2010 NFL Draft Countdown: Arizona Cardinals

The NFL Draft Countdown is where we take a closer look at an NFL franchise to see what its transactions have been and what its needs are.

Franchise

• Draft Position: 26
• 2009 Season Result: 10-6 (1^st in NFC West; Lost in Divisional Round)
• 2009 Head Coach: Ken Whisenhunt
• 2010 Head Coach: Ken Whisenhunt (27-21; 4-2)

Key Transactions

• QB Kurt Warner (retired)
• QB Derek Anderson (from CLE)
• WR Anquan Boldin (to BAL)
• LB Karlos Dansby (to MIA)
• LB Joey Porter (from MIA)
• S Antrel Rolle (to NYG)
• S Kerry Rhodes (from NYJ)

Draft Picks

• 1-26
• 2-26
• 3-24
• 3-25
• 4-25
• 6-26
• 7-26

Analysis & Outlook

Plenty of change in Arizona with the Cardinals losing QB Kurt Warner, LB Karlos Dansby and S Antrel Rolle early on and trading WR Anquan Boldin away. It looked like a mass exodus at first but they’ve acquired some other players in free agency. The question, however, is whether they’re any good. LB Joey Porter is not getting younger, S Kerry Rhodes lost his starting job in New York and he seems like a weird fit with Adrian Wilson. Both are more physical, tackling safeties and not the rangy defensive playmakers. QB Derek Anderson might not be a solution either but it does tell everyone that the Cardinals aren’t too comfortable with Matt Leinart under center.

They also have some restricted free agents to re-sign, most notably LB Bertrand Berry and WR Steve Breaston. With the departure of Anquan Boldin, Breaston figures to be a more prominent receiver if the QB play is decent. On offense, the Cardinals will look for a playmaking TE and an additional WR. They’ll also focus on upgrading the depth of their O-Line.

On defense, the Cardinals need to fill the void vacated by Karlos Dansby. In addition, they’ll focus on D-Linemen that can play in their hybrid defense.

With four picks in the first three rounds, the Cardinals do have the picks to address their needs and could even trade up if they see the need to. They might want to trade up ahead of Cincinnati to take TE Jermaine Gresham, or even higher up the board to select ILB Rolando McClain. Otherwise, they might have a shot at DEs Derrick Morgan, Brandon Graham and Jared Odrick. Morgan and Graham can be hybrid guys asked to stand up as OLBs in 3-4 alignment. In the second round, I think they’ll go after an ILB like Sean Lee or Brandon Spikes, or a TE like Dorin Dickerson. If the Cardinals don’t get a TE early, then I see them targeting Dennis Pitta in round 3. They’ll focus their efforts in the late rounds on O-Linemen and WRs.

This will be a transition year for the Cardinals. They’re lucky to play in a weak division but by losing continuity, I expect them to lose the division to San Francisco.