New news on Rackers, UDFA's and more

[BigShtank]

http://www.azcardinals.com/news/detail.php?PRKey=2344

Then came a question-and-answer session, which generated a little bit of news from Whisenhunt -- most notably that kicker Neil Rackers underwent surgery to repair a sports hernia, an injury that may have played a role in his 2007 struggles. Rackers has been participating in the offseason workouts, however, and is expected to be OK heading into minicamp.

Could be a reason, would like to find out more about it. Hernias are not fun and it affected me when I'd do stuff. I imagine it had to affect Rackers since kickers use their stomach muscles when they kick.

-- Whisenhunt said the team had an easier time convincing undrafted rookies to sign this season because the team had more success in 2008, a tangible sign of progress;

-- Second-year fullback Tim Castille, who made the team has an undrafted rookie last year, has bulked up and “looks great” at 242 pounds from the high 220s. Whisenhunt used the example in talking about how first-round pick Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie – who only weighs about 189 pounds right now – will likely put on some weight.

This might explain why we passed on Owen Schmitt.

Whisenhunt has heard good things about punter Dirk Johnson from Johnson’s one-time Eagles coach, Andy Reid, and is confident Johnson can be effective this year.

I'm a DJ supporter too and think he'll be a solid punter for the Cards. I'm not opposed to bringing in a UDFA, but we didn't need to draft Brooks.

Whisenhunt also got the requisite question about his quarterback situation, in which he reiterated that Matt Leinart was the starter.

“When you finish the season on a high note as we did, the natural tendency is to say, ‘Let’s go with Kurt’ because the emotions, at the moment, that’s what your gut instinct will tell you,” Whisenhunt said. “But you look back at where we were in the fifth game when he got hurt, Matt was doing a good job for us, he was growing, he was making progress as a starter. People have a tendency to forget about that.”
Whisenhunt touched on what had originally been a one-game plan to use Warner in the no-huddle offense against Baltimore, mostly because the coaching staff didn’t want to overload Leinart’s learning curve.
The Cards obviously stuck with the two-quarterback system when Warner had success, but Whisenhunt added it wasn’t the plan for 2008.
“This year, Matt hopefully will be ready for that” and eliminate the two-quarterback system, Whisenhunt said.
“But if Matt is not ready for that, we would not hesitate to use Kurt.”

It'll be a great training camp and I can't wait to see if Matt made progress. Matt should have a wider open offense next year and I hope he translates it onto the field with what should be an unstoppable offense.

I still liked the idea of the two QB system, caused teams to have to prepare for two teams in one week. Oh well, hoping that Matt comes out of the shell this year.

 

[BigShtank]

Sorry for all the posts, hopefully someone deletes them. Somehow my spacebar activated the post new topic button and when I typed, I had a lot of space and now I have 4 threads.

 

[DaisyCutter]

I, for one, don't expect to see a more wide open offense than the Cards displayed early last season. Whis and Haley went away from their design, IMO, in order to cater to the necessities of starting Kurt Warner, who can't execute the play action, and needs to get rid of the ball as quickly as possible.

I actually expect to see more 2 TE sets, even some 1 WR sets with a fullback, next season. Much, much fewer 3- and 4-WR sets, and much fewer shotgun snaps.

Leinart can execute the playaction and can read defenses early on the drop or after turning his head. That's going to help the design that Whis would like to use, IMO.

 

[Mr.Dibbs]

I, for one, don't expect to see a more wide open offense than the Cards displayed early last season. Whis and Haley went away from their design, IMO, in order to cater to the necessities of starting Kurt Warner, who can't execute the play action, and needs to get rid of the ball as quickly as possible.

I actually expect to see more 2 TE sets, even some 1 WR sets with a fullback, next season. Much, much fewer 3- and 4-WR sets, and much fewer shotgun snaps.

Leinart can execute the playaction and can read defenses early on the drop or after turning his head. That's going to help the design that Whis would like to use, IMO.

I think Whiz will have a better understanding of what his players can do this year, and will play to their strengths. What I liked last year is his willingness to change it up at times. I think now that he knows what it takes to be a coach, and understands his coaching staff, I hope we play to the strengths of the team, and the weaknesses of the opposition. You can't have a Q and Fitz on the team and not try to use them often.

I don't think we have the right players for a 2 TE set.

 

[Shzm13]

Damnit..

Good move by Rackers to not have the surgery til after the draft..




Sucks for us because that means we can't sign another kicker..

 

[DaisyCutter]

I don't think we have the right players for a 2 TE set.

Really? With Patrick, Pope, and Tuman? Tuman doesn't catch passes.

Again, you're not going to get Anquan at his peak if he's catching 90+ passes a season. At this point, I think he's probably most effective if he's catching no more than 80 passes. More than that, and I think you're risking injury--if not in the current season than the next one.

Fitz is going to be consistent every down, but a more effective running game is going to increase his yards per catch, and will improve his impact.

We lost a lot of games last year when Warner was throwing unnecessary INTs. Hopefully Hightower can be more effective running the football in relief of James than Shipp and Arrington were.

I'm certain that the Arizona Cardinals do not want to pass the ball almost 600 times again next season.

 

[BigShtank]

I, for one, don't expect to see a more wide open offense than the Cards displayed early last season. Whis and Haley went away from their design, IMO, in order to cater to the necessities of starting Kurt Warner, who can't execute the play action, and needs to get rid of the ball as quickly as possible.

I actually expect to see more 2 TE sets, even some 1 WR sets with a fullback, next season. Much, much fewer 3- and 4-WR sets, and much fewer shotgun snaps.

Leinart can execute the playaction and can read defenses early on the drop or after turning his head. That's going to help the design that Whis would like to use, IMO.

Huh? With Fitz, Q and Douce the offense will be wide open. Add Breaston, if he can run routes well, and the Cards offense will be wide open. Breaston can easily spread the field for the offense. He's pretty fast.

 

[Mr.Dibbs]

Really? With Patrick, Pope, and Tuman? Tuman doesn't catch passes.

We lost a lot of games last year when Warner was throwing unnecessary INTs. Hopefully Hightower can be more effective running the football in relief of James than Shipp and Arrington were.

I'm certain that the Arizona Cardinals do not want to pass the ball almost 600 times again next season.

I agree we won't pass as much, but why keep Fitz and Q and deal with all the contract crap if the plan is not to use them? I think we'd have made a run at a running back in the draft or free agency if the plan was to pound the ball all the time.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Could be a reason, would like to find out more about it. Hernias are not fun and it affected me when I'd do stuff. I imagine it had to affect Rackers since kickers use their stomach muscles when they kick.

CAN WE PLEASE BRING IN ANOTHER KICKER!!!!!!

So, first off Rackers mind is shot from missing way too many key field goals. Now we hear he has a sports hernia. Which takes a long time to heal up correctly.
Can we get a healthy new kicker ? PLEASE!

 

[English on tour]

I don't think we have the right players for a 2 TE set.

all we need are the two TE's then

 

[Stout]

all we need are the two TE's then

We absolutely have the right TEs for a 2-TE set, English. Pope and Patrick are developing well, and Tuman is the quintissential blocking TE.

 

[cardsfanmd]

CAN WE PLEASE BRING IN ANOTHER KICKER!!!!!!

So, first off Rackers mind is shot from missing way too many key field goals. Now we hear he has a sports hernia. Which takes a long time to heal up correctly.
Can we get a healthy new kicker ? PLEASE!

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[Russ Smith]

The hernia thing sucks but let's be honest if the hernia was causing him to miss kicks then it wasn't the holder?

I'd like for it to have been the hernia much prefer the problem was physical than mental because kickers with mental blocks are coach killers.

 

[Mulli]

If the hernia was causing him problems last year, why not have the surgery as soon as the season ended? Who is Neil Shaqers?

 

[cardsfanmd]

My God, can we please stop making excuses for this guy???

Everyone here must be related to him or something because there is no other reason to be cutting him so much slack. I guess he had a hernia in Cincy too. I guess the hernia only flares up in the 4th quarter and in clutch situations. He sure seems fine when he nails meaningless kicks in the first three quarters.

Rackers is a good guy and a good leader on the team, but the bottom line is that he doesn't get his job done. I guess Holt isn't with the team banymore because he wasn't a leader and didn't do enough in the community.

 

[40yearfan]

Damnit..

Good move by Rackers to not have the surgery til after the draft..




Sucks for us because that means we can't sign another kicker..

How do you know it was after the draft?

 

[joko4]

I believe it was in Jan. sometime.

 

[Mulli]

How do you know it was after the draft?

Good point.

 

[moklerman]

Not cutting him any slack, but he didn't seem particularly fine in non-clutch situations throughout 2007. The hernia doesn't explain away a lot of things but if he actually had one, he would at least be better if it's now fixed. Maybe not good enough, but better.

 

[cardsfanmd]

Not cutting him any slack, but he didn't seem particularly fine in non-clutch situations throughout 2007. The hernia doesn't explain away a lot of things but if he actually had one, he would at least be better if it's now fixed. Maybe not good enough, but better.

You of all people should be sick of this.

Your boy Warner had the best Card's QB season in 20yrs and everyone wants to give him the boot. Rackers blows our chances at the playoff and we give him pass after pass.

 

[BigShtank]

Kicking is a game of inches. A slight tweak where your angle is an inch off at the kick, can mean yards left or right. I'm not defending him. He should have said something if he thought it was affecting his kicks. But, it does give a reason. There is no excuse for missing those FGs against SF at home last year.

Changing holders like musical chairs doesn't help either, timing affects kicks too.

As of now, Rackers, Hodel and Johnson better be spending 2 hours a day working on their timing right now and getting this thing working like like a Rolex.

 

[perivolaki]

I, for one, don't expect to see a more wide open offense than the Cards displayed early last season. Whis and Haley went away from their design, IMO, in order to cater to the necessities of starting Kurt Warner, who can't execute the play action, and needs to get rid of the ball as quickly as possible.

I actually expect to see more 2 TE sets, even some 1 WR sets with a fullback, next season. Much, much fewer 3- and 4-WR sets, and much fewer shotgun snaps.

Leinart can execute the playaction and can read defenses early on the drop or after turning his head. That's going to help the design that Whis would like to use, IMO.

Couldn't agree with you more DC. Another thing to think about is Matty helps the running game because he is quicker getting away from center and getting it to the running back. I know their were times the team almost couldn't use some running plays because KW wasn't quick enough getting to the handoff point. Matt is quicker and longer and gives the back that extra fraction of a second or the handoff is an extra 1/2 a yard further out from the center of the formation. It can really make a difference and allow the team more plays where the handoff is made further out.

 

[Russ Smith]

Kicking is a game of inches. A slight tweak where your angle is an inch off at the kick, can mean yards left or right. I'm not defending him. He should have said something if he thought it was affecting his kicks. But, it does give a reason. There is no excuse for missing those FGs against SF at home last year.

Changing holders like musical chairs doesn't help either, timing affects kicks too.

As of now, Rackers, Hodel and Johnson better be spending 2 hours a day working on their timing right now and getting this thing working like like a Rolex.

We didn't exactly switch like musical chairs. ONe year pretty much everyone thought Player was beaten out in camp and preseason yet Player kept his job. One of the Cards reporters went so far as to imply that he though Rackers was intentionally missing kicks with the other punter holding to make sure his buddy Player kept his job.

Next year they replaced Player and gave Barr 11 games before deciding he wasn't the answer at punter and replacing him.

Player was the holder when he missed the kick against the Chiefs(Leinart's first start), Player was the holder when he missed the kick against the Bears on MNF.

I doubt he had the hernia back then too?

HOpefully the hernia surgery helps him but at the end of the day he has to be able to make meaningful kicks and he hasn't been able to do that for the last 2 season no matter who the holder was.