

[vikesfan]

Well you can't add 2 great CBs 2 great DEs 2 great DTs 2 great OTs etc etc etc you can't be great at every position.

Maybe LDE doesn't get a huge upgrade. Anyone think the Wakefield comments might be a message directed at Pace? And the rest of the team re: hard work.

Camp fodder. Backups. ST players. They will all be in the mix.

 

[JeffGollin]

I think the Wakefield comment was supposed to relay that hard work is necessary.
I have a totally different take.

From the day we picked him up, I thought - with his 6-7 wingspan - Wakefield could be something special. And he did surprise a lot of us by playing pretty well in his rookie season.

But then he seemed to "top out" (even regress a little). He'd continually get sucked in on play fakes up the middle and break contain against QB waggles and runs wide to the right (his outside).

Fred's problems could be due to any of three reasons: (1) poor teaching by Mean Joe, (2) poor scheming whereby the left end was required to crash instead of box on the wrong plays or (3) Fred.

More and more, I'm beginning to think it wasn't Fred. My guess is that Denny "saw something" and liked it. After all, if you can get a 6-7 DE with some athleticism to play to his potential within a scheme, what's not to like?

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Originally posted by JeffGollin
I think the Wakefield comment was supposed to relay that hard work is necessary.

with some athleticism to play to his potential within a scheme, what's not to like?

and therein lies the problem . . . i think fred's got ZERO athleticism. if he had ANY he would have been drafted on potential alone, for, as you say, a 6'7 DE w/ athleticism . . . what's not to like, 'specially for a 7th round pick?

 

[LVCARDFREAK]

Originally posted by vikesfan
Well you can't add 2 great CBs 2 great DEs 2 great DTs 2 great OTs etc etc etc you can't be great at every position.

Maybe LDE doesn't get a huge upgrade. Anyone think the Wakefield comments might be a message directed at Pace? And the rest of the team re: hard work.

Camp fodder. Backups. ST players. They will all be in the mix.

I think you may be able to say a lot of things about Pace after this last year, but sayign he isnt a hard worker would not be one of them.

I followed this kid for years now and he is cut from the same mold as Quan. Very hard worker, very coachable.