The Arizona Cardinals were supposed to be one of the best teams in the NFL in 2006, perhaps making a trip to the playoffs. They had all the talent in the world on offense, with a star running back, two of the most explosive receivers in the league and a Heisman Trophy quarterback to boot. Instead, they matched their record from 2005, finished with a horrible 5-11 record, and were never a threat to make the postseason.
The Bears-Cardinals game is where the season took a turn for the worse. The Cardinals took a 20-0 halftime lead thanks to a pair of touchdown passes from Matt Leinart on National TV. Chicago then outscored the Cardinals 24-3 in the second half, with none of the Bears’ touchdowns coming from their offensive unit. Edgerrin James set an NFL futility record for most carries in a game averaging less than 2 yards per attempt. He had just 55 yards on 36 carries, averaging just 1.5 yards per carry. This was largely due to a lack of run blocking, an area the Cardinals need to address in the offseason, starting with the draft.
Leonard Davis was drafted with the second overall pick in 2001 by the Cardinals with the hope that he would anchor the offensive line at the left tackle position. He hasn’t produced in six seasons, even when the coaching staff moved him to guard, where it’s much easier to excel. Replacing Davis is a priority, and Wisconsin’s Joe Thomas would be the ideal pick. The problem is that Thomas will probably go down before they have a chance with him. Arizona could settle for Penn State’s Levi Brown or Central Michigan’s Joe Staley in the second round.
If Thomas leaves, the focus definitely has to turn to the defensive side of the ball. The Cardinals were ranked 29th in Total Defense last season with a poor defensive line and secondary. Arizona’s 24.3 points per game was better than only 3 teams in the entire NFL. The Cardinals’ defensive line was used and abused last season. Bertrand Berry underwent back-to-back season-ending surgeries in 2005 and 2006, including a triceps tear last year. He has appeared in only 18 games since 2004, after having a career year when he led the NFC in sacks with 14.5 total.
The uncertainty surrounding Berry has Arizona looking closely at Clemson’s Gaines Adams with the No. 5 pick. Adams would be able to wreak havoc on the 4-3 pass rush, and could easily become the centerpiece of the defense. Strong, hard-hitting safety Adrian Wilson is coming off his first Pro Bowl appearance in the secondary. Cornebacks Antrel Rolle, David Macklin and Eric Green were far from impressive in 2006, and free safety Robert Griffith is likely to retire when he’s done. Arizona will be stockpiling defensive backs in the draft to help solidify their secondary for sure.
The Cardinals should have no problem putting the ball in the end zone in 2007 if they can improve on the offensive line. Leinart, James and receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin make up a strong offensive core that will only get better as long as they can stay injury-free. New head coach Ken Whisenhunt is coming from the Steelers and will emphasize running the ball. This will create more openings in the opposing teams’ defensive secondary by getting them to respect the run. It will also allow the Cardinals to drive teams away if they can run the ball. Russ Grimm came from Pittsburgh with Whisenhunt to be an assistant coach and help the offensive line. Arizona will score points, but it will depend on the moves they make on the defensive side of the ball whether or not they can make the playoffs. Look for the Cardinals to select the majority of their draft picks on defensive players in 2007.
