TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) – The Arizona Cardinals waited until the third day of the NFL draft to address the team’s greatest need, the offensive line, then selected two players – tackle Bobby Massie of Mississippi in the fourth round and guard Senio Kelemete of Washington in the fifth.

The 6-foot-6, 320-pound Massie slipped farther in the draft than a lot of people had predicted, going to the Cardinals Saturday as the 112th player chosen overall.

“It just makes me hungry,” Massie said in a conference call. “I was projected to go higher and earlier in the draft. It just makes me hungry. I’m just ready to strap on the pads and show teams why I should have been drafted earlier.”

Arizona general manager Rod Graves and coach Ken Whisenhunt said the team resisted going for an offensive lineman in the first two days of the draft, opting instead to go with players higher on the team’s draft board. The Cardinals selected wide receiver Michael Floyd of Notre Dame in the first round and cornerback Jamell Fleming of Oklahoma in the third round.

The Cardinals’ second-round pick had been shipped to Philadelphia as part of the trade that brought quarterback Kevin Kolb to Arizona.

Kelemete, 6-3 and 300 pounds, started all 13 games at left tackle for Washington last season but is projected as a guard with the Cardinals.

“It doesn’t matter,” he said. “I just want to be out there and help contribute to the team. Wherever the coaches need me to go, wherever they need to put me in, I’ll play.”

Kelemete was a two-time team captain with the Huskies.

“I think my strengths are my attitude, being really aggressive,” he said, “and bringing the best out of the guys around me.”

Massie played right tackle in college, the same position he will be competing for with Arizona. The Cardinals, plagued by inconsistent line play, re-signed left tackle Levi Brown in the offseason and signed free agent Adam Snyder, who can play either guard or tackle.

“I have the opportunity to prove myself,” Massie said. “I want to get in, learn the system, and get around the guys, my teammates. My goal is to potentially be the starter by the time the season starts.”

Massie, from Lynchburg, Va., had a year of college eligibility remaining but chose to leave Ole Miss after the team went 2-10 last season, leading to the firing of coach Houston Nutt. Massie started all 12 games last season on an offense that struggled mightily, finishing 114th nationally at 281.25 yards per game.

Overall, he appeared in 37 games at Mississippi, starting the last 29 of them. He blocked for 14 100-yard rushing performances but said he considers pass blocking his biggest strength.

“For my size, I’m athletic for a big guy,” Massie said. “I need to work on staying low in the running game and staying on linebackers in the second level.”

He said he didn’t know why he had slipped in the draft.

“A lot of teams that talked to me and told me they were going to draft me ended up passing,” Massie said. “That’s just how the draft goes. I’m just proud to be in Arizona.”

He said he didn’t know much about the Cardinals.

“I know they throw the ball a lot,” Massie said, “so I’ll keep the quarterback upright.”

The Cardinals addressed their offensive line for the first time in the draft, taking Mississippi tackle Bobby Massie in the fourth round and Washington tackle Senio Kelemete in the fifth round.

Some scouting services had Massie rated higher, and there was speculation the Cardinals could take him in the third round.

Massie is listed at 6 feet 6-inches and 315 pounds. He played right tackle for three years at Mississippi and came out of school a year early.

Massie should contend for a starting job at right tackle. That job is open, although Brandon Keith could re-sign and Jeremy Bridges has some experience there.

Kelemete, 6-3, 307, played tackle at Washington but some pro scouts project him at guard.

The Cardinals didn’t draft an offensive lineman at all in 2010 and 2011.

Michael Floyd figures he spent 2011 showing everyone the quality of his character. Because of that, he gave himself the opportunity in 2012 to fulfill a dream and play in the NFL.

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On Friday in Tempe, Floyd sported a cream-colored suit and a big smile as he was introduced as the Cardinals’ first-round selection. A year ago, when he was suspended from the Notre Dame football team after a drunken-driving incident, he wondered whether he had blown a chance to make it to the NFL.

“I thought it was over,” he said on Friday. “But when I got the chance to reveal myself and show people that’s not really me. I changed from there. If I wanted to be in this position I am now, I had to make big changes.”

Floyd made those changes. He said he became a homebody, made some changes among friends. He worked out on his own when coach Brian Kelly didn’t let him participate in spring practice.

He turned down a chance to enter the supplemental draft and stayed for his senior year. Part of his motivation was football; part was fulfilling a promise to his mother to earn his degree.

He finished requirements for a sociology degree in December and will walk in graduation ceremonies in May.

“I didn’t want my image to be a negative one,” he said. “I just did everything I could to make sure that image was a positive one.”

Kelly reinstated Floyd in August, and he had a superlative senior season. He finished with 100 catches for 1,147 yards and nine touchdowns.

At 6 feet 2 inches and 220 pounds, Floyd runs the 40-yard dash in less than 4.5 seconds, and gives the Cardinals a big powerful receiver to pair with Larry Fitzgerald. Floyd might be a little faster.

Those qualities were easy for scouts to see. What was harder to determine was how much football meant to Floyd. Passing on the supplemental draft and returning to Notre Dame for a degree impressed Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt.

So did Floyd’s visit to Arizona about a week ago.

“You can really get in depth with some football stuff here,” Whisenhunt said, “when it’s not so hectic like it is at the (scouting) combine.”

Floyd confirmed what the Cardinals’ legwork had told them: He was mature and honest about his mistakes.

“I think being at Notre Dame there is always pressure on you, off the field and on the field,” Floyd said. “People want to see how you react to things. So I think coming here I don’t feel too much pressure. That’s what’s been engrained in me. I know how to handle pressure.”

Floyd grew up in St. Paul, Minn., and has known Fitzgerald, who is from Minneapolis, since Floyd was in high school. They have worked out with the same strength and conditioning coach, Bill Welle, in the Minneapolis area.

“I’ve watched Michael grow from being a boy into a man,” Welle said on Friday. “He had some roads to cross, some bridges to go over. The maturity I’ve seen over the last six months to a year is amazing.”

Welle started in the training business working with former NFL receiver Cris Carter. He envisions Fitzgerald mentoring Floyd the way Carter mentored Randy Moss when they played for the Vikings.

“I’ve said all along he’s similar (physically) to Larry,” Welle said. “Michael is really, really strong. And Larry’s going to teach him the finer points of route running and fundamentals.”

Fitzgerald reportedly had lobbied for the Cardinals to take Floyd, and Floyd has a temporary place to stay when he comes to Arizona. Fitzgerald has hosted numerous teammates at the house, and Floyd joked that “he has enough room for me.

“He (Fitzgerald) texted me and was excited,” Floyd said. “I was happy, too. I saw the 602 area code (on Thursday), and I was really excited I get the chance to play for a good organization.”

At his news conference on Friday, Floyd thanked the Cardinals for “looking past the stuff that I’ve been through when I was in college and giving me a second chance to reveal who I am as a person and as a player.”

Floyd and Fitz

A quick Michael Floyd-Larry Fitzgerald comparison from their high school careers in Minnesota:

Floyd:

- Two-time all-state and All-America selection.

- 122 receptions for 2,487 yards and 33 TDs during his career.

- 1,247 yards and 17 TDs during his senior season.

- Also lettered in basketball.

Fitzgerald:

- Two-time all-state and All-America selection.

- 127 receptions for 2,601 yards and 29 TDs during his career.

- 1,254 yards and 17 TDs during his senior season.

- Also lettered in basketball.

Well, the Cardinals didn’t exactly take any pressure off quarterback Kevin Kolb by selecting receiver Michael Floyd in the first round on Thursday. Not that taking pressure off any player is a goal.

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If Floyd is the player the Cardinals think he is, this offense has threats. Larry Fitzgerald, Beanie Wells, Ryan Williams (if healthy) and some tight ends who can catch the ball. Yes, the offensive line, (guard or tackle) still needs addressed. I look for that to happen Friday in the third round.

But in Fitzgerald and Floyd, Kolb has two big receivers who have the size and skills to beat press coverage and make catches when tightly covered. That’s essential in today’s game.

It would be nice if Kolb had better protection, and the Cardinals will try to address that Friday. But Kolb also figures to be better after an off-season of immersing himself in this offensive scheme. That should translate to feeling comfortable in the pocket and trusting where his receivers are going to be. The Cardinals have to hope Kolb develops those traits, or that John Skelton continues to improve.

The Cardinals had choices at No. 13. Offensive tackle Reilly Reiff was available. So was pass rusher Melvin Ingram.

They took Floyd because they reasoned that the talent at receiver dropped off suddenly after Floyd. Not so at offensive tackle, in their estimation. They think they can find a guard or tackle in that area. We’ll find out Friday.

It will take a lot in trade for the Cardinals to move into the second round. It’s doubtful they have enough picks to make that move, so the only way to do it would be to include players. That’s always a difficult thing to pull off.

Moments after the Cardinals made it official Thursday night and drafted Notre Dame wide receiver Michael Floyd with the 13th overall pick, Larry Fitzgerald happily weighed in on the selection.

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“In this league you have to be able to beat press man coverage on third down,” Fitzgerald told The Republic via text message. “He is a big guy who has suddenness and can win on third down and make plays in the red zone.”

Fitzgerald wasn’t done.

“And he’s from Minnesota. Enough said. LOL.”

Floyd, who was born in St. Paul, is the player Fitzgerald, Arizona’s six-time Pro Bowl receiver from Minneapolis, wanted the Cardinals to draft all along. The two struck up a friendship when Floyd was in high school and Fitzgerald has since served as a mentor.

“It’s exciting just knowing that he’s on the opposite side of me, one of the best receivers in the game,” Floyd said Thursday night on a conference call with Arizona reporters. “It’s a good learning experience for me to know when I get down there I’ll be able to learn from one of the best.”

Not only will he learn, but he will help — and right away, too. In Floyd — a 6-foot-2, 220-pounder — the Cardinals just found the No. 2 wide receiver they haven’t had since Anquan Boldin bolted for Baltimore.

“There’s been a lot of talk about us needing a No. 2,” coach Ken Whisenhunt said. “We’ve said all along we felt like we have some good young players, and now we’ve added another player to that mix who’s physical, fast, big and can make some of those back-shoulder catches and red-zone plays.”

Floyd has the size and speed to get open downfield, which will force defenses to temper their double coverage on Fitzgerald.

That, in turn, will allow a receiver such as Early Doucet to work underneath and operate more out of the slot position, at which he might be more comfortable. It also opens opportunities for Andre Roberts.

Floyd is exactly what Fitzgerald wanted, and he’s exactly what the Cardinals needed. He adds a dimension they didn’t have, and his presence helps the offensive line on two fronts.

He will draw special coverage himself, making defenses perhaps think twice about sending too many blitzes at Kevin Kolb or John Skelton. Plus, Floyd can block with the best of them.

“He’s an outstanding blocker,” Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly said Thursday night. “Whether he’s getting the football or not, he’s a guy who never complained.”

Whisenhunt raved about Floyd’s blocking abilities, too, which will open doors for running backs Beanie Wells and Ryan Williams. But it’s Floyd’s offensive prowess and ability to make the big play that made him a first-round pick.

“As you see the highlights of this young man, you can see some of those catches, the ones in the red zone, down the sideline,” Whisenhunt said. “Those are the types of catches you have to make in the NFL.

By Joel Thorman

– NFL Editor

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Apr 26, 2012 – The Arizona Cardinals are picking 13th in the 2012 NFL Draft, which starts on Thursday. SB Nation’s Cardinals blog, Revenge of the Birds, listed the Cardinals needs entering Thursday’s draft and it starts with offensive tackle, despite bringing back Levi Brown in free agency. Riley Reiff or Jonathan Martin could be a consideration with the 13th pick.

Other needs, according to Revenge of the Birds, include:

The Cardinals desperately need an offensive tackle. They could use a number two receiver, one that can stretch the field. The third biggest need could either be at outside linebacker or at safety (more for depth and the future).

For more news and notes on the Arizona Cardinals, visit Revenge Of The Birds and SB Nation Arizona. Check out SB Nation’s 2012 NFL mock draft as selected by NFL bloggers. And make sure to visit SB Nation’s draft blog, Mocking The Draft, for more on the NFL Draft.

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The Cardinals obviously liked cornerback Patrick Peterson when they drafted him with the fifth overall pick last season.

They liked him a little more when he told them on the phone that day: “I’m going to come in and I’m going to help you guys.” And when he backed it up, starting 16 games and returning four punts for touchdowns, he established a high standard for first overall picks.

Expecting that much from this year’s No. 1 pick is unrealistic, but it never hurts to ask.

“He was very convicted about what he was going to do,” coach Ken Whisenhunt said. “You get different emotional responses from different players. There is a lot of work to be done once that call is finished, but at that particular moment with these young men, it’s good for all of us.”

That moment for the Cardinals is likely to come around 6:30 Thursday night during the first round of the draft, which is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. If the Cardinals stay at No. 13, they will likely will select somewhere between 6-7 p.m.

“I think we’ve got a fairly good idea of who maybe the first 12 to 15 players will be,” General Manager Rod Graves said. “We just don’t have an idea about who is going to select them.”

Predicting what the Cardinals will do is far more difficult than in 2011, when a 5-11 regular-season record gave them the fifth overall pick. An apparently strong draft class, led by Peterson, was about the only good thing that came out of that season.

At No. 13, the Cardinals have options. They have made bolstering the offensive line an off-season priority and a starting tackle’s job is open. Iowa’s Riley Reiff could be there, as could Stanford guard David DeCastro, regarded as much of a sure thing as there is in this draft.

But this draft supposedly is deep in offensive linemen, especially centers and guards. The Cardinals could try to trade down, acquiring an additional pick or two, which would come in handy since they traded their second-round selection to the Eagles last summer for Kevin Kolb.

The Cardinals have no compensatory picks, awarded based on losses and gains in free agency.

“It’s not a simple process, and there are a lot of factors that have to be taken into consideration,” Graves said of draft-day trading, “and those considerations have to be made quickly. We’ve got a pretty good idea of what we would need to move back a certain number of spots, and how we would feel moving back based on the talent level that could be there.

“We’ve gone through those exercises. If we met with those circumstances, we’d be prepared.”

Or, the Cardinals could just stick at 13 and take the proverbial best player available. That could be Reiff, Notre Dame receiver Michael Floyd, or perhaps South Carolina pass rusher Melvin Ingram.

“It’s an inexact science,” Whisenhunt said of the draft. “You never know whether injury or transition to the NFL could be something that would cause a player not to reach the potential that you have for them. Every team in the league has had players that haven’t worked out for them.”

The Cardinals have had their shares of busts, such as linebackers Cody Brown (second round, 2009) and Buster Davis (third round, 2007). Others haven’t played up to their lofty draft status, such as tackle Levi Brown (fifth overall, 2007). And others have developed slower than the team had hoped, such as nose tackle Dan Williams (first round, 2010).

But early returns suggest the Cardinals had one of their better draft classes in 2011. Three of the eight picks became regular starters on a team that went 8-8.

Two more played key backup roles. Another, running back Ryan Williams (second round), missed the entire season with injuries and is expected to be healthy this year.

Another class like that would bode well for the Cardinals’ future. It would lessen the need to acquire free agents in years to come, help with salary-cap management and add to locker room chemistry.

One key, Whisenhunt said, is evaluating talent as well as character.

“You look at (defensive end) Calais Campbell, and what he’s done in the community, as well as what he’s done on the football field,” Whisenhunt said. “Larry Fitzgerald … and you can sit here and name a bunch of these guys.

“That’s what’s important because when times are tough and when things aren’t going right, those guys have to pull together for you. That’s what we saw a little bit of last year with our team winning seven of our last nine.”

Tracking the draft

Round 1 only is Thursday night; Rounds 2-3 are Friday and Rounds 4-7 are Saturday.

TV: NFL Network and ESPN/ESPN 2 will televise all three days.

Time: Thursday at 5 p.m. The 13th selection, which the Cardinals currently hold, is likely to come between 6-7 p.m., probably close to 6:30 p.m.

NFL draft

Rounds 2-3: Friday, 4 p.m.

Rounds 4-7: Saturday, 9 a.m.

TV: NFL Network, ESPN and ESPN 2.

The Cardinals are holding a draft party today on the Great Lawn at University of Phoenix Stadium from 4-9 p.m. It is in conjunction with the second annual Big Red Rib and Music Festival. General admission is free. Some Cardinals players and coaches will be there, as well as the team’s cheerleaders.

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) The Arizona Cardinals could be thinking big in this year’s draft.

That’s big as in some mountainous offensive lineman to fill the team’s biggest need.

The Cardinals need someone to play right tackle, or at least right guard, and conventional wisdom has them going in that direction with the 13th overall pick on Thursday night.

Yet it’s no foregone conclusion, with the team still searching for a reliable No. 2 receiver behind Larry Fitzgerald. That could tempt Arizona to go for Notre Dame‘s Michael Floyd.

”He’s a good young player,” coach Ken Whisenhunt said. ”We got the chance to sit down and meet him and talk with him. That’s probably one of the most rejuvenating parts of this whole process is to talk to them about their challenges, what they’ve gone through, how they’ve progressed in their careers, and we really enjoyed our time with him.”

Floyd’s stock has risen steadily since the college season ended, with strong showings at the NFL combine and in his pro day workout.

At 6-foot-2, Floyd says he wants to model his play after Fitzgerald. The two, both from the Minneapolis area, are friends and reportedly plan to work out together this offseason. A question Floyd has had to deal with is about off-field issues.

A year ago, he was suspended from the Notre Dame team after a drunken-driving arrest on campus but was reinstated after he met the conditions set by the university and by coach Brian Kelly for his return. Floyd says he has learned from the situation and has taken steps to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

As always, much depends on what happens before the Cardinals get their pick.

Reilly Reif, a 6-foot-6, 313-pound tackle from Iowa, could still be on the board, although there is a considerable school of thought that he will be taken by the Buffalo Bills at No. 10. Guard-tackle Cordy Glenn of Georgia, 6-5 and 345 pounds, also is a possible choice, with Buffalo again a possibility. If the team decides to go with a guard, though, Stanford’s David DeCastro, 6-5, 316, has drawn raves. For that reason, he could be gone by No. 13, too.

Any other offensive lineman might be a reach at No. 13. The Cardinals have studiously avoided such moves in Whisenhunt‘s years with the team.

”What we don’t want to do is draft a lineman just to draft a lineman because that’s what you think you have to do,” Whisenhunt said. ”You’ve got to trust your process and you’ve got to pick the best player available that fits your team.”

Complicating matters is the absence of a second-round pick. That was sent to Philadelphia as part of the trade for quarterback Kevin Kolb.

Arizona would consider a trade to move down in the draft, and perhaps get a second-round selection, but it seems a good share of the teams ahead of the Cardinals are willing to do so as well.

‘We would certainly like to be able to have multiple picks beyond the ordinary seven rounds, and this year we’re minus a second,” general manager Rod Graves said, ”but we’ll see what happens. We may end up getting back into a second, but if not then we’ll work with what we have and try to optimize it the best we can.”

The Cardinals addressed some of the line issues in free agency, re-signing left tackle Levi Brown and signing free agent and former San Francisco 49er Adam Snyder. Snyder can play both guard and tackle but the Cardinals probably would rather slide him in at guard.

”Obviously, getting Levi and Adam was big for us,” Whisenhunt said. ”We made no bones about the fact that we wanted to address our line. To think that you were going to be able to get three or four guys in free agency, that’s just not going to happen. However it came out, we felt like we made two strong additions in getting Levi back and getting Adam.”

Unless there’s some kind of trade, Arizona’s second pick won’t come until the third round, the 80th selection overall.

But the Cardinals have been known to find success in the later rounds.

Last year’s draft, considered to be a highly successful one for the team, had cornerback-punt returner Patrick Peterson as the no-brainer top of the list at No. 5 overall. But the Cardinals love their second-round pick, running back Ryan Williams, despite losing him to injury for the entire season. Fourth-round pick Sam Acho became the team’s starting outside linebacker and led the team in sacks with seven. The third-round pick, tight end Rob Housler, and sixth-round pick, nose tackle David Carter, became significant contributors.

”The teams that have been the most successful have had a history of strong drafts,” Graves said, ”back to back drafts, and a record of having historical success in drafting. That’s certainly what we’re working for.”

TEMPE, Ariz. – The Arizona Cardinals could be thinking big in this year’s draft.

That’s big as in some mountainous offensive lineman to fill the team’s biggest need.

The Cardinals need someone to play right tackle, or at least right guard, and conventional wisdom has them going in that direction with the 13th overall pick on Thursday night.

Yet it’s no foregone conclusion, with the team still searching for a reliable No. 2 receiver behind Larry Fitzgerald. That could tempt Arizona to go for Notre Dame‘s Michael Floyd.

“He’s a good young player,” coach Ken Whisenhunt said. “We got the chance to sit down and meet him and talk with him. That’s probably one of the most rejuvenating parts of this whole process is to talk to them about their challenges, what they’ve gone through, how they’ve progressed in their careers, and we really enjoyed our time with him.”

Floyd’s stock has risen steadily since the college season ended, with strong showings at the NFL combine and in his pro day workout.

At 6-foot-2, Floyd says he wants to model his play after Fitzgerald. The two, both from the Minneapolis area, are friends and reportedly plan to work out together this off-season. A question Floyd has had to deal with is about off-field issues.

A year ago, he was suspended from the Notre Dame team after a drunken-driving arrest on campus but was reinstated after he met the conditions set by the university and by coach Brian Kelly for his return. Floyd says he has learned from the situation and has taken steps to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

As always, much depends on what happens before the Cardinals get their pick.

Reilly Reif, a 6-foot-6, 313-pound tackle from Iowa, could still be on the board, although there is a considerable school of thought that he will be taken by the Buffalo Bills at No. 10. Guard-tackle Cordy Glenn of Georgia, 6-5 and 345 pounds, also is a possible choice, with Buffalo again a possibility. If the team decides to go with a guard, though, Stanford’s David DeCastro, 6-5, 316, has drawn raves. For that reason, he could be gone by No. 13, too.

Any other offensive lineman might be a reach at No. 13. The Cardinals have studiously avoided such moves in Whisenhunt‘s years with the team.

“What we don’t want to do is draft a lineman just to draft a lineman because that’s what you think you have to do,” Whisenhunt said. “You’ve got to trust your process and you’ve got to pick the best player available that fits your team.”

Complicating matters is the absence of a second-round pick. That was sent to Philadelphia as part of the trade for quarterback Kevin Kolb.

Arizona would consider a trade to move down in the draft, and perhaps get a second-round selection, but it seems a good share of the teams ahead of the Cardinals are willing to do so as well.

‘We would certainly like to be able to have multiple picks beyond the ordinary seven rounds, and this year we’re minus a second,” general manager Rod Graves said, “but we’ll see what happens. We may end up getting back into a second, but if not then we’ll work with what we have and try to optimize it the best we can.”

The Cardinals addressed some of the line issues in free agency, re-signing left tackle Levi Brown and signing free agent and former San Francisco 49er Adam Snyder. Snyder can play both guard and tackle but the Cardinals probably would rather slide him in at guard.

“Obviously, getting Levi and Adam was big for us,” Whisenhunt said. “We made no bones about the fact that we wanted to address our line. To think that you were going to be able to get three or four guys in free agency, that’s just not going to happen. However it came out, we felt like we made two strong additions in getting Levi back and getting Adam.”

Unless there’s some kind of trade, Arizona’s second pick won’t come until the third round, the 80th selection overall.

But the Cardinals have been known to find success in the later rounds.

Last year’s draft, considered to be a highly successful one for the team, had cornerback-punt returner Patrick Peterson as the no-brainer top of the list at No. 5 overall. But the Cardinals love their second-round pick, running back Ryan Williams, despite losing him to injury for the entire season. Fourth-round pick Sam Acho became the team’s starting outside linebacker and led the team in sacks with seven. The third-round pick, tight end Rob Housler, and sixth-round pick, nose tackle David Carter, became significant contributors.

“The teams that have been the most successful have had a history of strong drafts,” Graves said, “back to back drafts, and a record of having historical success in drafting. That’s certainly what we’re working for.”

The iPhones and Blackberrys started buzzing and tweeting days, if not weeks, ago: NFL general managers and other personnel executives phoning, texting and e-mailing their counterparts in other cities, trying to get a feel for their willingness to trade up, or down, in the draft.

“We’ve gotten a few (calls) already,” Cardinals General Manager Rod Graves said last week.

When it comes to draft-day trades, those involving first-round picks garner the most attention. Already this year, the Washington Redskins have swapped picks with the St. Louis Rams, moving up to second, where they are expected to select Robert Griffin III.

For many years, the Cardinals didn’t do much but listen to those calls; they rarely made trades during the draft weekend. From 2001-06, they made just four draft-day trades.

Dennis Green, who coached the team from 2004-06, preferred to stay rooted in the team’s original draft slot. His mantra was to never fall in love with players.

But since 2007, coincidentally the year Ken Whisenhunt became coach, the Cardinals have been more active during draft week. That year, they made two trades on draft week. In 2010, they made three during the draft in addition to two others that came before.

The results have been mixed, but the Cardinals have shown they won’t always sit still during the three days of the draft.

“I do believe we take more into consideration now in terms of evaluating what we have to do, or what we’re willing to do to improve our football team,” Graves said. “So much more now depends on where you get the greatest value … whether it’s in (keeping) the pick, whether it’s in moving up to select a player, or whether it’s moving back to gain things that may have a great impact on our team.”

The Cardinals enter the draft this week with seven selections. But they have no second-round pick because they traded it last summer to Philadelphia for quarterback Kevin Kolb. They have an additional sixth-round pick, obtained in a trade that sent running back Tim Hightower to Washington.

The Cardinals have no compensatory picks, which are awarded based on the quality of free agents signed and lost the previous season. So, currently, the Cardinals don’t have a lot of currency to use for draft-day trades.

“We would certainly like to be able to have multiple picks beyond the ordinary seven rounds,” Graves said, “and this year we’re minus a second, but we’ll see what happens.

“We may end up getting back into a second, but if not, then we’ll work with what we have and try to optimize it as best we can.”

In pre-draft news conferences, general managers reveal nothing and rule out even less. That was the case with the Graves.

Though general managers are talking to each other often this week, few commitments are being made because no one knows how a draft will play out.

“A lot of it’s on the fly,” 49ers General Manager Trent Baalke told reporters last week. “You try to put scenarios together in your mind that may work. You might do some of that, some phone calls pre-draft.

“There were several ones that we did last year that we were on the clock when we made the decision … it’s tight, because time is limited. I feel if you’re prepared, those decisions are very easy to make on draft day.”

Those trades, like most other personnel decisions, take time to judge. In 2007, the Cardinals were congratulated for their boldness when they sent a fourth-round pick to the Raiders to move up in the second round to select Alan Branch.

Branch, it was hoped, would become the nose tackle so vital to the 3-4 defense they wanted to install. But Branch was slow to develop, and when he did, he proved more suited to playing end. He is now with Seattle.

The trades the Cardinals made in 2010 appear far more successful. They sent a third-round pick to the Patriots to move up to Round 2 and take linebacker Daryl Washington. It was a heavy price to pay, but Washington appears to be an emerging star.

In the fourth round that year, they were able to move down and still select O’Brien Schofield, who is expected to start at left outside linebacker this year.

In the fifth round, they traded their sixth-round pick and cornerback Bryant McFadden to the Steelers for a fifth-round pick. With that, they selected quarterback John Skelton, who has a promising future.

They made other trades involving picks, too, such as receiving a sixth-round pick in 2011 from the Eagles for offensive lineman Reggie Wells. The Cardinals used that to take nose tackle David Carter, who was a pleasant surprise in his rookie season.

And sometimes the best trades are the ones teams avoid. Deciding to trade up for a player is filled with nuance. Do you think a team ahead of you is likely to draft the player you covet? Is there a team behind you in the draft that’s willing to move ahead and take him? Are there comparable players at other positions that can be selected if a trade isn’t made?

And if you have a limited number of picks, as the Cardinals do this year, is it smart to send one to another team to move up?

“There are so many extenuating circumstances,” Graves said. “And a lot depends on who is on the board. And if you miss a certain player you have an eye on, what are the chances of us getting to address that position at a later point?”

Last year, for instance, the Cardinals wanted to take a tight end. They had their eye on Rob Housler as the third round ticked away, but there were other players around there that they like, too. They decided not to trade up to get Housler.

“We were on the edge of our seat waiting,” coach Ken Whisenhunt said. “We had him rated a little bit higher than that (third round).”

The Cardinals’ considerations in the first round were much easier last year when they had the fifth overall pick. Taking cornerback Patrick Peterson did not require much internal debate.

Things are different this year, because 12, not four, teams select ahead of the Cardinals.

“There have already been a couple of teams that said they are looking to move back,” Whisenhunt said. “When that’s the case, you never know what another team is looking at and who it’s going to throw to you or who it’s going to pull away from you.

“That’s this period, what we’ve been doing up here (in Cardinals offices), is all about, preparing yourself so that when it … gets close, you know where you stand with guys and what you’re looking for.”

Cardinals GM Rod Graves (left), coach Ken Whisenhunt,(center) and Director of Player Personnel Steve Keim have some big decisions ahead of them.

More on this topic

NFL draft, New York

When: Thursday, April 26 @ 5 p.m. (first round). …
Friday, April 27 @ 4 p.m. (second and third rounds). …
Saturday, April 28 @ 9 a.m. (fourth through seventh rounds).
Format: Teams get 10 minutes between picks in the first round, seven minutes between picks in the second round and five minutes between picks in rounds three through seven.
TV: ESPN and NFL Network | Radio: KTAR 620 AM.

Important dates in the NFL’s off-season

May 11-13: Mini-camp for rookies.
May 22-24: Voluntary organized team activities (veterans and rookies).
May 29-31: Voluntary organized team activities (veterans and rookies).
June 4-7: Voluntary organized team activities (veterans and rookies).
June 12-14: Mini-camp for veterans and rookies.
Late July: Training camps open.
Sun., Aug. 5: Hall of Fame Game, Cardinals vs. Saints, 5 p.m.
Fri., Aug. 10: Cardinals at Chiefs, 5 p.m.
Fri., Aug. 17: Cardinals vs. Raiders, 7 p.m.
Thur., Aug. 23: Cardinals at Titans, 5 p.m.
Thur., Aug. 30: Cardinals vs. Broncos, 8 p.m.*
*Note on the start time vs. Denver: By rule, moving the game to Wednesday was not an option since the Broncos are already scheduled to play the previous Sunday. In addition, the late start time is to avoid conflicting with network TV coverage of the Republican National Convention’s final night and the nominee’s acceptance speech.

Best Cardinals photos from 2011-12 season

Draft Preview: 13. Arizona Cardinals

Posted on 14 April 2012. Tags: board, Calais Campbell, cardinals, cards, during-the-2011, highly, investment, michael-floyd, nfl, offensive, philadelphia, pick, quinton-coples

Larry Fitzgerald needs a running mate, and Kevin Kolb wouldn’t mind another elite target.

Calling Kevin Kolb a disappointment in 2011 is an insult to aspects of our lives that are merely disappointing. Like, say, missing your bus in the morning, or overcooking dinner. No, Kolb was a colossal mess.

But, to be fair, much of Kolb’s undoing after his highly hyped move from Philadelphia to Arizona and his lucrative new contract with the Cardinals (six years, $65 million) lied in his inability to stay healthy. During what was to be his first full season as a starter, Kolb missed seven games, and essentially missed an eighth in Week 14 against the 49ers when he attempted only one pass.

He was bruised and battered often, and was sacked 30 times despite making just nine game appearances. And when he did have time to throw he was largely ineffective, throwing nearly as many interceptions (eight) as touchdowns (nine), while averaging just 217.9 passing yards per game with a rather pedestrian passer rating of 81.1.

Those two painful outcomes during the 2011 season have led to a key and difficult decision heading into the draft for Arizona. Does Kolb and the offense–and perhaps most importantly, Larry Fitzgerald– need another elite target at wide receiver, or another large body on the offensive line who will prevent other large bodies from crushing the highly-paid quarterback more?

We talked to Tyler Nickel from Revenge Of The Birds about the Cardinals’ strategy with their 13th overall pick. He’s leaning towards O-line help, hoping the Cards can get more out of their investment in Kolb by drafting a lineman.

1. Last year there was talk of the Cardinals needing to find a better complement for Fitzgerald at wide receiver, but they pounced on Patrick Peterson when he fell. A year later we’re still talking about that need for both Fitz, and to help Kolb. So if Michael Floyd is there at No. 13, is he the pick?

There is definitely a good chance that Floyd is the pick if he is still there at No. 13. As you said, the Cardinals have been looking for the perfect #2 WR to line up across from Fitzgerald. Although WR is not an immediate need, I have the suspicion that Floyd is pretty high on their board and they will draft the best player available.

2. If Floyd comes off the board early, an edge rusher who can be an effective outside linebacker is a possibility. Will someone like Quinton Coples be too hard to pass on if he’s still available, even though he may not be stepping into an area that’s a high priority?

Coples is seen as more of a defensive end in the NFL, and the Cardinals needs in terms of pass rusher come in the form of an OLB.

That said, there is a possibility that if Coples is there, they could take him. Calais Campbell is under the franchise tag and for all we know, they may not be able to re-sign him. Coples could come in and ideally play as a DE in the 3-4 system that the Cardinals run.

3. What about Riley Reiff? Staying upright and healthy is clearly another key to Kolb’s success, and he didn’t do either very often last year.

Personally, I’m not sold on Reiff as an LT in the NFL, but he could be an option that the club is considering. I am under the assumption that Levi Brown will be playing LT again next season, so whoever comes in will likely be on the right side.

Kolb staying healthy will be the best chance the Cards have of making the playoffs this season, and adding to the offensive line will be key to that endeavor.

4. Who do you hope the Cardinals target?

Personally, I would like to see the Cardinals target David DeCastro should he still be on the board. From everything I have seen and read, this guy can be a fixture at guard for the next decade at least. He would probably be a starter right away, and will flourish under the direction of Russ Grimm.

That’s all the news for today.

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