One day after Arizona Cardinals president Michael Bidwill gave his assessment of the team, former quarterback Kurt Warner weighed in Thursday with Arizona Sports 620 radio.

Warner’s basic take: The Cardinals are lacking in the playmaking department. He’s right. Injuries and personnel changes have hurt Arizona in an area where the team was once quite strong, the ability to score touchdowns from just about anywhere on the field.

A hand injury and new rules governing kickoffs have largely silenced LaRod Stephens-Howling. Kerry Rhodes, who scored twice on returns last season, wasn’t making plays before suffering a foot injury that will sideline him at least a month. Adrian Wilson has let a couple chances at interceptions get past him. Linebacker Daryl Washington, who scored on a return last season, has battled a calf injury.

Two other big-play threats in the past, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Steve Breaston, are gone. Others, such as Anquan Boldin and Antrel Rolle, are long gone. Andre Roberts, who flashed big-play ability last season, hasn’t factored at all this season.

When new quarterback Kevin Kolb missed wide-open tight end Rob Housler for what should have been a touchdown at Minnesota in Week 5, the Cardinals had found a signature play for their dearth of playmaking during a 1-4 start.

“I’ve watched every play of every game and there are plays out there to be made that are not being made,” Warner said. “Flat out, there are guys wide open. Last week, I know Kevin would love to have the one back down the middle of the field that he just overthrew. Just a little more touch on the football, that is a touchdown. It can change the complexion of the game.”

Warner rode to coach Ken Whisenhunt’s defense, blaming players for failing to capitalize on opportunities. His comment regarding the play Kolb missed wasn’t part of a broader criticism of the quarterback. Warner did say he thought Kolb wasn’t yet comfortable enough in the offense to trust his options and stay in the pocket longer. That will presumably change over time.

“What is going to define this team is, down the road, when they feel comfortable, are they going to make those plays then that they are not making now?” Warner said.

Asked about Kolb’s comments regarding players’ approach to their jobs, Warner said teams around the league experience the same issues. The winning culture Arizona established in its locker room a few years ago doesn’t necessarily carry over given all the personnel changes.

This team must find its own way.

Some will tell you that the Kevin Kolb era is about to begin in Arizona, while others might prefer to call it the Patrick Peterson era. Some might even insist that the Larry Fitzgerald era is continuing following a few tweaks.

Kolb, who was acquired from Philadelphia in the offseason, takes over at quarterback for a franchise that has been desperate for a veteran pivot since Kurt Warner walked away after the 2009 season. Peterson, who was selected with the No. 5 overall pick in April’s draft, is the most hyped defensive back prospect the league has had since Charles Woodson circa 1998.

Kolb will be counted on to make extreme improvements to an offense that ranked 31st out of 32 and converted an NFL-low 28 percent of its third downs in 2010.

Peterson will be asked to emerge as a shutdown corner and playmaker for a defense that ranked 29th out of 32 and gave up an ugly 27.1 points per game despite playing a weak schedule in 2010.

But the transition to the two new era(s) won’t be fast or easy. Kolb and Peterson are learning new systems in short time frames, and they aren’t exactly supported by great complementary pieces.

2010 in a nutshell: After winning three of their first five games they lose seven straight and nine of their last 11, finishing dead last in the worst division in football.

Three predictions for 2011:

1. Kevin Kolb will take a lot of sacks: The Cards surrendered 50 sacks in 2010, which was the second-highest total in the league. Kolb gave up 15 sacks on just 189 pass attempts in 2010 and has already developed a reputation as a quarterback who doesn’t perform well under pressure. Left tackle Levi Brown is awful and right tackle Brandon Keith is coming off of knee surgery, which doesn’t bode well for Kolb’s chances this season. At least in Philadelphia Kolb had a lot of options to get the ball to quickly. But in Arizona, who does he have beyond Fitzgerald, especially now that Steve Breaston is gone?

2. The run defense will improve: That isn’t saying a lot, but I’m trying to find some positives here. This is a unit that was gashed much of last year, finishing 30th against the run. But there’s a good chance linebacker Daryl Washington really steps it up in his second season. They also added veteran field general Stewart Bradley in free agency, and 2010 first-round pick Dan Williams should only get better.

3. The running game will continue to suck: They did add Daryn Colledge and Floyd Womack while re-signing Lyle Sendlein to shore up a solid interior offensive line, but Tim Hightower is gone and rookie running back Ryan Williams is out for the year, leaving the unproven (and rather disappointing) Beanie Wells to do everything on his own. The Cards’ run game ranked dead last in the league last year — I can’t see it improving drastically with Beanie going solo in 2011.

The final word(s): Kolb will be an upgrade and Ray Horton’s defense will be more effective as the players become acclimated to the new system, but this is a team that is at least a year away from competing, even in the awful NFC West. I’m giving them six wins.

Kevin Kolb made his debut last night with the Arizona Cardinals, and Larry Fitzgerald immediately made an outstanding catch on a deep throw down the sideline. We don’t know how Kevin Kolb will turn out, but I’m going to walk out on a large limb and say that Kolb will be the second best quarterback from whom Fitzgerald has caught passes. Fitzgerald’s career is interesting because it basically is divided evenly between playing with one of the best quarterbacks of the last decade, and a bunch of sub-replacement level quarterbacks, with no middle ground. He has 54 games played with Warner (plus two others where Warner and Leinart threw an equal number of passes), and 52 games played with the following: Derek Anderson, Matt Leinart, Josh McCown, John Navarre, John Skelton, Max Hall, Shaun King, Tim Rattay, and Ronald, err, Richard Bartel.

That’s not only true of quarterback. It’s true of the receivers opposite Fitzgerald, with one exception. At one end, we have Anquan Boldin, but Boldin had several injuries before leaving for Baltimore, so before last season, there were 17 games where Fitzgerald played opposite someone else. The best of the group was easily Steve Breaston, who just signed with Kansas City this offseason. Breaston was a solid starter who no one would confuse for an elite receiver, but falls comfortably in the 50-75 range in the league, and is above replacement. The rest were third receiver types forced in by injury, from a first round bust like Bryant Johnson to Doucet, McCoy, Roberts, and Williams.

So let’s take a look at how Fitzgerald has done with these various combinations of QB/other starting WR in his career, and with apologies to all the other quarterbacks and receivers besides Warner, Boldin and Breaston, they get lumped into the “other” category:

QB	WR	G	REC	YDS	TD
Warner	Boldin	44	6.4	82.9	0.6
Warner	Breaston	6	5.8	94.0	1.5
Warner	Other	4	9.0	119.8	0.5
Other	Boldin	29	4.5	59.0	0.6
Other	Breaston	12	6.0	77.7	0.5
Other	Other	11	4.5	61.2	0.2

Obviously, with Warner, Fitzgerald’s numbers were much better: 1.6 more catches a game, 23 more yards, and more touchdowns. As a quick aside, we know that Fitzgerald is awesome. I think the perception of just how awesome he is has been blunted by half a career with crap at quarterback. His per 16 game numbers with Warner: 104 receptions, 1390 yards, 12 touchdowns.

The interesting thing, though, is that Boldin’s presence caused Fitzgerald’s numbers to go down, once we account for the quarterback. Obviously, the team is better off with both good receivers to give the quarterback balance, but Fitzgerald picks up the extra opportunities with Boldin out. Fitzgerald was pretty good with Boldin, and in 10 games with Warner but without Boldin (an admittedly small sample), he was other worldly, averaging over 100 yards a game and over a touchdown a game. Basically, spread out over multiple seasons with Boldin’s injury, it would have been one of the best wide receiver seasons ever.

The same thing happened with Boldin and Fitzgerald present, but a crappy quarterback trying to get them the ball. Fitzgerald’s numbers were actually at their lowest in that situation (59.0 yards per game). The same is not true of Breaston. Fitzgerald’s numbers may have been down last year, but they were much better when Breaston was playing opposite. Breaston is good enough to keep defenses honest, but not so good to demand extra targets at Fitzgerald’s expense.

So what do we make of this year? Kolb doesn’t have to be Warner. I happen to think he will fall somewhere on the Jon Kitna to Stan Humphries to Matt Hasselbeck spectrum when we look back in several years. I think Fitzgerald’s numbers will be in between the other quarterbacks and Warner. He also no longer has Boldin on the opposite side, nor Breaston. What he does have, for the first time in his career, is a decent receiving tight end option instead in Todd Heap when he can stay healthy. There are also rumors that the Cardinals could trade for Lee Evans at receiver. At this stage in his career, Evans would not demand the targets of Boldin in his prime, but has a game that would complement Fitzgerald by being just enough of a deep threat to draw attention.

Add it all together, Fitzgerald + Kolb – Breaston (and minus Boldin a year earlier) + Heap (and maybe Evans) and I think people will be reminded just how awesome Larry Fitzgerald is this year.

[photo via Getty]

OAKLAND – Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt knows there is a perception that his team needs to acquire a No. 2 receiver to replace Steve Breaston, now with Kansas City.

But he doesn’t see it as the gaping hole in the lineup that others do.

Whisenhunt has been pleased with the development of Andre Roberts, who started Thursday night in the preseason opener against the Raiders. Early Doucet has looked good in camp, and the team signed veteran Chansi Stuckey in free agency. DeMarco Sampson, a seventh-round draft pick, has been one of the more-impressive rookies in camp.

“Everybody wants to talk about the Number 2 receiver but we really don’t get caught up in a Number 2,” Whisenhunt said. “We run so many different packages where we involved three receivers, even four receivers, and there are a lot of times where we’ll tailor specific packages to fit the individual strengths of the receiver.”

If the depth chart doesn’t change, different receivers could fill that role depending upon the game plan, Whisenhunt said.

“We’ve got a lot of guys at that position who are making plays,” Whisenhunt said. “it’s a good problem to have.”

The Cardinals have expressed interest in adding another veteran, but apparently not at any cost. They talked to Braylon Edwards before the veteran signed with the 49ers, and they showed some interest in Malcom Floyd before he re-signed with the Chargers.

The latest name to surface is the Bills’ Lee Evans. Buffalo apparently is willing to trade him. The Cardinals might be willing to part with a lower-round pick for him.

White House dinner

No matter what Cardinals safety Hamza Abdullah did in Thursday night’s game, it wasn’t going to top what happened to him Wednesday.

Abdullah was invited to a dinner at the White House in honor of the end of Ramadan. Abdullah attended with his brother, Husain, a safety with the Vikings. The brothers sat at different tables.

President Barack Obama addressed the crowd, then sat at Hamza Abdullah’s table for dinner.

Quick kicks

Tight end Todd Heap suffered a sprained left thumb and left for the locker room in the second quarter. He did not return. There was no immediate word on the severity of the injury.

- General Manager Rod Graves continues to negotiate with Fitzgerald’s agent with the hope of reaching agreement on a new contract. Graves declined further comment.

- Strong safety Adrian Wilson (biceps), cornerback Michael Adams (knee) and receiver Max Komar (groin) did not suit up.

FLAGSTAFF – The Cardinals expressed interest in free-agent receivers Braylon Edwards and Malcom Floyd, who ended up signing with other teams.

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Cardinals training camp 2011 | Fans at camp | Full schedule

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Steve Breaston, one of last year’s starting receivers, signed with Kansas City, prompting speculation the Cardinals would make a move to replace him.

The team did, but coaches don’t seem to view the position as the serious weakness critics do.

Andre Roberts is the starter opposite Larry Fitzgerald for now, with Early Doucet pushing him. Max Komar and Stephen Williams played a little last year as rookies, and DeMarco Sampson, a seventh-round pick this year, has looked good in camp.

The Cardinals also added tight end Todd Heap, who should be able to relieve some pressure on Fitzgerald.

But some intriguing names remain in free agency. The Jets cut Jerricho Cotchery this week, and Steve Smith, formerly of the Giants, is available.

Arrive early, bring blinders

As an organization, the Cardinals are cautioning fans to arrive early for Saturday’s Red & White practice, scheduled to run from 11:35 a.m. to 1:20 p.m.

As a coach, Ken Whisenhunt is warning fans that way they see might not be pretty.

“I’m just going to tell you in advance, some parts of it are going to be ugly,” Whisenhunt said.

The Cardinals opened camped a week ago, but 24 of their 90 players joined practice just two days ago.

Saturday’s practice will feature some game situations. The offense will start possessions at different areas of the field, and the practice will include live goal-line situations.

With a game scheduled Thursday in Oakland, the Cardinals will work on the logistics of managing a game, such as calling in plays from the sideline.

Official visit

A group of NFL officials arrived in Flagstaff on Thursday and will stay through Saturday’s practice.

They talked to players, coaches and media about rules changes for 2011. The major changes are:

- All scoring plays will be reviewed by the replay official. The referee will wear a pager that informs him if the play is good, or if it needs to be reviewed.

- Hits to the head of a passer by an opponent’s hands, arms or other parts of the body won’t be penalties unless they are ruled “forcible blows.”

- Kickoffs have been moved up five yards to the 35. No kicking-team player can be lined up more than 5 yards behind the ball.

- The definition of a defenseless player is extended to one who has completed a catch and has not had time to protect himself or clearly become a runner.

The gloved one

Backup quarterback Max Hall wore gloves in the morning practice. He’s testing them to see if it’s something that will help him in rainy conditions. Hall struggled in Seattle last year, completing just 4 of 16 passes in poor weather.

“I saw Kurt (Warner) do it, and if I play in another rainy game where I can’t hold on to the ball it might be useful,” he said. “I’m just testing it out. Coach said it really helped Kurt a lot.”

Hall’s hands are considerably smaller than Warner’s, and initially one finger slipped inside the glove. Hall had the glove altered and is more comfortable now. But he doesn’t plan to wear the gloves full time.

Camping out

Camp confidential: The Friday afternoon before the annual Red & White scrimmage is a neat time. Many of the players’ families come up, and the kids are thrilled to see their fathers for the first time in a week. After Saturday’s practice, the players are off until Sunday evening.

Quotable: “I jammed my calf yesterday, twisted my knee the other day, bruised my ribs, my traps hurt and I jammed my thumb today. It is every day something new for me. At that position, it happens.” — Defensive end Darnell Dockett.

Injury report: OT Brad Thorson left practice early with what looked like a right leg injury. Nose tackle Ricky Lumpkin was limited for an unknown injury.

Coming up: One practice, from 11:35 a.m. to 1:20 p.m. on the fields just east of the J. Lawrence Walkup Skydome. An autograph session for those younger than 13 will be held from 10:45 a.m. to 11:10. If it rains, the Cardinals could move the practice to Coconino High or to the Skydome. If the Cardinals move to the Skydome, fans won’t be able to attend. The dome is closed to the public because of renovation. Rain also would cancel the autograph session.

The Cardinals announced the signings of five free agents, and although none are marquee names, coach Ken Whisenhunt thinks they could play important roles.

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Somers: Whisenhunt discusses the five free agent signings

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Daryn Colledge, who is signed for five years, will start at left guard. Jeff King, who has a three-year contract worth $6 million, gives the team a strong blocking tight end. Linebacker Stewart Bradley, a free agent from Philadelphia, signed for five years.

Bradley has been hampered by injuries but has played well when healthy. He likely will contend for a starting job at one of the inside spots, but he can also play outside.

Defensive end Nick Eason, a backup with the Steelers, should fill a similar role with the Cardinals, replacing Alan Branch, who signed with Seattle. Eason has a two-year deal.

The Cardinals also think they compensated for the loss of receiver Steve Breaston (Kansas City) by signing Chansi Stuckey, who spent the past two seasons with the Browns.

Stuckey, who signed for two years, caught 40 passes for 346 yards. He also scored his first career rushing TD on an 11-yard run vs. New England.

By Ethan Rothstein

– Contributor

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Jul 28, 2011 – The Arizona Cardinals have agreed to re-sign their starting center, Lyle Sendlein, to a multi-year contract according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The Longhorn went undrafted in 2007 but hooked on with the Cardinals. He started three games that season, and started every game from 2008-2010, so re-signing him was a priority for the Cards now that they have their shiny new QB, Kevin Kolb.

With Kolb and now Lendlein, the Cardinals hope to return to the offensive juggernaut they were when Kurt Warner’s old bones were at the helm. Though they lost Anquan Boldin and now Steve Breaston, they still have Larry Fitzgerald, Beanie Wells and Tim Hightower should be able to do something with the running game.

If all else fails though, at least Max Hall and John Skelton are still on roster in case anything goes wrong. Thank heavens. 

For more info on the Cardinals, visit Revenge of the Birds.

Read More: Kevin Kolb (QB – PHI), Lyle Sendlein (C – ARI), Arizona Cardinals

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Whatever the Arizona Cardinals were doing in their pursuit of Kevin Kolb, they were keeping it to themselves.

While other quarterbacks in the NFL found new homes, Kolb remained the property of the Philadelphia Eagles on Wednesday, although there were persistent indications that progress was being made toward finalizing a deal that would send Michael Vick’s backup to the Cardinals for cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a draft pick, probably a second rounder.

Agents for Kolb and Rodgers-Cromartie did not return calls, and the Cardinals’ brain trust remained ensconced in its upstairs offices trying to put together a team, with quarterback at the top of a list of many issues to be addressed.

Any delay in announcing the trade could stem from talks on a long-term contract that Kolb wants with a new team. He has a one-year deal with Philadelphia.

There were a few Cardinal-related developments. Arizona reached an agreement to re-sign punter Ben Graham, and the agent for Steve Breaston said the wide receiver would not re-sign with the Cardinals.

Cardinals players are to report to the team facility in Tempe on Thursday. They are to undergo physicals on Friday, then travel to Flagstaff for a mandatory meeting that evening. The first practice at their Northern Arizona University facility is scheduled for Saturday.

Poor play at quarterback was a major component in the team’s dropoff from two-time NFC West champion to a 5-11 season last year. The team is to release quarterback Derek Anderson on Thursday and coach Ken Whisenhunt has emphasized that the Cardinals are aggressively seeking a veteran at that position.

Kolb has openly talked about his desire to play for Arizona, saying it would be a good fit. The quarterback, who turns 27 next month, has appeared in 19 games, with seven starts in the last two seasons. He has completed 61 percent of his passes for 2,082 yards and 11 touchdowns with 14 interceptions.

He began last season as the heir-apparent to Donovan McNabb in Philadelphia, but he went down with a concussion in the opener, losing his job to Vick in the process. Kolb did have a couple of strong performances after that when Vick was hurt. Against Atlanta in Week 6, he completed 23 of 29 passes for 326 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.

If Kolb signs a new contract as part of a trade with the Cardinals, he wouldn’t be allowed to practice with the team until Aug. 4, the same day any incoming veteran free agents would first be allowed to work out.

Breaston’s departure leaves a void at No. 2 receiver behind Larry Fitzgerald.

Breaston caught 187 passes for 2,528 yards and seven touchdowns in four seasons with the Cardinals. In Arizona’s Super Bowl season of 2008, he had career highs of 77 catches for 1,006 yards. Bothered by a knee injury much of last season, Breaston caught 47 passes for 718 yards.

Free agent signings can’t be officially announced until Saturday.

The Cardinals also face a serious need on the interior of the offensive line. One starting guard, Alan Faneca, has retired. The other, Deuce Lutui, is an unrestricted free agent. Lutui’s agent, Ken Harris, would only say that talks are ongoing. He would not say if those discussions included Arizona. Starting center Lyle Sendlein also is a free agent.

Arizona reached contract agreements with 21 undrafted rookie free agents.

Among them was Stephen Skelton, a tight end from Fordham, the same school his brother, John, attended. Also agreeing to terms with the Cardinals was Miami safety Jared Campbell, Calais’ brother.

The Cardinals announced their Flagstaff practice schedule. The team’s camp in northern Arizona, at an elevation of 7,000 feet, will run through Aug. 25.

Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

By Jess Root

– NFL/MLB Writer

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Jul 25, 2011 – The NFL lockout is all but over and the new league year is set to begin. The Arizona Cardinals and the entire league are now gearing up for a very busy free agency period. Teams will need to fill their rosters by re-signing their own players, picking up undrafted rookies and acquiring new free agents.

As things currently stand, the team has about $37.3 million to spend under the cap, and that number could grow by as much as $11 million if Derek Anderson, Joey Porter and Gerald Hayes are released. They are one of a few teams with great flexibility.

Here is a basic outline of the needs that the Cardinals have and possible targets to fill those needs:

Quarterback: This this the team’s most notable need. The rumors have been going on for months.

Possible targets: Kevin Kolb or Kyle Orton via trade, free agents Matt Hasselbeck or Marc Bulger or potential players to be cut by their teams — Donovan McNabb or Vince Young.

Offensive Line: Since the team will be sporting a new starting quarterback and the only 2010 starter under contract is left tackle Levi Brown. Brandon Keith is a restricted free agent and will likely be back, but the interior line will be a priority.

Possible targets: Re-signing Lyle Sendlein and Deuce Lutui will be number one priority, but Lutui could be looking for a big payday. Other possibilities are Davin Joseph, Marshal Yanda or Justin Blalock. Evan Mathis is rumpred to have interest in the Cardinals.

Pass-rushing linebacker: As currently constituted, the Cardinals have enough at outside linebacker. Joey Porter, Clark Haggans, Will Davis, O’Brien Schofield and fourth-round pick Sam Acho are all on the team. However, Porter and Haggans might be salary cap casualties. 

Possible targets: Matt Roth and Manny Lawson.

Cornerback: This is only a need if the rumors are true and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is traded.

Possible targets: Ike Taylor, Jonathan Joseph, Carlos Rogers

Inside linebacker: If Gerald Hayes is cut as expected, the Cardinals might look for a run-stuffing thumper in the middle to play alongside Daryl Washington. However, this position is one of the lowest priorities, at least in finding starting players.

Possible targets: Takeo Spikes, Paul Posluszny, Stephen Tulloch

Additional possible moves: With Steve Breaston a free agent, the team may try to resign him if the price is right. If not, they may be in play for another receiver. Likewise, the team will look for depth at defensive line because only starters are under contract.

Read More: nfl lockout 2011, 2011 nfl lockout, nfl lockout news, nfl lockout explained, nfl strike, nflpa, nfl players, nfl cba, nfl salary cap, nfl player contracts, nfl union, demaurice smith, roger goodell, nfl collective bargaining agreement, nfl players union, nfl owners, Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals had the chance to take a quarterback in the NFL Draft with the No. 5 overall pick but passed and took cornerback Patrick Peterson instead. In Round 2, they went with running back Ryan Williams. In Round 3, it was tight end Rob Housler.

Round by round, pick by pick, the Cardinals passed on a quarterback. It was an odd decision given 12 quarterbacks were drafted this year, and Arizona’s roster currently consists of esteemed passers such as Derek Anderson, Richard Bartel, Max Hall and John Skelton.

The prevailing thought is the Cardinals will sign or trade for a quarterback once the lockout is over, and the potential candidates headed to Arizona include Kevin Kolb, Carson Palmer, Kyle Orton and Donovan McNabb. But until that happens, the Cardinals’ Fantasy outlook is somewhat in limbo.

Larry Fitzgerald remains an elite Fantasy option, and he’s worth drafting toward the end of Round 2 or beginning of Round 3 no matter who is throwing him the ball. But his value could improve if he gets a proven quarterback with good arm strength and accuracy.

The other Fantasy options worth drafting in Arizona include running backs Williams, Beanie Wells and Tim Hightower, wide receiver Steve Breaston and Housler. But until the quarterback position is settled the Cardinals will remain a team in transition.

Impact rookie … Ryan Williams, RB

It was a surprise that the Cardinals drafted Williams out of Virginia Tech with a second-round pick. The Cardinals already have Wells and Hightower on their roster, but Wells has never blossomed and has been prone to injury, while the hard-running Hightower was plagued by fumbles last season. Williams was a productive back for the Hokies, rushing for 1,655 yards and 21 touchdowns as a freshman in 2009 but was limited by a hamstring injury last season, finishing with 477 yards and nine touchdowns. Still, he averaged 4.3 yards per carry. Williams might be injury prone like Wells, but he will give the Cardinals a powerful rushing presence. He’s expected to have a chance to start, and he should be the best running back in Arizona this season. He is worth drafting with a mid-round pick in standard leagues. We still recommend taking Wells with a late-round pick since he could rebound from last season and still perform well enough to hold off Williams. And Hightower is also worth drafting with a late-round pick, especially in leagues where receptions count.

Keeper-league target … Rob Housler, TE

The Cardinals drafted Housler out of Florida Atlantic University, and many analysts believe he could have gone higher if he played at a more prominent college. He has the chance to start right away and is a good receiver with 39 catches for 629 yards and four touchdowns in 2010. The Cardinals have not used the tight end much in the Ken Whisenhunt era, but they also haven’t had a tight end of this caliber before. Consider Housler a sleeper in deeper leagues, but he’s not worth drafting in most standard formats. In keeper and dynasty leagues, Housler is worth a late-round selection, and he could develop into a potential standout depending on who the Cardinals get as their quarterback.

Late-round flier … Steve Breaston, WR

Breaston remains a free agent during the lockout, but he’s expected to return to the Cardinals. Breaston struggled last year in his first season as a starter in place of the departed Anquan Boldin. A knee injury limited his play, and he finished with 47 catches for 718 yards and one touchdown. He posted better stats in each of the previous two seasons, and that was as the No. 3 option. If Breaston does return to the Cardinals he would likely remain the starter opposite Fitzgerald, and his Fantasy value would further be determined by who is throwing him the ball. If he goes somewhere else then his value will be determined by where he signs and what his role would be. In any case, Breaston is worth a late-round pick based on his potential (132 catches for 1,718 yards and six touchdowns in 2008 and 2009). And if he goes undrafted then he is someone to scout because he could be a bye-week or injury replacement.

Schedule breakdown

1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17
CAR	@WAS	@SEA	NYG	@MIN	bye	PIT	@BAL	STL	@PHI	@SF	@STL	DAL	SF	CLE	@CIN	SEA

The Cardinals have a tough schedule ahead of them. They have to play three games at 1 p.m. ET, which is never easy for West Coast teams, with matchups at Washington, Philadelphia and Baltimore. Arizona also has tough home games against the Giants, Pittsburgh and Dallas. Now, the good thing for the Cardinals is they play in the NFC West, which means some favorable matchups, and they also get Carolina and Cleveland at home. The matchup with the Browns could be great for Fitzgerald since it comes in the Fantasy playoffs in Week 15. Hopefully by then we’ll know who his quarterback will be.

Training camp topics

Once the Cardinals add a quarterback, getting him up to speed with the offense will be the biggest thing to watch. He will have to quickly develop a rapport with Fitzgerald and the rest of the receivers and prove he can be successful.

The Cardinals also have to establish a depth chart at running back. Our depth chart would be Williams, Wells and Hightower. We’re big fans of Williams this season, and he has the chance to post solid stats in his rookie season.

Breaston and Early Doucet need to show they are healthy after injury-plagued seasons in 2010, and the Cardinals need to establish Housler as a threat early in training camp. There is potential for this offense to be successful with the right quarterback.

Now, if the Cardinals are unable to land a new passer and are stuck with Anderson, Hall, Skelton or Bartel, then it could be another long season in the desert. We hope that’s not the case in 2011.

Injury update

Early Doucet (hernia; questionable for the start of training camp) … Adrian Wilson (groin; probable for the start of training camp)

Stay in touch with the most passionate Fantasy staff in the business by following us via Twitter . You can also follow Jamey at @jameyeisenberg . Do you have a question or a comment for our Fantasy staff? Drop us a line at dmfantasyfootball@cbs.com .

Arizona Cardinals receiver Steve Breaston provided the line of the day so far when ESPN’s Adam Schefter pointed him toward our rankings for toughest NFL venues.
“Where’s the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis,” Breaston tweeted.

At this rate, Breaston could be headed for a spot in Paul Kuharsky’s Twindex featuring the best NFL offerings on Twitter. This one was solid in delivery, content and syntax.

Back to the subject: toughest venues. Qwest Field was the only NFC West venue to draw votes when our eight panelists ranked their top 10. Venues do not win games by themselves, of course. Fans need something to cheer about.

The Edward Jones Dome can be deafening when the St. Louis Rams are playing well. I expect that to become a tougher place to play as the Rams continue to grow with Sam Bradford. The elements and a slippery field make Candlestick Park tough at times. The Arizona Cardinals’ playoff games at University of Phoenix Stadium were memorable for their atmospheres.

Strong defense helps get the most from home crowds. People respond to the physical nature of the game, which manifests itself most clearly on defense. The Rams have Bradford, but they were better on defense than on offense last season, and they drafted for defense in the first round this year.

Things to consider when projecting which NFC West venue will be toughest for visitors this coming season.

An uncharacteristic, cool May wind whipped around a field on Arizona State’s campus Wednesday morning. Jay-Z chirped about ambition in the background while Lyle Sendlein carefully placed seven athletic sandals on the field.

“These represent defensive players,” the Cardinals center said with a sigh. “It’s like I’m a kid playing football in the backyard again.”

Creativity is required as NFL owners and players battle over a new collective-bargaining agreement. With another round of court-ordered mediation failing to show progress, it has become clear that the self-starters of the NFL world will be the ones that thrive if the regular season begins as scheduled in September.

On Wednesday, at least, many Cardinals were taking care of business.

Running back Beanie Wells was at the players-organized workout looking like he didn’t have an ounce of body fat on him. Sendlein was leading drills with many of the Cardinals offensive linemen, including Levi Brown, Jeremy Bridges, Rex Hadnot, Brandon Keith and Tom Pestock.

“Some guys flew in from out of town, just to work out together this week,” Sendlein said.

Approximately 30 players participated in the practice, including quarterbacks John Skelton and Max Hall, who were leading passing drills; wide receiver Steve Breaston; and an assortment of peripheral players such as 49ers receiver Kyle Williams, who went to ASU; free agent quarterback Shane Boyd, who has spent time with five NFL teams, including the Cardinals in 2006; and Sun Devils wide receiver Aaron Pflugrad, who said he was just trying to get in extra work.

Players who have appeared at past workouts included the Ravens’ Todd Heap, Terrell Suggs and Joe Flacco.

“We’re doing a lot of (team-specific) stuff,” Skelton said, “while other players are sitting on their couches.”

Talk about a surreal setting. Two security guards, hired by Larry Fitzgerald, who was the driving force behind the workouts, manned the entrance to the field, although you could watch through the fence.

Someone just walking by wouldn’t know anything special was going on, save the Hummers and Escalades in the parking lot. The workouts were relaxed, and when the club hit “Teach me how to Dougie” by California Swag District came on, several players started dancing.

It was more about business, though. Sendlein brought paperwork from last season’s organized team workouts and helped guide players through drills.

“We’re trying to do things as if we weren’t off,” he said before climbing into his truck and heading to another workout.

These gatherings started about a month ago. Fitzgerald recruited Jerry Sullivan, a former Cardinals assistant coach who is retired and living in Austin, to help give the players direction.

“This is good; they need the structure,” Sullivan said. “These guys haven’t been down this road before. They need to be in the right mind when they go to camp.”

It’s May 19. The NFL’s first preseason game is scheduled for Aug. 7. That’s less than a three-month window, if the season starts as planned.

Many players around the country are involved in similar workouts.

Oakland Raiders defensive end Richard Seymour set up organized workouts for his team, fielding much of the cost. Some Saints are participating in practices led by quarterback Drew Brees. Many members of the Tennessee Titans have been spotted working out on a high school field in Nashville.

What the Cardinals are doing isn’t unusual. It’s the commitment and effort that will separate one team from another once the season is under way.

Fans, meanwhile, are equal parts testy and nervous.

After Saints running back Reggie Bush posted messages on Facebook and Twitter about how much he is enjoying the time off – “Vacation, rest, relaxing, appearances here and there! I’m good” – fans were furious. Bush later said he was joking.

Fans have no room for humor right now. The start of their beloved NFL season is in jeopardy.

“We’re working hard,” Wells said. “It’s our responsibility to stay on top of it.”

Good to know.

Once the season starts, we’ll know who worked the hardest.

Reach Boivin at paola.boivin@arizonarepublic.com and follow her on Twitter at Twitter.com/PaolaBoivin.

By Darren Feeney / KFMB Interactive

ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman has been deactived for Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals.

Merriman left last weekends game in Seattle midway through the first quarter due to a calf injury.

Merriman’s backup, Larry English, a first-round pick in 2009, is out for four weeks after having foot surgery.

Antwan Applewhite is starting at outside linebacker.

Right guard Louis Vasquez is out with a knee injury that may sideline him for two weeks.

Tyronne Green will make his first start.

As expected, Arizona will be without receivers Steve Breaston and Early Doucet.

Stephen Williams will start for Breaston.