Arizona Cardinals' Offseason "To Do" List
The 2011 edition Arizona Cardinals was really a tale of two seasons. There was the 'Kevin Kolb' side of the season. And there was the 'John Skelton' part. The odd part was the Skelton-led Cardinals faired much better than when Kolb was in the game. Either way, Arizona missed the playoffs once again. This will, however, bring about one interesting offseason.
Arizona traded their best cornerback (Rodgers-Cromartie) in the offseason for quarterback Kevin Kolb. That came with a good news/bad news type of feel. The good news? Arizona quickly replaced the void at cornerback with Patrick Peterson. The Cardinals tabbed him with the fifth overall pick in the NFL draft. The bad news? Kevin Kolb simply did not deliver. He was brought in to make use of the All-Pro, heavy pocketed Larry Fitzgerald. They even went as far as extending Kevin Kolb's contract after the trade. With Kolb's lackluster performance it will be hard to envision him back, but stranger things have happened.
Quarterback isn't the only problem, offensively. Fitzgerald and Early Doucet make a good duo at receiver, but depth isn't what it used to be in Glendale. Their best offensive linemen is their left tackle, Levi Brown. He's decent, but maybe not the long term solution (possibly better suited for right tackle). Beanie Wells is proving to be an excellent pickup. Also, Ryan Williams will be healthy going into next season to spell Wells and add an explosive element to the backfield.
Arizona has a stout defense. Darnell Dockett and Adrian Wilson are the center pieces. The superbly talented Peterson is only going to get better. The linebacker corps is the weakest unit. Sam Acho played well in his first season at outside linebacker. They will look to pair him another outside linebacker as Clark Haggans and Joey Porter are free agents and could be retiring.
There are holes to fill on both sides of the roster. With a good offseason, Arizona will be a dangerous team. Both sides of the football are full of physically impressive players. Arizona has one of the best special teams in the league. So let's look at what they need "To Do" this offseason:
Re-sign DE Calais Campbell: He has developed into an absolute stud up front. Campbell has the perfect frame for a 3-4 end but also displays enough burst to rush the outside in Nickel and 4-3 looks. His price tag could get hefty but Arizona will have plenty cap room.
Quarterback: The way I see it, the Cardinals have two options; Option A: Cut Kevin Kolb, go with John Skelton in a run-first attack. Option B: Cut Kevin Kolb, find a QB via free agency (Matt Flynn/Jason Campbell) or make a serious play towards Robert Griffin III. The Kolb experiment needs to come to an end sooner rather than later.
Rush LB: Sam Acho proved to be an excellent pick up by Arizona in the 2011 draft. They now need another pass rusher to go opposite him. Courtney Upshaw (Alabama) and Melvin Ingram (South Carolina) are possibilities in the draft. They could also look into free agency or possibly find another steal in the mid-rounds of the draft.
Offensive Tackle: I think Levi Brown is a quality Tackle in this league. He's a better fit on the right side. Arizona should begin their process of searching for a franchise Left Tackle.
Re-sign Early Doucet: With the losses of Anquan Boldin and Steve Breaston in recent years, Arizona can not afford to keep drafting receivers only to lose them. Doucet was a second round pick that has showed promise. He is not the elite #1 option but that's what Larry Fitzgerald is for. He's a nice second option, and is a complementary piece that will have value on the open market (if he's allowed to reach it).
P2's Partner-In-Crime: Patrick Peterson should be Defensive Player of the Year. However, he probably won't get it because of the brief tear Von Miller went on during the Broncos' playoff push. Next year, the guy playing opposite Peterson will get thrown at often. If he does not hold up well in coverage, the only impact Peterson will be having will be on special teams.
Re-sign DE Calais Campbell: He has developed into an absolute stud up front. Campbell has the perfect frame for a 3-4 end but also displays enough burst to rush the outside in Nickel and 4-3 looks. His price tag could get hefty but Arizona will have plenty cap room.
Quarterback: The way I see it, the Cardinals have two options; Option A: Cut Kevin Kolb, go with John Skelton in a run-first attack. Option B: Cut Kevin Kolb, find a QB via free agency (Matt Flynn/Jason Campbell) or make a serious play towards Robert Griffin III. The Kolb experiment needs to come to an end sooner rather than later.
Rush LB: Sam Acho proved to be an excellent pick up by Arizona in the 2011 draft. They now need another pass rusher to go opposite him. Courtney Upshaw (Alabama) and Melvin Ingram (South Carolina) are possibilities in the draft. They could also look into free agency or possibly find another steal in the mid-rounds of the draft.
Offensive Tackle: I think Levi Brown is a quality Tackle in this league. He's a better fit on the right side. Arizona should begin their process of searching for a franchise Left Tackle.
Re-sign Early Doucet: With the losses of Anquan Boldin and Steve Breaston in recent years, Arizona can not afford to keep drafting receivers only to lose them. Doucet was a second round pick that has showed promise. He is not the elite #1 option but that's what Larry Fitzgerald is for. He's a nice second option, and is a complementary piece that will have value on the open market (if he's allowed to reach it).
P2's Partner-In-Crime: Patrick Peterson should be Defensive Player of the Year. However, he probably won't get it because of the brief tear Von Miller went on during the Broncos' playoff push. Next year, the guy playing opposite Peterson will get thrown at often. If he does not hold up well in coverage, the only impact Peterson will be having will be on special teams.
Final Thoughts
Every year, Arizona begins the season with high expectations. It was partly due to a "down" division. With San Francisco looking to get a strangle hold on the NFC West, Arizona will need to improve this offseason to keep pace with the 49ers. With improved pass rush and quarterback play, I expect the NFC West to finally be a division worth talking about.
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