(Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)
Now that free agency has slowed, it’s time to take a look at where the Arizona Cardinals stand prior to the 2009 draft.
As expected of a team which made a Super Bowl appearance the year before, the team has remained largely the same and is hoping to capitalize on the cohesion and experience of their current players.
But hey, who couldn’t use a little help, right? Let’s start by recapping the Cards' offseason transactions.
Coaching Changes
The most significant changes to the Arizona Cardinals this offseason have come in the form of coaching changes.
Less than a week after losing the heartbreaking loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Cardinals fired defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast after a season in which the team gave up too many points and fell apart on the final drive of the most important game in the team’s history.
Although the defense played well during the Cardinal’s playoff run, they finished the regular season ranked 22nd against the pass, 16th against the run, and 19th in overall defense giving up 331.5 yards per game.
2008 offensive coordinator, Todd Haley was named the new head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs leaving Arizona with two huge coaching vacancies.
Arizona promoted linebacker coach Bill Davis to defensive coordinator after 17 NFL seasons as an assistant. Receivers coach Mike Miller was promoted to passing game coordinator and assistant head coach Russ Grimm to running game coordinator but Ken Whisenhunt will still call the shots for the Cardinals offense in 2009.
Who’s Out
The organization parted ways with CB Eric Green who quickly found a home in Miami competing for the starting job opposite Will Allen. Green was initially the starter in 2008 but lost time to talented rookie Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Roderick Hood down the stretch.
Antonio Smith cashed in by signing a five year $35 million contract with the Houston Texans. The team also lost KR/RB J.J. Arrington who went to get lost on the depth charts in Denver and also lost linebackers Matt Stewart and Monty Beisel to the Dallas Cowboys and Kansas City Chiefs respectively.
Who’s In
Undoubtedly, the biggest acquisition for the Cardinals this offseason was bringing in former Pittsburgh Steeler cornerback, Bryant McFadden, signing the free agent to a two-year, $10 million contract.
McFadden is expected to compete with Roderick Hood for the starting position opposite of first round draft pick Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie.
The combination of McFadden, Hood, Rogers-Cromartie, and Ralph Brown will provide a slight improvement over 2008’s cornerback crew that saw its trouble in nickel and dime situations, with the most significant improvement coming in the form of experience for rising star DRC.
Other additions this offseason include: Anthony Becht an experienced tight end from St. Louis, added DL depth signing Rodney Leslie (NYG), deep snapper Mike Leach (DEN), added to a thin RB crew with addition Jason Wright (CLE), singed safety Keith Lewis (SF), and added backup help on the OL in the form of practice squad center Donovan Raiola (SEA).
Who’s Back
Kurt Warner resigned with the club...THANK GOD! With Kurt Warner at the helm, AZ seems posed for another playoff push and possibly another fantastic post season performance in 2009.
The Cards placed the Franchise Tag on linebacker Karlos Dansby, arguably the organization’s greatest asset and brought back DE Bertrand Berry on a one-year, $1 million agreement. Berry took a paycutt in 2007 to stay with the team after tearing both of his triceps in the seasons before.
Other players resigned: Elton Brown (OG), Clark Haggans (LB), Leonard Pope (TE), Gabe Watson (DL), Ben Graham (P), Ralph Brown (CB), and Brian St. Pierre (QB).
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