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Odeen Domingo
The Arizona Republic
Jul. 25, 2005 12:00 AM
Second in a series looking at Cardinals positions heading to training camp, which opens next Monday. Today: wide receivers and tight ends.
The top three wide receivers on the Cardinals' depth chart are the main and maybe only reason people are excited about the offense. Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald and Bryant Johnson are young, have great size and have good to great hands. But are they essentially the same type of player? That's not a bad thing, but in a three-receiver offense, you need your go-to guy (Boldin), possession receiver (Fitzgerald) and a deep threat. Johnson, who reportedly ran 4.57 seconds in the 40-yard dash entering the 2003 draft, has yet to show that he can fill that spot in the offense. The team may look to the other eight receivers in camp to find a consistent deep threat, including drafted rookie LeRon McCoy, who has wings for feet but mittens for hands. The Cardinals brought in Charles Lee, entering his sixth NFL season, to back up all three positions.
The Cardinals' list of tight ends isn't a "who's who;" it's a "who's that?" Second-year veteran Eric Edwards has the most NFL experience, all five catches of it. But in coach Dennis Green's history, he never had an elite pass-catching tight end. The tight end in his offense is mainly used as a sixth offensive lineman. Green likes all four tight ends in camp. Bobby Blizzard, who has the best hands of the bunch, could be used as a pass catcher in two-tight end sets.
Impact player
Boldin. He missed the first six games of the 2004 season but finished within two catches of the team lead. Look for him to receive an extension no more than one day into camp. The Cardinals can't lose Boldin, the player the team wanted in David Boston.
Keep an eye on
Fitzgerald. He vowed to do better than his rookie campaign, which he viewed as disappointing even though he led the team in catches, receiving yards and touchdowns. Fitzgerald worked late nights and after practices this off-season to become an elite receiver.
Tuesday: offensive line.
AFC Camp Capsules
Baltimore Ravens (9-7 in 2004)
Important additions: CB Samari Rolle, WR Derrick Mason, LB Tommy Polley, G Keydrick Vincent, WR Mark Clayton.
Important losses: CB Gary Baxter, WR Travis Taylor, G Bennie Anderson, LB Peter Boulware.
Camp needs: New offensive coordinator (Jim Fassel) and new defensive coordinator (Rex Ryan), which means both units will use training camp to adjust. Most importantly, newcomers Mason and Clayton must work with QB Kyle Boller to revive passing attack that ranked 31st last year.
Expectations: Having filled holes at CB and WR, Ravens expect to make playoffs and make run at Super Bowl - if Boller does his share and defense makes strides.
Buffalo Bills (9-7)
Important additions: LG Bennie Anderson, backup QB Kelly Holcomb. Important losses: QB Drew Bledsoe, LT Jonas Jennings, NT Pat Williams, RB Travis Henry.
Camp needs: J.P. Losman, Buffalo's second of two 2004 first-round draft picks, takes over at QB. Although strong armed and mobile, Losman has potential to rub teammates wrong way. Revamped offensive line must come together.
Expectations: Counting on defense and ball-control offense to offset Losman's growing pains. Few teams succeed under first-year QB, particularly in tough AFC East, where Buffalo has gone 10-20 against division rivals in past five seasons.
Cincinnati Bengals (8-8)
Important additions: Chuck Bresnahan promoted to defensive coordinator; DT Bryan Robinson; LBs Dave Pollack and Odell Thurman - top two draft picks expected to play a lot in a retooled defense.
Important loss: LB Kevin Hardy.
Camp needs: Coach Marvin Lewis is changing training camp routine to have his team fresh for September, hoping to avoid another slow start. Four of first six games are on road.
Expectations: For first time since days of Sam Wyche and Boomer Esiason, Bengals are expected to win. Haven't had winning season or made playoffs since 1990, one of longest streaks of futility in NFL history. After consecutive 8-8 seasons during Lewis' rebuilding, anything less than nine wins would be major disappointment.
Cleveland Browns (4-12)
Important additions: New coach Romeo Crennel; First-time General Manager Phil Savage is regarded as one of league's top personnel evaluators. QB Trent Dilfer is leader club has lacked in recent years and rookie WR Braylon Edwards could become his favorite target. Free-agent Gs Joe Andruzzi and Cosey Coleman will anchor revamped offensive line.
Important losses: DE Courtney Brown, DT Gerard Warren; TE Kellen Winslow Jr.'s motorcycle accident is another blow.
Camp needs: An outside pass rusher in Crennel's 3-4 defense. RBs Reuben Droughns, Lee Suggs and William Green will battle for starting job, with one of the losers likely to be traded.
Expectations: Crennel will need a few years to turn what has been arguably NFL's most dysfunctional team. Emphasis is as much on character and team as talent, a philosophy Crennel saw work firsthand in New England. Five wins would be success.
Denver Broncos (10-6)
Important additions: WR Jerry Rice, DL Courtney Brown, Gerard Warren and Ebenezer Ekuban, P Todd Sauerbrun and RB Maurice Clarett.
Important losses: DE Reggie Hayward, RB Reuben Droughns, OL Dan Neil. Camp needs: See if the 42-year-old Rice can play as third receiver. Pick starting tailback among Tatum Bell, Mike Anderson and Quentin Griffin. Get new group of defensive linemen, all first-round picks who failed elsewhere, to meld. Improve special teams.
Expectations: Even if improved, another 10-6 record will be tough given strength of schedule.
Houston Texans (7-9)
Important additions: CB Phillip Buchanon, DT Travis Johnson (first-round draft pick), LB Morlon Greenwood, OT Victor Riley.
Important losses: CB Aaron Glenn, LB Jay Foreman, LB Jamie Sharper, S Eric Brown.
Camp needs: Coach Dom Capers needs to work with his defense to generate some sort of legitimate pass rush. Offensive line needs to improve to protect franchise QB David Carr.
Expectations: This is Year 4 for the Texans and they've built slowly. But they expect playoffs this year. If they don't make it, they'll have dubious distinction of being only expansion team in modern era to miss NFL postseason play by its fourth season.
Indianapolis Colts (12-4)
Important additions: CB Marlin Jackson, CB Kelvin Hayden, OL Dylan Gandy, DE Jonathan Welsh.
Important losses: OL Rick DeMulling, TE Marcus Pollard, S Idrees Bashir. Camp needs: Is RB Edgerrin James, who reluctantly agreed to one-year tender worth more than $8 million, going to hold out for multiyear deal? If he is motivated, Colts offense should be as good as last season. Jackson must deliver immediately, especially with S Mike Doss suspended for first two regular-season games.
Expectations: Only upward step Colts can take is reaching Super Bowl. Better defense will help, but improvement by Jacksonville and Houston could keep them from getting all playoff games at home.
Jacksonville Jaguars (9-7)
Important additions: DE Reggie Hayward, DE Marcellus Wiley, CB Kenny Wright, CB Terry Cousin and LT Mike Pearson (returning from knee injury).
Important losses: CBs Dewayne Washington and Juran Bolden.
Camp needs: Find offensive identity under new coordinator Carl Smith. Get RB Fred Taylor healthy. Figure out unsettled CB situation.
Expectations: With Hayward joining DTs Marcus Stroud and John Henderson, defense should be strong. Offense must improve, especially after drafting WRs Reggie Williams and Matt Jones in first round past two years. Keeping QB Byron Leftwich and Taylor healthy is key.
Kansas City Chiefs (7-9)
Important additions: S Sammy Knight, LB Kendrell Bell, DE Carlos Hall, CB Patrick Surtain, LB Derrick Johnson, WR Freddie Mitchell.
Important losses: WR Johnnie Morton, backup RB Derrick Blaylock.
Camp needs: Improve defense with bevy of promising newcomers while squeezing one more good year out of aging high-scoring offense. RB Priest Holmes needs to get healthy and wide receivers need to take pressure off TE Tony Gonzalez.
Expectations: A good run in what will probably be Dick Vermeil's final year as an NFL coach. Retooled defense has fans hoping for the best.
Miami Dolphins (4-12)
Important additions: New coach Nick Saban, No. 2 overall pick RB Ronnie Brown. Return of RB Ricky Williams will mean competition. QB Gus Frerotte was signed to compete with A.J. Feeley. DEs Kevin Carter and Vonnie Holliday, DT Keith Traylor, LB Donnie Spragan, CB Mario Edwards, S Travares Tillman, S Tebucky Jones, T Damion Cook, T Stockar McDougle, FB Heath Evans.
Important losses: CB Patrick Surtain, QB Jay Fiedler, DT Tim Bowens, FB Rob Konrad, S Arturo Freeman.
Camp needs: Saban must shore up offense that averaged just 17.2 points and 275 yards per game, worst production since 1969. Defense has ranked in top 10 every year since 1998, but showed signs of age in 2004 and needs infusion of youth.
Expectations: Dolphins likely will be better, but they're likely to miss playoffs for third straight year.
New England Patriots (14-2)
Important additions: LB Monte Beisel, LB Chad Brown, WR David Terrell, WR/KR Tim Dwight, CB Duane Starks, backup QB Doug Flutie.
Important losses: LB Tedy Bruschi had a stroke after Super Bowl and will not play this season. Offensive coordinator Charlie Weis and defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel both left. CB Ty Law and OL Joe Andruzzi opted for free agency.
Camp needs: Revamp defensive backfield and linebacking; bring new defensive coordinator Eric Mangini up to speed and find someone for duties that had been handled by Weis.
Expectations: Favored to win Super Bowl again.
New York Jets (10-6)
Important additions: WR Laveranues Coles, RB Derrick Blaylock, TE Doug Jolley, DT Lance Legree, offensive coordinator Mike Heimerdinger, K Mike Nugent, QB Jay Fiedler.
Important losses: DT Jason Ferguson, RB LaMont Jordan, OT Kareem McKenzie, CB Donnie Abraham.
Camp needs: QB Chad Pennington's recovery from off-season surgery. He also must learn Heimerdinger's system. Also need adequate replacement for Ferguson, more playmakers in secondary. RT Adrian Jones must take over for McKenzie.
Expectations: Quite high. Coach Herman Edwards expects Heimerdinger to spice up vanilla offense. If Pennington is healthy, the Jets should squeeze out another playoff berth.
Oakland Raiders (5-11)
Important additions: WR Randy Moss, RB LaMont Jordan, CB Fabian Washington (rookie).
Important losses: RB Tyrone Wheatley, S Ray Buchanan, CB Phillip Buchanon, TE Doug Jolley.
Camp needs: Must improve defense. Veteran DTs Warren Sapp and Ted Washington were major disappointments. Keeping CB Charles Woodson, team's franchise player, from losing interest will be another key. WRs Ronald Curry and Carlos Francis both are returning from serious injuries.
Expectations: Moss' arrival has excited fans and combined with re-signed Jerry Porter gives Raiders potential explosive deep-passing offense - if offensive line can protect strong-armed but immobile QB Kerry Collins. But defense must perform if team is to make playoff run.
Pittsburgh Steelers (15-1)
Important additions: WR Cedrick Wilson, TE Heath Miller, WR Fred Gibson, CB Bryant McFadden.
Important losses: WR Plaxico Burress, LB Kendrell Bell, RG Keydrick Vincent, RT Oliver Ross, TE Jay Riemersma.
Camp needs: Get QB Ben Roethlisberger comfortable quickly with Wilson, signed from the 49ers, and Gibson, a fourth-round draft pick who could play immediately. G Kendall Simmons, back after missing last season with knee injury, and second-year T Max Starks must settle in quickly on right side of offensive line.
Expectations: Almost certainly won't be better in regular season and Roethlisberger must rebound from rookie mistakes in postseason.
San Diego Chargers (12-4)
Important additions: S Bhawoh Jue was only significant free agent. Important loss: QB Doug Flutie.
Camp needs: Hope that LB Shawne Merriman, first-round draft pick who didn't attend off-season workouts, shows up and starts learning 3-4 defense; position battles along both lines and in secondary must be settled.
Expectations: Something less than 12-4, based on much tougher schedule, including five trips to Eastern time zone.
Tennessee Titans (5-11)
Important additions: Offensive coordinator Norm Chow; WRs coach Ray Sherman, whose teaching ability will be key for corps that has only one real veteran; RB Travis Henry as insurance for oft-injured Chris Brown.
Important losses: WR Derrick Mason, CB Samari Rolle, DE Kevin Carter, FS Lance Schulters, RT Fred Miller, K Joe Nedney and FB Robert Holcombe in salary-cap purge.
Camp needs: Settle on seven new starters plus a new kicker. Pick up some cheap veteran help off waiver wire at WR, DE and DB.
Expectations: In rebuilding mode with emphasis on youth following salary-cap slashes of past two years. A healthy QB Steve McNair keeps hopes up.
- Associated Press
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/cardinals/articles/0725cardsposition0725.html
