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Cards Prepare for First Team Workout of 2003
The 2003 Arizona Cardinals take the field for the first time this weekend when they hold their annual full-squad spring mini-camp from Friday-Sunday, May 2-4 at the team’s south Tempe training facility.
The three-day mini-camp will feature many new faces in the Cardinals line-up including free agent acquisitions such as the NFL’s all-time leading rusher Emmitt Smith, veteran quarterback Jeff Blake, Super Bowl XXXVII’s MVP safety Dexter Jackson, linebacker James Darling, fullback James Hodgins, and offensive linemen Frank Garcia and Cameron Spikes.
The camp will also be the first time the Cardinals organization will get a good look at this year’s seven-player draft class featuring first-round selections Bryant Johnson (wide receiver) and Calvin Pace (defensive end), and 11 college free agents.
When Blake was signed as the teams’s newly appointed starting quarterback, questions were raised as to what cast of receivers he’d be throwing the ball to.
“It doesn’t matter,” responded Blake at the time. “I’ll find someone.”
The Cardinals took care of that for Blake by acquiring three new receivers in the draft last weekend--first-round pick Johnson, second-round pick Anquan Boldin, and a trade in the 7th for Detroit’s veteran wide receiver Larry Foster.
"I feel like the competition level is going to be very good and whoever earns their stripes and gets that metal pin on their chest for being the bravest will have to earn it,” offered offensive coordinator Jerry Sullivan shortly after the draft concluded. “I think competition is good for the game and is good for this football team and the guys we put out there hopefully can work together well with the quarterback as well as the wide receivers."
The Cards also created deeper depth and competition at the linebacker position. Already having signed Darling in the free agency period, the team took two linebackers in the draft with a third-round selection of Gerald Hayes and sixth-round selection Tony Gilbert.
“Heading into mini-camp, the competition has obviously been increased by two with our draft picks going into the mix,” stated linebackers coach Jeff FitzGerald. “Gerald Hayes has played both inside and outside linebacker and we are going to go ahead and put him at the outside linebacker position to start with and give him a chance to compete and learn those positions. Tony Gilbert has always played mike linebacker and is really best suited for that. He’d be more of a liability towards the outside edge of the box so we are going to keep him in the middle and get him some reps. It has definitely become a deeply packed position.”
FitzGerald named Raynoch Thompson and Levar Fisher as the starting outside linebackers, while Ronald McKinnon will remain the starter at mike. FitzGerald was careful to add that those starters are not set in stone.
“With the addition of James Darling and the improved play of my returners, Ronnie Mac has a different line-up behind him than he’s had around here, so he’ll be pressed somewhat for his position,” explained FitzGerald. “If anyone can hold on to that position, he can and I have great confidence in him, but he’ll definitely have people breathing down his throat, maybe a bit more than in the past. Fisher knows he’s got some guys lined up behind him that are good football players and that are going to put some heat on him. He’s not going to be handed the position by attrition. He backed up and played some out there behind Rob Fredrickson last year, but that doesn’t make anything an automatic shoe-in.”
Players reported Thursday afternoon for physicals and a team meeting before taking the field Friday morning for the first of two practices.
Returning veteran defensive lineman Kyle Vanden Bosch is eager for tomorrow’s practice, the start of the 2003 campaign, and getting back to work with both old and new teammates.
“When a team doesn’t have the success that it expects to have, obviously some things need to be shaken up,” observed Vanden Bosch. “I am excited about all of the new faces in the locker room and finding out what they bring to the table and I hope to see us improve with their help. I anticipate many other changes this year too, including new defenses and more schemes and I think we are all ready to get back at it again.”
The Cardinals will get the new season started with two practices Friday and Saturday, and one on Sunday.
Saturday’s morning mini-camp workout headlines “Fan Fest,” formerly known as “Select-A-Seat.” The event will be held at the Cardinals Training Facility instead of Sun Devil Stadium for the first time. Scheduled for 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., the festivities include a Junior Gatorade Training Camp for kids, inflatable games, player autograph session for children (17 and under), cheerleader autographs, and mascot Big Red. In addition to the morning practice, fans also can watch the 2002 highlight film and select the best available seat locations for the upcoming season. Fans are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets. Coolers will not be permitted. Concessions, benefiting the Glendale Navy Junior ROTC program, will be available.
Cards Prepare for First Team Workout of 2003
The 2003 Arizona Cardinals take the field for the first time this weekend when they hold their annual full-squad spring mini-camp from Friday-Sunday, May 2-4 at the team’s south Tempe training facility.
The three-day mini-camp will feature many new faces in the Cardinals line-up including free agent acquisitions such as the NFL’s all-time leading rusher Emmitt Smith, veteran quarterback Jeff Blake, Super Bowl XXXVII’s MVP safety Dexter Jackson, linebacker James Darling, fullback James Hodgins, and offensive linemen Frank Garcia and Cameron Spikes.
The camp will also be the first time the Cardinals organization will get a good look at this year’s seven-player draft class featuring first-round selections Bryant Johnson (wide receiver) and Calvin Pace (defensive end), and 11 college free agents.
When Blake was signed as the teams’s newly appointed starting quarterback, questions were raised as to what cast of receivers he’d be throwing the ball to.
“It doesn’t matter,” responded Blake at the time. “I’ll find someone.”
The Cardinals took care of that for Blake by acquiring three new receivers in the draft last weekend--first-round pick Johnson, second-round pick Anquan Boldin, and a trade in the 7th for Detroit’s veteran wide receiver Larry Foster.
"I feel like the competition level is going to be very good and whoever earns their stripes and gets that metal pin on their chest for being the bravest will have to earn it,” offered offensive coordinator Jerry Sullivan shortly after the draft concluded. “I think competition is good for the game and is good for this football team and the guys we put out there hopefully can work together well with the quarterback as well as the wide receivers."
The Cards also created deeper depth and competition at the linebacker position. Already having signed Darling in the free agency period, the team took two linebackers in the draft with a third-round selection of Gerald Hayes and sixth-round selection Tony Gilbert.
“Heading into mini-camp, the competition has obviously been increased by two with our draft picks going into the mix,” stated linebackers coach Jeff FitzGerald. “Gerald Hayes has played both inside and outside linebacker and we are going to go ahead and put him at the outside linebacker position to start with and give him a chance to compete and learn those positions. Tony Gilbert has always played mike linebacker and is really best suited for that. He’d be more of a liability towards the outside edge of the box so we are going to keep him in the middle and get him some reps. It has definitely become a deeply packed position.”
FitzGerald named Raynoch Thompson and Levar Fisher as the starting outside linebackers, while Ronald McKinnon will remain the starter at mike. FitzGerald was careful to add that those starters are not set in stone.
“With the addition of James Darling and the improved play of my returners, Ronnie Mac has a different line-up behind him than he’s had around here, so he’ll be pressed somewhat for his position,” explained FitzGerald. “If anyone can hold on to that position, he can and I have great confidence in him, but he’ll definitely have people breathing down his throat, maybe a bit more than in the past. Fisher knows he’s got some guys lined up behind him that are good football players and that are going to put some heat on him. He’s not going to be handed the position by attrition. He backed up and played some out there behind Rob Fredrickson last year, but that doesn’t make anything an automatic shoe-in.”
Players reported Thursday afternoon for physicals and a team meeting before taking the field Friday morning for the first of two practices.
Returning veteran defensive lineman Kyle Vanden Bosch is eager for tomorrow’s practice, the start of the 2003 campaign, and getting back to work with both old and new teammates.
“When a team doesn’t have the success that it expects to have, obviously some things need to be shaken up,” observed Vanden Bosch. “I am excited about all of the new faces in the locker room and finding out what they bring to the table and I hope to see us improve with their help. I anticipate many other changes this year too, including new defenses and more schemes and I think we are all ready to get back at it again.”
The Cardinals will get the new season started with two practices Friday and Saturday, and one on Sunday.
Saturday’s morning mini-camp workout headlines “Fan Fest,” formerly known as “Select-A-Seat.” The event will be held at the Cardinals Training Facility instead of Sun Devil Stadium for the first time. Scheduled for 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., the festivities include a Junior Gatorade Training Camp for kids, inflatable games, player autograph session for children (17 and under), cheerleader autographs, and mascot Big Red. In addition to the morning practice, fans also can watch the 2002 highlight film and select the best available seat locations for the upcoming season. Fans are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets. Coolers will not be permitted. Concessions, benefiting the Glendale Navy Junior ROTC program, will be available.
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