I read today that former Cardinals CB Aeneas Williams is going to be inducted into the Cardinals Ring of Honor at halftime of the Monday Night Football Game vs. San Francisco on Monday November, 10th.  This is a great honor for so many reasons, none greater than the fact he was a hard playing, hard hitting, hard to run past, corner. 

If the Cardinals had 53 Aeneas Williams on their roster, this team would win the Super Bowl every year.  It’s a shame a player of his caliber didn’t see more team success during his tenure in Arizona.  Sure he saw some success at the end of his career in St. Louis.  However he will always be remembered as a Cardinal.  The Cardinal Organization obviously recognizes that as well, hence the reason for the honor. 

I would take Aeneas anyday over the Deion Sanders, Antonio Cromartie, Chris McAllister, Dre Bly, Ronnie Lott, and Eric Allen’s of the world, just to name a few.  He kept his mouth shut.  Never said a bad word about anyone.  He played hard and went about his business as if he was trying to put food on the table rather than trying to put himself in celebrity.  He was genuine, athletic, and never stepped down from a challenge from a top receiver. 

It’s too bad we don’t have more Aeneas Williams in today’s game.  I think some really talented defensive backs, safeties, and corners could really learn from watching how Aeneas kept command of the defensive secondary.  It’s too bad that there aren’t more individuals like Aeneas in the game.  Take away the athleticism and professionalism, and you still had character.  Are you listening D’Angelo Hall?  Are you paying attention Adam “Pacman” Jones?

Go Cards!

Scott Allen

AZScott

Well, as promised, here is my second posting as we take a look at the QB battle that is already dominating headlines here in the desert as the Arizona Cardinals wrapped up mini-camp this past weekend. Earlier in the week I discussed starter Matt Leinart’s claim to the job, making a case for his hold on the position. I received alot of good feedback from our dedicated reader HardHat (he came up with that name, not me) and if you get a chance you should definitely read our comments to each other, lot of good stuff. Remember boys and girls, I’m just offering opinions here.

This go ’round it’s Kurt Warner’s turn to receive my take on why he deserves a nod at the starting position. Once again, my top 5:

1. Football Intelligence
This is really a no-brainer, I mean the way Kurt runs the offense and in particular the no-huddle scheme is a throw back to the early 90’s when Jim Kelly ran it to perfection with the Buffalo Bills. Warner is one of the best in the league at coming up to the line and being able to disect what the defense is giving him. He makes good reads and knows where he wants to go with the ball. This is something that was gained through his years of experience, something that can’t be taught. Which leads me to #2…..

2. Experience
Again, not Leinart’s fault. How is a man supposed to get experience if he doesn’t get a shot? This is true, but Leinart’s lack of experience with the Pro game no huddle package is what led to Kurt splitting time with him starting with the Baltimore game. Kurt picked it up after Matt went down with his injury and really got the offense clicking. Most back up QBs in the league are just roster fillers who may be good enough to fill in for a half of football, but Arizona has a guy who is not far removed from being the top QB in the league. A two time MVP, Super Bowl winner, and proven commodity in big time situations. Sometimes, experience can trump youth.

3. Arm Strength
Between the two of them, Kurt’s arm strength will win out every time. He has got a cannon of an arm and is good for 30-50 passes a game. From his days in St Louis with the pass happy offense of Mike Martz, Kurt is completely comfortable airing the ball out every chance he gets. The velocity on his passes is light years ahead of Matt’s and he can put the ball onto any spot on the field. Many people will tell you that the most important throw a QB has to be able to make is the “OUT” route. Basically, it’s a simple pass pattern in which a receiver will come straight off the line and cut 90 degrees to the sideline at either 5 or 10 yards. But for a QB, that is actually a 20-30 yard throw, and it has to be made quickly and accurately. People question Leinart’s ability to make this throw, but no one can question Kurt’s.

4. Poise & Composure
Very rarely do we ever see Kurt lose his cool. He is just a very calm, collected individual who inspires confidence in the huddle. When Kurt is on the field, he doesn’t get rattled, or doesn’t get shaken by a bad play. If he throws an INT on one drive, you know he’s going to come back out and fire away the very next chance he gets. This is also something that can’t be coached or taught, it has to be learned on the football field when the pass rush is coming at you and you have to make those split second decisions. This difference between the two was never more obvious than during the Baltimore game last year, when Leinart seemed ill equipped to handle the stunting Ravens defense and Warner stepped right into the teeth of that blitz. Seemingly unphased, he threw for over 200 yards and two TDs in a near epic comeback.

5. Leadership
Look, I want to say it so there is no confusion: I don’t feel that Matt having a party at his house affects his ability to be our starting QB. Having said that, the perception is that his teammates and the organization aren’t sure about his committment to the team. But with Warner there is no question. He is a model for every NFL player, on and off the field. From his charity work with his foundation, to the way he works out in the off season, to how he prepares each week during the season, you’re not going to find a player who is more professional than Kurt Warner. With Kurt, no one can question his committment to the game. You know you’re going to get 100% effort every down, every game, and that is leadership by example. Also, something you cannot teach, you’ve just got to have “IT”.

So there it is, a case for Kurt Warner to be the starting QB in 2008. 27 TD passes and 3400+ yards in basically 13 games is nothing to sneeze at, THAT IS PRODUCTION OF THE HIGHEST CALIBER! I’m really glad that I don’t have to be the one to make this decision because as you can see, it is not an easy one to make.

Three more months to until the start of training camp, anything can happen…….

GO CARDS!

Mike Duggan
AZCardsfan4life

Earlier this week our friends over at stripehype.com, the Cincinnati Bengals fan blog site on fansided.com, were threatened by a lawsuit claiming that the use of team logo’s and such were unlawful and should be removed from the site immediately.  Let me tell you, so far, Cincy is the only team to pull this crap.  As far as I can see, the rest of the NFL values its fan base and the support each team receives.

If you have the chance, please go by stripehype.com and offer your support on this subject.  This is not a slap in the face for just stripehype and our colleagues over there, but a slap to the entire blogging community.  The two gentlemen that run the Fansided network, Adam and Zach Best, do just that, their best, to bring you valuable and entertaining blog posts and an outlet for you the fan to talk about your favorite teams and the NFL in general.  I’ve been lead blogger for Raising Zona since January and although I’ve not really gotten my feet too wet yet with this awesome adventure, I can tell you that our community of bloggers are nothing but good hearted, good natured, intelligent individuals who work tirelessly to provide an entertainment outlet for you the NFL fan.  We lost our lead blogger for stripehype, Dave Howard, because of this mess.  He left on his own accord, however there should be no reason to lose a great blogger.

So the Bengals want to play hard ball with their fan base.  Let’s review a few facts:

* Cincy has had more players behind bars in the past two years than the Maricopa County Jail in downtown Phoenix.

* Cincy’s best player, Chad Johnson a.k.a. “the Ocho”, wants nothing to do with his team because he feels the Bengals front office and especially the coaching staff, disrespected him.

* Cincy took a step backward last year after making a playoff runs each of the past two seasons, actually accomplishing the feat in the 2005 season.

The Cardinals may be a lot of things at times - boring, predictable, uninspired, poor, bad player judgment at times on the field, however one thing they are not, is fickle with their fan base.  The Cardinals, especially over the past couple of years, has really gone out of its way to build a fan base.  That’s hard to do with a mediocre franchise who has not been to the playoffs since 1998, their only trip in 20 seasons in Arizona.  We call for Bill Bidwell’s head at times because of the way the team is run.  I’ve never once though questioned his love for the game and the organization’s love for it’s fans.  Sure they raise ticket prices most every year, but with rising player contracts, I can’t really blame them.

Anyways, thanks to Mike for re-capping mini-camp! Only three more months until training camp and pre-season.  I can’t wait.  Go Cards!

Scott Allen

AZScott

Well, as the Arizona Cardinals wrapped up their mini camp this past weekend many were surprised by the effective play of QB Matt Leinart. Apparently he looked sharp, and did not appear to be rusty at all, a testimony to is study of the playbook and film during his time on IR this past year. BUT…..Those same observers were quick to acknowledge the play of veteran Kurt Warner, saying that he also looked very sharp in drills. Leinart looked good. Warner looked good.

So let the inevitable QB Controversy discussions begin.

We know it’s coming. Let the experts chime on in about how Leinart’s party pictures are some kind of indication of his ability on the field, or about how Warner is never going to be happy playing the back up role after the kind of year he had in 2007. As long as we have two talented players for a position that can only be occupied by one man, this debate is going to continue. But personally, I actually enjoy the debate. And today I’m going to be making the case for Leinart to be the starter.

So giving him the benefit of the doubt, here are my top 5 reasons why Leinart is a better option for the Cards as the starting QB in 2008:

1. The ‘IT’ Factor
Whatever you want to call it; charisma, confidence, moxie……whatever, Matt Leinart has it. This kid is a proven winner. From a high school championship, onto to 2 National Championships and a Heisman Trophy, nobody can be stupid enough to argue that this boy has a ton of talent and skill. There are so many intangibles that every NFL player has to possess, and for a quarterback the most important quality is the ability to walk into the huddle and have the other 10 guys in that huddle know you are in charge. We’ve heard from the veterans and rookies alike, and they’re not saying Kurt doesn’t have it, but so does Matt.

2. Mobility
Let me make this perfectly clear, Matt Leinart is not a tremendous threat to score with his feet, at least not in the running game. When I say mobility, I mean the ability to avoid the rush and buy more time in the pocket. You need proof? Watch film of both Seahawks games last year and you’ll see a big difference in how each QB handled the Seattle pass rush. Leinart was mere tenths of a second from being sacked several times, but a simple side step or a slight movement in the pocket bought him the time to make the plays down field.

3. Accuracy
Say what you want about his arm strength, if you look over his entire career (college and pros) Leinart is an accurate passer. While he doesn’t have the rocket that Kurt does, he throws a tight spiral and has shown that he can put the ball into great spots where only his guys can get it. Leinart is less of a gunslinger than Warner and by that regard does not make all the risky throws that Warner does. As his playing time increases, his accuracy will only get better.

4. Youth
Now how can his age be a positive factor in him being the starting QB? Because he has a lot more tread left on the tires as opposed to Warner. Sure Matt got knocked out last season, but the coaching staff is already marveling at how much stronger he looks now and he is already completely healthy and ready to go. Kurt was a warrior playing with that elbow injury last year, but at 36, with over 10 years in professional football, his body is not what it once was. Leinart is a big QB, standing at 6′5″ and now over 230lbs. He has bulked up and is ready for the hard knocks he’s going to keep taking as a QB in the NFL. Warner is a warrior, but you can’t fight Father Time.

5. Drive
This may also be questionable one for some of you out there. Call me crazy, but part of me thinks that a player who has never reached the top of their profession has more to play for than someone who has already acheived greatness. Kurt has been to the top; a former two-time league MVP and Super Bowl MVP, he has led his team to victory on the greatest stage in sports. If he doesn’t win here in Arizona, he’s always got those memories. Leinart is young and he is hungry, just like most every other player on the Cards’ roster. Guys like Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald haven’t even sniffed the post-season during their time here, and that is a rallying point for them around Leinart. I’ve seen watching both of these guys during games. Kurt is what I would call a “quiet professional” who does his job and does it well. Leinart is full of fire, he gets emotional, he gets excited, and that kind of play is contagious.

This is a debate that is going to continue well into the preseason and, in all likelihood, into the regular season as well. My brother Tom once told me that the most popular guy on the team is always the backup quarterback, not really for what he has or hasn’t done, but because whenever the starter struggles everyone thinks that the backup will be the savior and I couldn’t agree more. Patience is not a virtue that many NFL fans tend to have, so clamoring for Leinart to produce may seem warranted. But if you’re truly an Arizona Cardinals fan, I mean truly an Arizona Cardinals fan, than like me you have to be one of the most patient people on the planet. So just relax Cards fans.

Coming soon……part two: a case for Warner.

GO CARDS!!

Mike Duggan
AZCardsfan4life

If you look at the 2008 Draft class for the Arizona Cardinals, one very obvious trend should dawn on you: the team has a starter entrenched at every single position they picked!

And no, I don’t mean that they have someone penciled in these spots. I mean the Cards have firmly established starters at Cornerback, Defensive End, Linebacker and Running Back. This coaching staff was committed to providing real depth on a very thin line up. We have to remember that this team had 7 starters go on Injured Reserve last year, with only the Buffalo Bills losing more players (8) for the season. Coach Whisenhunt and his staff were committed to picking up some solid picks to bring along slowly behind established veterans in order to learn the NFL game and eventually step into that starting role.

This is a huge shift in how the Cards’ front office have used this year’s draft this year unlike every season before. Every year, save the 1999 Draft, the team has picked in or around the the top 10, and in most cases the top 5. This has led to several draft busts and unbelievably high expectations for every kid we have picked to be the savior of our fledgling franchise. To date, the team’s only top 10 pick that has flourished in the desert has been WR Larry Fitzgerald (the book is still out on Leinart). So the amount of pressure placed on the class of 2008 is considerably less than any other group of kids has faced here in Arizona.

These young men are walking into an 8-8 franchise, that was two plays away from making the playoffs (both came against the 49ers, DAMMIT!). That is a far cry from when Fitz or Anquan Boldin arrived to joing struggling 5-11 or 4-12 teams in their respective rookie years. They are walking into a situation that allows them to learn and develop, not be thrown into the fire right away. That can be a huge lift to a player’s confidence level, which could ultimately make or break someone’s career when it is just getting started.

BOTTOM LINE: Despite whatever grade you may give the Cards for their picks, the 2008 Draft has marked the true beginning of the Ken Whisenhunt era in Arizona. It is his first draft class, and it gives us a clear indication of where he envisions this team to be in the next 2-3 years. Coach Whisenhunt knows he has the foundation of players to make a serious run, and now he has just added some more cement to the building. We’ve got the talent………and now we’ve got the depth.

GO CARDS!!

Mike Duggan
AZCardsfan4life

11:26 Good morning Cardinal Fans.  34 minutes until the draft starts.  We know Jake Long is going to Miami.  Now the anticipation is who goes #2.  ESPN just interviewed Matt Ryan, QB from Boston College.  He thinks he’d be a good fit in Atlanta.  If he doesn’t go there, look for maybe Baltimore. 

11:40 - Ed Werder, ESPN, mentions possbility of Cowboys looking to trade for a WR.  This includes Anquan Boldin.  If the Cardinals are even thinking about giving Quan to the Cowboys, they’d better make sure they are getting ALOT in return.  Personally, I’d be very dissapointed to see the Cardinals let him go - especially to the Cowchips!!

12:03  Jake Long goes first to Miami.  No surprise here.

12:13  Chris Long goes to St. Louis.  Looking forward to hearing Howie Long, his father, talk about him during NFC games on Fox this season. 

12:18  Matt Ryan to Atlanta.  Good for him.  Let’s hope he’s not another Joey Harrington.  Oakland on the clock.

12:45 - Oakland takes McFadden.  Don’t blame them.  KC takes Dorsey.  Rumor they were going to trade away the pick for more picks, but Dorsey is too good to pass up.  NY Jets take Vernon Gholston at #6.  Jets fans rejoice everywhere!

12:54  BREAKING NEWS:  We have our first trade of the draft.  NE trades pick to New Orleans Saints.  NO goes to So Cal again to get their first round guy.  Maybe Pete Carroll is paying someone in the Bayou?  Sedrick Ellis is a good pick.  No word on what NE got in return.  I’m thinking some cajun shrimp. 

1:01 - Jacksonville trades up from #26.  Huge move up.  Didn’t see this coming, but it makes sense now that my friends at ESPN have explained why.  Derrick Harvey, DE from Florida.  WOW!  I’d be jumping into the ocean right about now if I were a Jaguars fan.  They traded up for him?  I smell another Mario Williams. 

1:09 - Cincy takes Keith Rivers, USC.  The response from the Bengals Draft Party is priceless.  They were so excited they had no response at all.  They just sat there.  Kind of like the response my wife got from me when she asked me to go change my 10 month old son’s dirty diaper. 

1:23 - New England holds the Mayo!  Sorry, I couldn’t resist.  They take Jerod Mayo from Tennessee.  Buffalo takes one corner I would have liked to have seen in Arizona — Leodis McKelvin from Troy.  Denver is on the clock.

1:26 - Denver takes a Bronco.  No, literally.  Ryan Clady, OT from the Boise St. Broncos.  First Bronco to go in the first round.  Carolina on the clock.

1:30 - Carolina takes Jonathan Stewart from Oregon.  Good!  I’m glad.  This means the Cardinals might be more apt to take a corner like I think they should.  I’ve never been happier to see a top RB go to another team. 

1:39 - uh oh.  Chris Williams to Chicago.  I thought for sure they’d go RB to give Benson a push.  Now it gets interesting.  If Detroit passes on Mendenhall - look for AZ to give him a look.  I hope not, but I feel like it might go that way.  Let’s see. 

1:46 - Detroit trades pick.  Amazing.  I guess they didn’t feel like there was a top notch WR available this year??  KC takes Brandon Albert from Virginia.  Arizona on the clock.  I hope it’s a CB.  Rodgers-Cromartie or Talib needs to be the guy.  I’m afraid it could be Mendenhall from Illinois.  Mendenhall is good, don’t get me wrong; however they really need help on defense. 

1:56 - BREAKING NEWS:  THE ARIZONA CARDINALS SELECT DOMINIQUE RODGERS-CROMARTIE, CB, TENNESSEE STATE.  Outstanding!  They filled a need rather than going with best available.  They did take the best available corner in my mind.  I liked Talib, but I didn’t think Rodgers-Cromartie would be available at this point.  Even ESPN had the Cards going RB.  This may not turn out to be the best first round player in Cardinals history, but most likely the smartest pick in the first round since moving to Arizona.  Go Cards!

back from a break…..

3:23 -  Let’s recap the picks since the Cards pick at #16.  Detroit is Detroit.  I don’t know what they were thinking at 17.  It was nice to see Talib get into the top 20.  I thought maybe Mike Jenkins would go to Tampa Bay.  Jenkins found his way to Dallas though.  Lucky him.  My guy from Arizona, CB Antoine Cason went a little sooner than I thought he would, but he gets to go to a good team in San Diego.  Now we wait to see what happens at #30.  Green Bay just traded the pick to the Jets.  Fans in New York are delirious.  Hmm. 

3:27 - Just saw a great sign in the audience.  Jets can S-P-E-L-L.  Can they P-I-C-K as well?  Let’s see.

3:28 - Tight End Dustin Keller.  I think I just heard NY Jets fans wallet’s getting tighter.  Not exactly a gate draw.  Only time will tell if he can help Pennington.  This pick makes me feel like I did when I saw that scene in ‘The Replacements” when Keanu Reeves was replaced by the regular QB guy who crossed the picket line to come back in a pivital game.  Your heart sank when Reeves was told he wasn’t going to play and kind of excited to see how the regular guy would fill out playing with the scabs, only to find out what we really knew would happen.  Reeves came back to play in the 2nd half and win the game to send the team to the playoffs.  Everything in this pick was there.  Drama, predictability, and let down.  NY created drama by moving up, predictable they’d go safe, and a let down when you knew it wouldn’t be as big a deal in the end, leaving a general feeling of malaise.  J-E-T-S!!!

3:40 - We finally move to the 2nd round.  3 hours 40 minutes to complete the first round.  I will be back later to recap the second round.  Go Cards!!

5:00 - BREAKING NEWS:  THE ARIZONA CARDINALS SELECT CALAIS CAMPBELL, DE, MIAMI.  Great pick at 50.  I had him going much earlier in a mock draft a month ago.  I’m surprised he lasted this long. 

DAY 2 - SUNDAY

7:00am - I can’t believe I got up for this.  Ok, yes I can.  My 10 month old was waiting for me to get him out of bed at 6:20 this morning.  So, here we are, day 2 of the draft.  I’ve swtiched from ESPN to NFL Network.  ESPN’s coverage is starting to bug me.  It all started when they failed to mention Arizona’s second round pick at all.  They went to commerical during their pick, which is fine; however they didn’t recap the pick when they returned.  All Chris Berman would say was “And Arizona just picked at 50, now at 51″.  I was like what?  Who was it??  I had to go to NFL Network to find out because the crawl on ESPN had started over at #1.  Then this morning, I started out at ESPN.  They went to commercial and missed three picks.  NFL Network had continuous coverage and didn’t go to commerical until 7:19.  It’s going fast this morning, so the Cardinals should be up soon at #81.  Is this where they find a WR in the rough?  Or do they continue to build their defense?  RB could be a possibility too, but right now maybe finding someone to hit that 3rd WR slot or another player to shore up their defense would be smart. 

7:25 - Earl Bennett, WR from Vandy was the last pick to the Bears.  I personally don’t follow Commodore football, so I don’t know much about this guy.  What I am finding out though is apparently the NFL Network hasn’t come across a player they don’t like yet.  Descriptions such as “tough”, “winner”, “good foot work”.  I’m waiting for someone to come out and say “Holy Crap, what were they thinking taking this loser?”  Now that would be some NFL Draft Coverage Gold right there!

7:30 - ok good, a couple of negative comments on picks the NFL Network missed while on commercial.  . “No explosion”, “Need to figure it out”, “Will miss 4-5 downs, that’s why they are picked in these rounds”.  There we go - I love it.  Now we are getting some honesty!

7:53 - BREAKING NEWS:  THE ARIZONA CARDINALS SELECT EARLY DOUCET, WR, LSU.  All morning I’ve been thinking that a WR could be going here.  The Cardinals needed a WR to replace the loss of Bryant Johnson.  I almost forgot Doucet was still available.  I honestly thought he would have been drafted yesterday.  I thought Mario Manningham might be the guy.  Nevertheless, this is another smart pick by the Cardinals.  So far, I give them a B+/A- grade.  The Cardinals have done nothing so far that doesn’t make me excited for the start of training camp in three months. 

9:42 BREAKING NEWS:  THE ARIZONA CARDINALS SELECT KENNY IWEBEMA, DE, IOWA.  I don’t know much about Iwebema, but the Cardinals are clearly addressing needs by selecting another DE.  I know Iowa has been a decent team over the past couple of years, so I have to think the Cardinals are happy with this guy. 

Scott Allen

AZScott

OK, I’m putting it out there. I believe that with the 16th overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, the Arizona Cardinals select……..Aqib Talib, CB Kansas.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I love this pick. This kid is a gifted playmaker. He is tall, he is fast, he is big, and he takes advantage of the little mistakes that opposing QBs make. Now if you have been doing your assigned pre-draft reading, you will find little clues to this pick.

For example, GM Rod Graves had this to say about picking a CB in the 1st round:

“You don’t get the corners who are big and fast and can cover and tackle, because if you have that guy, he usually is gone before the 10th pick. So usually you have to pick, apples or oranges. That’s where the coaches come in.”

He’s right. For the most part CBs are smaller, leaner players that rely on their quickness and deep speed to play coverage in the NFL. Typically, you don’t see a true corner in the league over 6′0″ tall. But remember what Graves said, “big and fast and can cover and tackle.”

“Big and Fast”

Now there are four top rated corners in this draft, all considered to be first round talents:

1. Aqib Talib, Kansas
2. Leodis McKelvin, Troy
3. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, TN State
4. Mike Jenkins, South Florida

Of the four, only Talib (6′1″) and DRC (6′2″) are over 6 feet tall. Of the four, only Talib registers over 200lbs at 202. So there is the “big” part. At the Combine, he posted a 40 time of 4.4 seconds. So there is the “fast” part.

“Can Cover and Tackle”

Here’s a few stats for everyone to mull over. Talib started 32 out of 34 games during a 3 year stint at Kansas. During that time he compiled 162 tackles (126 solo) with 9.5 stops for losses, as well as two forced fumbles and two more recovered. He deflected 43 passes and has 13 career interceptions, which ranks him fourth all time among Big Twelve Conference players. He has 322 yards via INT returns and returned two for TDs. He was a consensus All-American, a unanimous All-Big Twelve Conference first team pick and a finalist for the Nagurski Award (National Defensive Player of the Year).

“Cover and tackle”, yeah, GOT IT!

So according to Graves, we have already decided who we are going to draft. I mean, it’s pretty obvious! But in truth I think this guy is who we should go with. You can listen to the Cards front office say all they want about not drafting for need, but Talib is a tremendously talented player who happens to also fill a glaring need on our team.

The biggest knocks on Talib are his footwork and his ball instincts. Some scouts are saying that he doesn’t seem to have a feel for when the ball is in the air, or that he gambles to much in coverage, but I would disagree. Talib is always looking to make a play; he has those long arms and has excellent hands which he constantly uses to disrupt the passing lanes. Some may say he is not as physical as Jenkins or Brandon Flowers from Virginia Tech, or that he’s not as fast as DRC or McKelvin and they are right on both accounts. But HE IS a great blend of both. He’s fast and he’s physical. Some may have him beat in a certain area, but Talib is the better overall package as a defensive back. And I’m sorry to say it, but played against much tougher competition in the Big 12 than the other top 3 Corners. That he was able to come away with 13 picks and 43 pass deflections facing off against opponents like Oklahoma, Missouri, and Texas speaks volumes for his abilities.

Some may cite character issues with him based on the admitted marijuana use. But he is not like fellow draftee Mario Manningham, Talib never lied to NFL teams about his usage. He admitted to it, and I think that goes a long way towards his character. Now I’m not advocating another Ricky Williams saga, I just think that Talib is not Williams, and he is worth any percieved risk.

So there it is, my final prediction for the Cards first round pick in the 2008 NFL Draft. We’ll see. ROCK! CHALK! CARDINALS!

Mike Duggan
AZCardsfan4life

While everyone in the Cards camp was seemingly celebrating the contract extension Larry Fitzgerald signed in early March, I knew it was going to come back to bite us in the ass! Why? Because our team’s heartbeat, our franchise player (in my opinion) WR Anquan Boldin is not happy about his payday.

And rightfully so. All Boldin has done is given Arizona his complete and total effort every Sunday, and become one of the most prolific receivers in the NFL over the last 5 seasons. Despite injuries, he has set 3 NFL records and been elected to two Pro Bowls. And I am by no means dogging Fitz’s incredible skills, because he is a true talent. But so is Boldin. We are truly lucky to have both of these guys in our locker room, and so far we are not showing Q the love.

NFL.com has reported that Q sat down with Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt and asked to be traded. Thankfully, the Cards front office knows how important he is and said no, and is instead willing to rework Boldin’s contract. But that hasn’t stopped other teams from offering a trade for the talented wide out. The Washington Redskins already came sniffing around after being turned down by the Cincinnati Bengals in their offer for Chad Johnson. Washington was offering the same package, this year’s first rounder along with a third in next year’s draft, but Arizona wisely said no thanks. And thank God, you don’t trade a proven commodity, a pro bowler, for an unknown. It just doesn’t make any sense.

Note to Rod Graves:
Try this one out buddy; QB Matt Leinart has yet to prove himself, and you’ve got Kurt Warner, coming off of a 3,000+ yard/27 TD campaign, waiting in the wings. You need to go to Leinart and rework his contract, freeing up more money for Q. Don’t get me wrong, I am a fan of Matt’s ability at QB, but until he proves himself to this franchise on the field, that money should go to a player that deserves it, and nobody deserves it more than Boldin.

Do the right thing here Cards, find a way to pay the man!

Mike Duggan
AZCardsfan4life

Alright boys and girls, Scott has already given you his mock draft, but with the draft less than a week a way it’s time for me to give you my rundown of how the first round will shake out on Saturday.

Team	1st Round
	1. Miami Dolphins - Jake Long, OT Michigan Well by now we’ve all heard the reports about the Dolphins already signing Long to a 5 year/$57.75 Million contract, and sucking all the mystery out of the draft in the process. But Long will give Bill Parcells a franchise Left Tackle to build around and is a solid pick at Number One.
	2. St. Louis Rams - Chris Long, DE Virginia So Howie’s son falls in this mock draft, but as you can see he doesn’t fall very far. Long will give the Rams a high-motor (to quote every draft analyst out there) rush end who is atheltic enough to play standing up in a 3-4 scheme as well as a traditional lineman. Paired with last year’s first round pick Adam Carriker and the return of Leonard Little, the Rams could have a scary pass rush next season.
	3. Atlanta Falcons - Glenn Dorsey, DT LSU Dorsey’s stock has risen steadily since his workout at LSU’s Pro Day and I think he’ll get pulled off the board by Atlanta at #3. The Falcons brought in a defensive coordinator, Mike Smith, from Jacksonville to be their new head coach and he would love to add Dorsey to his interior front.
	4. Oakland Raiders - Darren McFadden, RB Arkansas This is an Al Davis pick through and through. If you look at most of the Raiders’ offseason moves, you see a trend of defensive signings. The trade for CB DeAngelo Hall, the resigning of DT Tommy Kelly, and so on. The only other option for the Raiders would be Chris Long, but there’s no way he makes it out of the top 3. Sure the team resigned RB Justin Fargas, but Davis will not let a talent like McFadden slip by him. It will be interesting to see if the potential of Jamarcus (last year’s No. 1) and McFadden can live up to expectations and save Lane Kiffin’s job.
	5. Kansas City Chiefs - Branden Albert, OG Virginia The Chiefs are in full on rebuilding mode, and selecting the top Guard in the draft will definitely help RB Larry Johnson, and whoever the QB may be (depending on what week it is). Some may say Boston College QB Matt Ryan is the pick, but that would be a pretty big gamble at number 5. The Chiefs can likely pick up Louisville QB Brian Brohm in the beginning of the second round, who many believe is a better passer than Ryan. We’ll talk about them again at pick #17.
	6. New York Jets - Vernon Gholston, DE Ohio State This pick does two things: (1) It gives the Jets an added pass rushing threat from day one which they need, and (2) It Pisses the Patriots off because Gholston would be their pick if he was available at number 7. That’s reason alone for Eric Mangini to take Gholston at number 6. Ha!
	7. New England Patriots (From 49ers) - Leodis McKelvin, CB Troy With Gholston off the board, the Pats will look to fill their need at CB due to the recent departure of Pro Bowler Asante Samuel. McKelvin does that and more by also giving them a potent return threat on kickoffs and punts.
	8. Baltimore Ravens - Matt Ryan, QB Boston College All right, here is this year’s reach pick. With Steve McNair’s recent retirement, the fan base and front office are desperate for an answer at QB. Let’s face it, this team has never had that answer, not even when they won the Super Bowl. With the hype machine in full effect, the Ravens pull the trigger on Ryan, who will likely turn out to be the second coming of Tim Couch.
	9. Cincinnati Bengals - Sedrick Ellis, DT USC The Bengals need help at every position on the defensive side of the ball, especially on the D-Line and at LB. By picking up Ellis, Cincy will immediately upgrade their run defense which was abysmal last year. With Dorsey already gone off the board, this is a no brainer.
	10. New Orleans Saints - Keith Rivers, LB USC New Orleans will continue to beef up their defense with Rivers, who wowed scouts at both the combine and his Pro Day with his quickness and athleticism. By adding Rivers to the mix with recent free agent signee Jonathan Vilma, and incumbent LB Scott Fujita, the Saints could potentially have the top group of 4-3 linebackers in the entire league.
	11. Buffalo Bills - Devin Thomas, WR Michigan State Alot of people are knocking this kid because he only had one good year, but sometimes that’s all you need to break out. Thomas is a big, physical receiver with the speed to get separation and can go vertical with anyone in the league. The Bills will take him, hoping his one good year was not an aberration and look to add a second deep threat to take the pressure off of their standout WR Lee Evans.
	12. Denver Broncos - Jeff Otah, OT Pittsburgh For the sake of franchise QB Jay Cutler’s health, the Broncos pick up a solid Left Tackle in Otah, who can start immediately and protect his blind side. Now it’s still possible that Mike Shannahan will be…….well, Mike Shannahan and pick a RB like Rashard Mendenhall, but with so much riding on Cutler’s arm next season (including Shannahan’s job), the Broncos make the smart pick and strengthen their O-Line with Otah.
	13. Carolina Panthers - Derrick Harvey, DE Florida Harvey is the perfect fit for Carolina, a beast of a pass rusher who is athletic and versitile enough to play outside LB or DE. His only job will be to terrorize Saints QB Drew Brees twice a year.
	14. Chicago Bears - Ryan Clady, OT Boise State The Bears have whiffed the past couple years on their draft picks, especially at the skill positions with QB Rex Grossman and RB Cedric Benson. And while the temptation would be there to take Mendenhall, the Bears go the smart route and strengthen their guys up front by adding Clady. Clady will likely move to Guard and use his speed and lateral quickness to become a solid starter for a team desperate to improve its protection for the circus of quarterbacks they employ.
	15. Detroit Lions - Rashard Mendenhall, RB Illinois Kevin Jones is out, and RB Tatum Bell is not the answer for a francise that longs for the days when Barry Sanders used to juke defenders out of their knee sockets in Detroit. Mendenhall is the type of RB that can instantly upgrade the Lions’ running game with his ability to pound it in between the tackles, as well as break the long runs out in the open field with his excellent speed. But who knows, maybe Matt Millen takes another WR. Honestly, at this point, it just wouldn’t surprise me anymore.
	16. Arizona Cardinals - Aqib Talib, CB Kansas I’ll write this one up in a separate article, but I love this pick. I hope this is what we do because Talib is a defensive playmaking machine!
	17. Kansas City Chiefs - Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB Tennessee State Obviously with the Jared Allen trade, there is a little bit of a shake up. With a second additional first round pick, the Chiefs will grab DRC off the board in order to fill two needs with one guy. Ever since the days of return specialist of Dante Hall, the Chiefs have been looking for that special teams game breaker and will get one with Rodgers-Cromartie. Like I said, don’t count out players from small schools, a la Jerry Rice? DRC has unbelievable speed and is a threat to score anytime he gets his hands on the ball.
	18. Houston Texans - Chris Williams, OT Vanderbilt The Texans finally break away from drafting a Defensive Lineman and pick up Williams, who some have rated as the second best O-Lineman in the draft behind Jake Long. Head Coach Gary Kubiak will look to beef up a meager O-Line with Williams, who will help second year starter Matt Schaub continue to find his favorite target, Andre Johnson, in the passing game.
	19. Philadelphia Eagles - Philip Merling, DE Clemson With Merling still on the board, the Eagles will look to strengthen a pass rush that had big names (Javon Kearse) but little production. Probably the only traditional DE in the draft aside from Miami’s Calais Campbell, Merling brings an immediate impact with his 6′5″ 270lbs frame. While he may lack the quickness of a Derrick Harvey, he is a bull rusher who plays until the whistle. The Eagles take a page out of the Giants draft book here and look to get young at the DE position.
	20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - DeSean Jackson, WR California This kid could be special. The Bucs have needs on both sides of the ball including CB, but an aging receiving corps needs to be upgraded. Jackson has unbelievable speed and the ability to make plays in space on punts, in the receiving game, everywhere. Although he is small at only 5′9″ and undersized at 178lbs, he plays big and makes big plays. Two things that head coach Jon Gruden likes very much.
	21. Washington Redskins - Mike Jenkins, CB USF With Carlos Rodgers having the word “BUST” stamped on his forehead, the Redskins will look to strengthen their secondary by adding Jenkins. He is a physical corner who can play man to man, cover 2, zone, as well as be an effective tackler against the run.
	22. Dallas Cowboys (From Browns) - Felix Jones, RB Arkansas Jerry Jones won’t be able to get his first choice of Razorback alumni, but he’ll be just as happy to add Felix Jones to his roster. Jones fills the void left by the departure of Julius Jones in the backfield along with bruising RB Marion Barber. The offense shouldn’t miss a beat by adding this guy to the mix.
	23. Pittsburgh Steelers - Gosder Cherilus, OL Boston College Alright, this might be a bit of a reach on my part, but regardless, the Steelers have a definite void to fill with the loss of Pro Bowl G Alan Faneca to free agency. Cherilus has been flying up the draft board and although he is not the sexy pick, he is the best available pick for the Steelers to fill their pressing need on the O-Line.
	24. Tennessee Titans - Limas Sweed, WR Texas How could Vince Young not like this pick, a hometown kid coming to play catch with him in Tennessee? VY has got to be praying that the Titans break their streak of drafting defensive players under Jeff Fisher and actually try to give Vince some help by adding a legitimate receiving threat. Sweed is a good blend of size, hands, and quickness that is a definite upgrade over the current crop of Tennessee receivers.
	25. Seattle Seahawks - Dustin Keller, TE Purdue The Seahawks have been looking for a legitimate TE for the past couple of seasons and have yet to find one. Marcus Pollard was a flop, as his age has finally caught up to him. So now the Hawks will add Keller, a TE who is more in the mold of Dallas Clarke, in that he can split out or play in the three point stance. The added bonus with Keller is that he is a heck of run blocker too. Good pick for Seattle…..dammit!!
	26. Jacksonville Jaguars - James Hardy, WR Indiana Now there may be some character issues or motivational issues, to be honest I’m not really sure. What I do know is that this kid is a heck of a receiver; speed, size, agility, the ability to go up and grab the ball at its highest point, Hardy has it. Jacksonville has been looking for a true receiving threat since the days of Jimmy Smith and will pick up Hardy in the hopes he can provide newly minted franchise QB David Garrard with a reliable deep threat.
	27. San Diego Chargers - Jonathan Stewart, RB Oregon The most talented roster in football is going to get a whole lot more talented. Stewart will fall due to concerns over his toe injury, and San Diego will be ecstatic to plug him right into Michael Turner’s old locker space. Stewart will spell LT throughout the year and work behind one of the best O-Lines in the business. This a dream pick for Stewart as well as the Chargers.
	28. Dallas Cowboys - Mario Manningham, WR Michigan The need to get younger in a hurry at the WR position. TO is still one of the top 2 receivers in the league, but he along with longtime Cowboy Terry Glenn are in their mid 30s. An infusion of youth will make this explosive offense even better, and Manningham is a great talent that can grow and thrive with QB Tony Romo.
	29. San Francisco 49ers (From Colts) - Jerod Mayo, LB Tennessee After hitting a homerun with Patrick Willis in last year’s draft, the 49ers will look to give Willis some help at the LB position by drafting Mayo. A run stuffer, Mayo and Willis will give the Niners a 1-2 punch that will look to dominate opposing running games for years to come.