Robert Meachem to Arizona Cardinals: Why Ex-Saints WR Is Perfect for Glendale

The Arizona Cardinals felt good about Andre Roberts as their No. 2 wide receiver going into the 2011 season.

He did not live up to team expectations, however, and now they are in desperate need of a true second option next to Larry Fitzgerald.

In his second year in the league, Roberts caught 51 passes for 586 yards and only two touchdowns. The catches and yards are on par with what an average No. 2 receiver should do, but his inability to get into the end zone plagued the Cardinals all year.

Roberts had only 7.7 percent of the passes intended for him come from 20 or more yards down the field.

Of the players considered to be No. 2 receivers for their respective franchises, only Detroit’s Nate Burleson (7.3) and Buffalo’s David Nelson (6.4) had a fewer percentage of deep passes thrown to them.

Comparatively speaking, Meachem was thrown the deep ball on 28.3 percent of his targets. His deep-threat ability is just what Arizona needs from the No. 2 receiver position.

His speed and ability to separate from defenders would give Kevin Kolb and/or John Skelton (or Peyton Manning?) the deep-threat needed in order to better spread the field. Fitzgerald can only do so much.

Meachem’s 6’2”, 210-pound frame also helps him gain yards after the catch—something that is missing from Roberts’ game. He caught 40 passes for 620 yards and six touchdowns in 2011. That yards-after-catch ability had a hand in him scoring six times.

The physicality with which he plays makes him a perfect fit into the Cardinals’ offense opposite Fitzgerald.

Jennifer Trosclair of FootballNation.com interviewed Meachem in January, and she asked him what he thought of potentially going to a team that would give him a larger role than that which the Saints gave him.

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“I would love that, but right now I am just leaving it in my agent’s hands and God’s hands,” Meachem said. “I’m just letting them do what they do. You always think about that—what would it be like to have 80 or 90 catches. On the Saints, we have a lot of weapons, so it’s tough to reach your 80 or 90 mark.”

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Humility. Some NFL receivers can learn a few things from Meachem on how to be a professional. He and Fitzgerald would get along well.

The above paragraph is the biggest reason why Robert is the ideal receiver the Cardinals should pursue once the free-agency period officially opens. You’ve never seen him point at the name on the back of his jersey when he scores a touchdown or gains a key first down—and you never will; it’s not his style.

He is the ultimate team player.

Although he was not on the field during the play in which Drew Brees broke Dan Marino’s single-season passing record, he was the first player from the sideline to hug him on his way to the bench.

That kind of player is what every head coach loves to have around in a locker room. Even though it may ultimately be about personal statistics (and let’s be honest—for 98 out of 100 receivers, that’s just what it’s about), a player who keeps it to himself is a keeper.

Meachem no doubt had plenty of opportunity to say something about his contribution to the team. His production during the 2011 season was right on average for him the past three seasons. From 2009-2011, he averaged 43 catches for 660 yards, 6.67 touchdowns and 61 targets (he totaled 60 targets in ’11).

Through all that he said nothing.

No sideline eruptions. No brave call-outs to his quarterback or coaches in front of a camera. No misguided tweets. No trade demands.

The ultimate team player—and a good one, at that.