Arizona Cardinals Offseason Summary and Grades
By Scott Carasik
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Key Losses
Traded WR Anquan Boldin and CB Bryant McFadden
Released S Antel Rolle
WR Jerheme Urban, LB Karlos Dansby, K Mike Nugent, K Neil Rackers contracts expired
Trades
The Cardinals traded 2010 2nd round pick (#58 overall - traded to Houston) and 2010 3rd round pick (# overall - traded to Carolina) to the Patriots for 2010 2nd round pick (#47 overall - used on LB Daryl Washington)
The Cardinals traded 2010 4th round pick (#123 overall - used on DT Al Woods) to the Saints for 2010 4th round pick (#130 overall - used on OLB O'Brien Schofield) and 2010 6th round pick (#201 overall - used on CB Jorrick Calvin)
The Cardinals traded CB Bryant McFadden and 6th round pick (#195 overall - used on WR Antonio Brown) to the Steelers for 5th round pick (#155 overall - used on QB John Skelton)
The Cardinals traded 2010 4th round pick (#124 overall) to the Jets for FS Kerry Rhodes
The Cardinals traded WR Anquin Boldin and 2010 5th round pick (#156 overall - used on WR David Reed) to the Ravens for 2010 3rd round pick (#89 overall - traded to Patriots) and 2010 4th round pick (123 overall - traded to New Orleans)
Free Agency
Signed QB Derek Anderson, G Rex Hadnot, G Alan Faneca, OLB Joe Porter, LB Paris Lenon, K Jay Feely
Re-signed WR Steve Breaston, TE Anthony Becht, TE Ben Patrick, TE Stephen Spach, OT Jeremy Bridges, C Ben Claxton, C Lyle Sendlein, NT Gabe Watson, CB Michael Adams, S Hamza Abdullah
Signed as undrafted free agents QB Max Hall RB Alfonso Smith WR Max Komar WR Juamorris Stewart WR Stephen Williams OT Casey Knips OT Devin Tyler C David Moosman CB Marshay Green CB A.J. Jefferson
Draft Grade = A
26 Arizona Cardinals - NT Dan Williams - 6'2" 327 - Tennessee
I love this pick. Arizona gets a beastly NT to mix in with their already good DE's of Campbell and Dockett. Grade: A+
47 Arizona Cardinals - Daryl Washington - 6'1-3/4" 230 - Texas Christian
The Cardinals needed someone to come in and replace Karlos Dansby. Washington has ROTY written all over him if he gets put in the right spot. Grade: A
88 Arizona Cardinals - WR Andre Roberts - 5'10-7/8" 195 - The Citadel
They just got a great player here and a huge steal. I love this pick for the Cardinals as Boldin's replacement. Grade: A+
130 Arizona Cardinals - OLB O'Brien Schofield - 6'2-1/4" 221 - Wisconsin
They needed someone to play the OLB role and learn from Porter. Schofield will be out for the year, but is a first round talent. Grade: A+
155 Arizona Cardinals - QB John Skelton - 6'5-3/8" 243 - Fordham
Great value here and someone who can compete with Lienart for the QB spot. Grade: A
201 Arizona Cardinals - CB Jorrick Calvin - 5'10-1/8" 182 - Troy
They reached for a corner here that ran a 4.65 and isn't talented. Worst pick for the Cards in the draft. Grade: F
233 Arizona Cardinals - TE Jim Dray - 6'4-3/4" 246 - Stanford
Always smart to bring in a guy who can catch the ball when you have a young QB pair. Grade: A
Overall Grade based on talent acquired and team needs met:
The Cardinals have a plan, and they are sticking to it. Despite losing some very talented players this offseason, they have a lot of depth and talent still there. They need to continue drafting well and will be back in the super bowl soon. I honestly think they were 1-2 moves from a title and losing Dansby, Boldin and Rolle, will hurt them a lot.
Projected Depth Chart heading into training camp:
QB - Matt Lienart/Derek Anderson/John Skelton/Brian St. Pierre/Max Hall
RB - Beanie Wells/Tim Hightower/LaRod Stephens-Howling/Jason Wright/Alfonso Smith
3DRB - Tim Hightower/LaRod Stephens-Howling/Jason Wright
FB - Dan Kreider/Nehemiah Broughton/Reagan Mauia
WR Featured - Larry Fitzgerald/Edward Gant/Darren Mougey/Stephen Williams
WR Speed - Steve Breaston/Onrea Jones/Max Komar
WR Slot - Andre Roberts/Early Doucet/Juamorris Stewart
TE - Ben Patrick/Dominique Byrd/Anthony Becht/Stephen Spach/Jim Dray
LT - Jeremy Bridges/Brandon Keith/Casey Knips
LG - Deuce Lutui/Alan Faneca/Jonathan Palmer
C - Lyle Senlein/Rex Hadnot/Ben Claxton/Devin Moosman
RG - Reggie Wells/Herman Johnson
RT - Levi Brown/Tom Pestock/Devin Tyler
LDE - Darnell Dockett/Dean Muhtadi/Kenny Iwabema
NT - Dan Williams/Gabe Watson/Alan Branch/Bryan Robinson/Keilen Dykes
RDE - Calais Campbell/Jeremy Clark/Ryan Kees
WOLB - Joey Porter/O'Brien Schofield/Stevie Baggs
WILB - Daryl Washington/Paris Lenon/Mark Washington
SILB - Gerald Hayes/Clark Haggans/Monty Beisel
SOLB - Cody Brown/Ali Highsmith/Will Davis/Reggie Walker
LCB - Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie/Jorrick Calvin/A.J. Jefferson/Marshay Green
RCB - Trumaine McBride/Rashad Barksdale/Matt Ware/Greg Toler
FS - Kerry Rhodes/Rashad Johnson/Michael Adams
SS - Adrian Wilson/Herana-Daze Jones/Hamza Abdullah
K - Jay Feely
P - Ben Graham
LS - Mike Leach
KR - LaRod Stephens-Howling
PR - Andre Roberts
Starter is Bolded
Free Agent/Trade Acquisitions are Italicised
Draft picks are Underlined
