David Macklin was signed from Indianapolis to compete for the No. 2 cornerback spot with Renaldo Hill, who had five interceptions last season for the Cardinals.
The safety spot is in much better shape. Super Bowl MVP Dexter Jackson had a solid season for the Cardinals, leading the team with six picks. Adrian Wilson is entering the final year of his contract and wants to have a breakout season to prove to the organization that he is worth a long-term extension. This position seems solid for years, whereas the cornerback position needs have yet to be addressed.
Special Teams:
Scott Player is one of the most consistent punters in the game. His 42.8 yard average was eighth in the league last season even though it was considered a down year for him after averaging 43.9 yards the year before. Accompanying Player on special teams is ex-Bengal kicker Neil Rackers. Rackers was solid for the Cardinals kicking game after he was picked up off waivers last season.
The big story in the off-season for special teams though was the free agent acquisition of kick returner Karl Williams from Tampa Bay. Williams should boost the kick return game and allow Boldin to focus more on his wide receiving position.
Strengths:
The strength of this team is their coaching and what Green brings to the table. With his impressive 97-62 record in Minnesota, Green brings a winning attitude to Arizona and looks to rejuvenate many players' careers, starting with Emmitt Smith.
Position-wise, the wide receiver tandem of Boldin and Fitzgerald is going to be hectic for defensive coordinators to deal with for years to come, forming one of the best young receiving duos in the league. Green hopes that Boldin and Fitzgerald will become the dominant duo that Moss and Carter once were in Minnesota.
Weaknesses:
When you look throughout the Cardinals roster, it’s hard not to find a weakness. But the biggest weakness is the defensive line, and the inexperienced draft busts throughout. One of the worst defenses in the league, Arizona will turn to Bertrand Berry to provide a formidable pass rush. They believe that the addition of Berry and the coaching of Green will help other draft busts Wendell Bryant and Calvin Pace to flourish.
The running game, especially with Shipp going down, and the cornerback position are also huge weaknesses on this team and need to be fixed soon, as the players at those position don’t show much sign of progressing in their careers.
2004-2005 Outlook:
With the 49ers rebuilding, the Cardinals have a chance to do something they haven’t been able to accomplish in years; get out of the NFC West basement! While the team is very young and inexperienced, the addition of Green should help many players perform to levels uncommon of for this once depleted franchise. An improvement over last year is almost a certainty, but playoffs are probably out of the picture for Arizona, with Seattle and St. Louis controlling the division.
To be competitive, McCown needs to be successful and the passing game needs to click right away. If this team can learn to stop the pass and run the ball more effectively, a .500 record wouldn’t be impossible of, especially with a coach of Green‘s caliber.
