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Posts Tagged ‘Arizona Cardinals’

As expected, veteran running back Edgerrin James has been released from the Arizona Cardinals.  James’ request to be released was honored Tuesday allowing him to seek out another franchise.  Besides James, two other players were cut including Rod Hood and Travis LaBoy.  All three played in Super Bowl XLIII.

The releasing of all three players will create some breathing room under the salary cap for Arizona, the team has been a mere $1 million under the cap.  With the new found room the team can now focus on new contracts for linebacker Karlos Dansby, safety Adrian Wilson and if they’re smart, wideout Anquan Boldin.

According to NFL reports, several teams have immediately been in contact with James’ agent, Drew Rosenhaus, and is expected to be on another roster in the near future.  Two teams stand out as possibilities, the Houston Texans and New Orleans Saints.  James would be a valuable change of pace back and would compliment Steve Slaton of the Texans or tandem backs Bush and Pierre in New Orleans.

Over the last three seasons with the Cardinals, James has totalled 794 carries for 2,895 yards with 16 touchdowns.  Both 2006 and 2007 were 1,000 seasons for James but with Tim Hightower and less of a running game, his numbers suffered.  James did how ever bring life back to the running game in the post season to help carry the Cardinals to the Super Bowl.  He would only rush for 33 yards over nine carries in the loss to Pittsburgh.

The Arizona Cardinals releasing veteran running back Edgerrin James is expected to go down sometime this week, says an anonmyous NFL source.  The Cardinals picked up two running backs in this years draft including first round pick Chris “Beanie” Wells from Ohio State.  Already having Tim Hightower as a change of pace back, Wells is projected to take the starting roll and be the featured back in the desert. 

James sought an exit from Arizona during last season, after seeing a decreased roll in the offense due to the prolific passing game and introduction of Hightower.  James only put up 133 carries for 514 yards for the season, career lows for the 10-year veteran.  James could be released as early as Tuesday says the source and would be able to go to another team but with all the younger talent he may find the same situtation in another franchise.  He may find the role he’s looking for with a team that doesn’t yet have a defined running game, such as Cincinnati or perhaps Cleveland.  Kansas City wouldn’t be a stretch but what is almost certain is James will find a home rather quickly if he is indeed let go from Arizona.

Anquan Boldin has wanted out of Arizona since last summer, asking for a trade but it seemed almost certain that the Cardinals would never let him go.  Now it seems, the Cardinals are open to listening to trade offers for the Pro Bowl wideout.  It doesn’t look as if they will actually trade Boldin, as he has two years left on his contract, but it’s only smart to see what the offers are.

“Before the draft, you know there is going to talk about Anquan and his situation and a trade,” Whisenhunt said. “Since not a whole lot has changed with his contractual situation, we know that will come back up.

“It would be foolish from our standpoint not to listen to those opportunities and see what actually exists. But I want to make the point … our goal is to re-sign him to a long-term deal. That hasn’t changed.”

Said general manager Rod Graves, “We just think it is prudent for us to evaluate all our options.”

The Cardinals have been linked to a few teams already as far as a Boldin trade but it’s most likely not going to produce anything. Unless they get an offer similar to the Roy Williams trade to Dallas, getting a first, third and sixth-round pick or something of that value, Boldin will remain in the desert.

The Arizona Cardinals could not clinch victory Sunday, in Super Bowl XLIII againts the Pittsburgh Steelers.  In what is being called one of the best Super Bowls, the Cardinals lost the big game 27-23 giving the Steelers their sixth franchise win in the league’s title game. 

Kurt Warner, veteran QB and leader of the Cardinals did his part in Arizona’s effort to become world champions.  He completed 31 of 43 passes for 377 yards, second most yardage in Super Bowl history. The record for most yards passing is also held by Warner, set in Super Bowl XXXIV where the Rams defeated the Titans.  Warner also threw three touchdowns Sunday, two of which were to standout receiver Larry Fitzgerald.

Despite Warner’s efforts, the Cardinals did not emerge victorious and immediately raised questions reguarding the 37-year old’s future in the NFL.  In post-game interviews, he leaked hints as to a possible retirement.

“I think there’s definitely a chance,” Warner said about Super Bowl XLIII being his last NFL game.  “I don’t really know right now. I’m not willing to make a definite decision one way or the other.”

Trying to not make a decision at the moment, Warner wants to take some time to analyze his life and see if another season is a right fit.  It’s easy to want to walk away right after the season ends, after the hard hits and never ending stress have taken their toll but after taking some time off and with a clear head he can make a good decision.  Warner will have a very hard decision ahead of him.  He will be heading into the 2009 season as a free agent, and will have to choose between taking a short term deal and competing with Matt Leinart for the starting job or go to another team looking for a turn around.  I may be a little biased but wouldn’t life be grand if Warner returned to St. Louis….

Kurt Warner has done it again.  In what is being called a miracle run, the Arizona Cardinals are going to Tampa for Super Bowl 43.  No one believed they could do it, but after shutting down both the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers, they were poised to take down the rolling Philadelphia Eagles.  And so they did.

Going into the season no one believed in the Cardinals making it this far, but after a pitiful showing in the NFC West, they were the first to clinch a division and a playoff spot.  After a downward spiral towards the end of the season, ending up 9-7 they couldn’t get any respect heading into the playoffs.  Their first opponent being the Falcons with Michael “the Burner” Turner leading the charge.  The Cardinal defense showed up and shut him down.  Next they played the Panthers with the tandem of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart and shut them both down.

Still they did not get the respect they deserved, being called underdogs heading in to the NFC Championship game against the Eagles.  Westbrook was held to just 45 yards on the ground and even though Donovan McNabb went 28 for 47 over 375 yards, he could not compete with the magic that is Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald.  They hooked up for three touchdowns, out of Warner’s four, to help get the Cardinals into their first Championship game in 61 years.  The real challenge will be in Tampa against the Steelers/Ravens, and the Cardinals are rearing to go.

Now that the Cardinals have moved on to new running back Tim Hightower, veteran Edgerrin James wants to move on as well.  Two weeks ago, Arizona decided to move rookie Hightower up the depth chart to take more of the snaps, leaving James on the bench.  Now James wants out of Arizona.

Quitely, James asked to be released after the switch was made which was ignored.  Now James is going public and wants out.  James’ agent, Drew Rosenhaus is trying to help him get a chance to play this season rather than spend the rest of it warming the bench. 

“He’s not looking to create controversy, he’s not trying to disrupt chemistry, he’s happy to see their success,” said Rosenhaus. “But he wants to play. He doesn’t understand why he was demoted and taken out of the offense.

“He would rather go someplace else and help someone else than stand around on the bench. We’re very eager to get back on the field and play because Edgerrin was on his way to a third straight 1,000-yard season. He’s not unhealthy. He hasn’t lost any of his skills. He just doesn’t want to wait until next year to show everyone he can play. He wants to do it now.”

If Arizona refuses to release him, James will get out but he will have to wait until after the season is over.  Next year James is slated to make $5 million that the Cardinals are unlikely to want to pay.  So James would like to find a team to take him now and let him play the rest of the season.  Theres no reason he couldn’t find one, hes on par for a third consecutive 1,000 yard season and has alot of gas left in the tank.  He will be a hot commodity, the question is will he be available now, or during the offseason.

Rookie running back Tim Hightower has had some success with the Arizona cardinals this season thus far.  Starting off primarily a goal line back, he does get alot more touches throughout the game now.  Enough touches that head coach Ken Whisenhunt does not completely rule out Hightower replacing veteran starting running back Edgerrin James, and could be effective as of the end of this season.

“I think we’ve shown we’re going to go with the players that give us the best chance to win,” Whisenhunt said. “We did that with the quarterback, we did that at linebacker, we did that with the offensive line. So if we feel Tim gives us the best chance to win, then absolutely.”

With a young, producing back in Hightower, the Cardinals may decide to move on without James and his scheduled $5 million base salary next season.  With that extra money, they can give Hightower a new contract and sign another back in the 2009 NFL Draft.  Although Hightower is proving his worth, the losing of veteran experience in James could hurt the Cardinals.

If James would be out of Arizona at the end of the season, he would be competing for starting jobs, much like former MVP Shaun Alexander did this season.  Alexander missed all of the preseason and the first half of the regular season before getting a one-year deal with the Washington Redskins after Ladell Betts suffered a knee injury.  James might have some difficulty finding a team for the next season should he be let go from Arizona, but he still has some game left in him and would be a valuable asset to any team’s running strategy.

Kurt Warner is considering retirement.  Warner, 37, has been thinking about retiring at the end of the season the past couple weeks.  Reasons attributing include mental wear and tear, his age and most importantly the injury to teammate Anquan Boldin last Sunday.  Boldin went up for a catch in the endzone and was hit by defenders one that was helmet to helmet.  He was knocked out and after examination the only damage was a fractured sinus that required surgery.  Warner blames himself for that injury, saying he threw the ball to high and caused that horrible accident to happen, but he’s just beating himself up.  Football is a very physical sport and things like that will happen, and the league is doing their part to reduce that with fines for helmet to helmet contact.

Warner sent a text to his wife Brenda following that game, saying it’s time to retire.  His family would like him to retire, Brenda especially.  The idea that any given Sunday he could suffer an injury, whether small or season ending would be terrible for them.  But that comes with the territory in the NFL, the risk inherent to the league.

“The bottom line is it is a great game, it has done great things for me and my family, but I want to walk away and be everything I can be for my family,” Warner said the day after the Bills’ win. “Those situations (like Boldin) make you contemplate that.

Needless to say, Warner was at a low following the loss last Sunday to the Jets, but following his romping of the until then unbeaten Buffalo Bills 41-17, he was up again.  His wife even joked that he would never retire now.  But the pressure has never been higher for Warner, he is constantly compared to his St. Louis days, taking the Rams to the Super Bowl.  He is expected to play to that caliber and they are willing to put Matt Leinart if or when he fails.

It doesn’t look like Warner will be failing anytime soon, this season he has thrown for 1,472 yards with a rating of 100.2 which is fifth in the NFL.  His passing yards rank him third in the NFL beind Drew Brees with 1,673 and Jay Cutler with 1,502.  He is also one of five quarterbacks with 10 or more touchdown passes this season thus far.  This streak should continue for the rest of the season, and could allow him to return next season.

The Arizona Cardinals star, Anquan Boldin, has asked for a trade.  The disgruntled wideout doesn’t feel as if the sensitive situation can be resolved in Arizona.  Going into camp he was seaking a contract extension to his 4 year $22.75 million deal from 2005.  He has three years left on it, being under contract until 2010.  There were rumors that Boldin was seaking a trade from the Cardinals eariler in camp but he has said that was untrue but he is in fact looking for one now.

The Cardinals have expressed that they have no desire to trade Boldin and are convinced that they can take care of the situation.  Boldin has some stats to back up his wanting of a renegotiated contract.  He’s in the top of receivers in the NFL with 400 career receptions over a 67 game span.  Over the course of his career he has racked up 413 catches for 5,458 yards and 29 TD’s.

Boldin isn’t worried about how this will affect his image he just wants to be paid for his efforts.  He had this to say:

“Anybody that knows me, that knows what kind of guy I am, they know I’m a hard worker.  I’m a guy that does the right things, on and off the field.  I’m not worried about my reputation being tarnished for me telling the truth.”

We’ll see what happens in the near future but the Cardinals would be sacrificing one of the pillars holding up their dream of a winning season this year.  Let’s hope they can take care of business without trading him, because he won’t be on the market long.