Green: Shelton didn’t produce
CARDINALS NOTEBOOK
By DARREN URBAN
TRIBUNE
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CONTACT WRITER: (480) 898-6495 or [email protected]
****Cardinals coach Dennis Green stressed Thursday there was a simple reason why he decided to cut offensive lineman L.J. Shelton.
****Shelton simply didn’t produce.
****"I deal in results," Green said. "I don’t think many people around here are used to dealing in results.
****"I came here in 2004, I saw in four (home) games, there were less than 25,000 people in the stands. Somebody has to be accountable for that. People are not going to see you play unless you accept the responsibility of putting a winning team on the field. That’s what I always do."
****Green reiterated he thought the line was the team’s most underachieving unit when he took over last year. After cutting both Shelton and tackle Anthony Clement over the past couple of weeks, four of the team’s five offensive line starters from 2003 are no longer with the team.
****The lone player remaining, tackle Leonard Davis, also got a subtle admonition from Green.
****"We hope Leonard Davis accepts the challenge that he be as good as (Pro Bowlers) Walter Jones and Orlando Pace because he had that kind of promise coming out, he was drafted in that kind of position and he has that kind of potential," Green said.
****Green deflected questions asking him to assess his line depth. But he left no doubt that changes are possible.
****"We started it last year and we are into it again this year and we will probably continue it next year," Green said. "It’s nothing personal against Shelton or Clement or anybody else. It’s just part of what you have to do if you are going to be a winning football team."
****SHIPP’S SHAPE
****Running back Marcel Shipp looked good Thursday, running hard in the heat as he was put through rehab work by team physical therapist Rich Elsner.
****"I want to get out there, man. It’s eating me up," said Shipp, expected to combine with rookie J.J. Arrington to make up most of the Cards’ running game in 2005. "I’d go out and practice with the rookies if I could."
****Shipp admitted his rehab has taken longer than expected. He was supposed to have been ready for minicamp in late April. But Shipp said the ankle dislocation has been the lingering problem, as opposed to the broken leg suffered during the same horrific play during a training camp scrimmage last August.
****He said he will "definitely" be ready to practice June 1, when the veterans return for 11 more team organized workouts.
****"They have been very patient with me," Shipp said.
****EXTRA POINTS
****Safety Ernest Shazor missed the past two days of rookie workouts for personal business, Green said, but he is expected back for next week’s work. The rookies are off until Monday. . . .
****In Wednesday’s story about Shelton being cut, it should have said that the cap hit the Cards will now take (about $3.3 million because of a pro-rated signing bonus) comes close to canceling out the hit they would have taken if Shelton had stayed on the team (about $3.8 million, or $3 million in salary and $800,000 in pro-rated bonus). As a result, the Cards still should have between $9 million and $10 million in cap room, with about $4.3 million going to their drafted rookie pool. . . .
****Kurt Warner’s new No. 13 Cardinals jersey ranked as the 24th best seller in the entire league based on NFLshop.com’s sales from April 1 through May 14. Warner’s jersey was not even available until April 21, when the Cards unveiled their new uniforms.
****Randy Moss’ No. 18 Oakland jersey was the top seller, followed by Michael Vick’s No. 7 Atlanta jersey and Tom Brady’s No. 12 New England jersey.
CARDINALS NOTEBOOK
By DARREN URBAN
TRIBUNE
-
-
CONTACT WRITER: (480) 898-6495 or [email protected]
****Cardinals coach Dennis Green stressed Thursday there was a simple reason why he decided to cut offensive lineman L.J. Shelton.
****Shelton simply didn’t produce.
****"I deal in results," Green said. "I don’t think many people around here are used to dealing in results.
****"I came here in 2004, I saw in four (home) games, there were less than 25,000 people in the stands. Somebody has to be accountable for that. People are not going to see you play unless you accept the responsibility of putting a winning team on the field. That’s what I always do."
****Green reiterated he thought the line was the team’s most underachieving unit when he took over last year. After cutting both Shelton and tackle Anthony Clement over the past couple of weeks, four of the team’s five offensive line starters from 2003 are no longer with the team.
****The lone player remaining, tackle Leonard Davis, also got a subtle admonition from Green.
****"We hope Leonard Davis accepts the challenge that he be as good as (Pro Bowlers) Walter Jones and Orlando Pace because he had that kind of promise coming out, he was drafted in that kind of position and he has that kind of potential," Green said.
****Green deflected questions asking him to assess his line depth. But he left no doubt that changes are possible.
****"We started it last year and we are into it again this year and we will probably continue it next year," Green said. "It’s nothing personal against Shelton or Clement or anybody else. It’s just part of what you have to do if you are going to be a winning football team."
****SHIPP’S SHAPE
****Running back Marcel Shipp looked good Thursday, running hard in the heat as he was put through rehab work by team physical therapist Rich Elsner.
****"I want to get out there, man. It’s eating me up," said Shipp, expected to combine with rookie J.J. Arrington to make up most of the Cards’ running game in 2005. "I’d go out and practice with the rookies if I could."
****Shipp admitted his rehab has taken longer than expected. He was supposed to have been ready for minicamp in late April. But Shipp said the ankle dislocation has been the lingering problem, as opposed to the broken leg suffered during the same horrific play during a training camp scrimmage last August.
****He said he will "definitely" be ready to practice June 1, when the veterans return for 11 more team organized workouts.
****"They have been very patient with me," Shipp said.
****EXTRA POINTS
****Safety Ernest Shazor missed the past two days of rookie workouts for personal business, Green said, but he is expected back for next week’s work. The rookies are off until Monday. . . .
****In Wednesday’s story about Shelton being cut, it should have said that the cap hit the Cards will now take (about $3.3 million because of a pro-rated signing bonus) comes close to canceling out the hit they would have taken if Shelton had stayed on the team (about $3.8 million, or $3 million in salary and $800,000 in pro-rated bonus). As a result, the Cards still should have between $9 million and $10 million in cap room, with about $4.3 million going to their drafted rookie pool. . . .
****Kurt Warner’s new No. 13 Cardinals jersey ranked as the 24th best seller in the entire league based on NFLshop.com’s sales from April 1 through May 14. Warner’s jersey was not even available until April 21, when the Cards unveiled their new uniforms.
****Randy Moss’ No. 18 Oakland jersey was the top seller, followed by Michael Vick’s No. 7 Atlanta jersey and Tom Brady’s No. 12 New England jersey.