Arizona Cardinals

(Matt Kartozian/USA Today Sports) The Arizona Cardinals knew addressing the quarterback position was their top priority this offseason as it was nothing but a disaster during the 2012 season and there’s no question they made the right move by parting ways with Kevin Kolb. However, only time will tell when it comes to whether or not acquiring Carson Palmer was the right move, but if you ask Bruce Arians–he loves what he sees in his quarterback so far. Arians recently discussed in an interview how much he praised Palmer for the way he’s looked so far with the Cardinals this offseason. If there’s anything to take away from the 2012 season from Palmer’s perspective, it would be last year with the Oakland Raiders did not go the way he was hoping it would as his numbers may have looked impressive on paper, but most of them came during garbage time when the team was trailing in the second half. Now, Palmer receives the opportunity to play alongside one of the best wide receivers in football in Larry Fitzgerald. Palmer claims he still has what it takes to be an effective quarterback at the pro level and with Fitzgerald–there’s really no excuse for him not to perform well in 2013. As much as he doesn’t want to hear it, this season could be Palmer’s final chance to prove himself as a starter considering there aren’t many teams that would be willing to give him a shot–so let’s hope what Arians is saying so far turns out to be true next year. “Like” Dan Parzych on Facebook Be sure to follow Dan on Twitter @DanParzych

Who will win the 7th round of Caption This!? Round #6 Picture: Caption This! #6 Winner: Iowacardinalshawkeye Caption: ? Skelton: Oh, that was ugly. I can’t look.Lindley: Oh god, I think Kevins head just fell off… Coach is calling for the backup.Skelton: Not it! by Iowacardinalshawkeye on May 13, 2013 | 10:50 AM reply rec (6) actions Runner-up: (As there was a three-way tie for 2nd Place, only the names of the runner-ups will be listed for this week) 2nd Place: YungHotRodd602, Spikedriver, and FrankieInAz Congratulations to all of them! The (updated) Table of Winners: Name Number of Votes Received Number of Weeks Won EzioExManAZ 13 1 Cuuuuuthiiiiim 13 1 Alex Mann 10 1 Sect113rw10 9 1 Shad H 8 1 Iowacardinalshawkeye 6 1 RedBirds 11 0 Mrhocken 10 0 CardinalLaw 8 0 FrankieInAz 6 0 Falltea 6 0 RebelCards 6 0 AndyStandsUp 6 0 Spikedriver 5 0 YungHotRodd602 5 0 D4 5 0 Cardzfan 5 0 Jess Root 5 0 Azusa_PacifiCardinal 5 0 Hevchv 4 0 Ras_card 4 0 PhantomPower311 4 0 NATIVEWOOD 4 0 Tito_45 3 0 LocoCoyote 3 0 Tawakol 3 0 AlaskanCard 2 0 J Steezy 2 0 Jay Bizzell 2 0 Silver 1 0 Randy Fields 1 0 Cmcinaz 1 0 Jesse Reynolds 1 0 Jesse Leman 1 0 RedC 1 0 Redking90 1 0 TryAndCatchVD 1 0 Roleyanderson 1 0 Thrashcan5 1 0 FitzFan25 1 0 AllAmerican13 1 0 Richard.gonzales.372 1 0 Gvalen2896 1 0 Scott.rune 1 0 Noyguado 1 0 Runfirst 1 0 Horboy80 1 0 (The table goes in order of weeks won, and then votes received) The rules to Caption This!: Write a caption for the featured picture. It can be what the player(s) are thinking, saying, or just your caption for the scene. If you view the post, vote for someone else's caption. You can do this by selecting actions>rec underneath the person's comment. The more votes we get, the more competitive the game will be. Your name will be added to the list with the total number of votes and weeks you've won. And finally, here is this week's picture: Left: Michael Crabtree, WR (San Francisco); Right: Patrick Peterson, CB (Arizona) I urge all of you to read every comment/caption that is posted. We want to make sure that the best caption wins, and not just the one that is posted first. We will be keeping this contest at the top of the site all week, so that it is easier to check back with. If you'd like to view last week's Caption This!, click here. Good luck captioning!

May 14, 2013; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald (11) runs drills during organized team activities at the Cardinals Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports Some people believe that Arizona Cardinals are on the verge of contending with their new roster. Others believe that nothing will be better for the Cardinals. New head coach Bruce Arians uses a simple playbook that’s user-friendly ,and when I hear that I think of is Denzel Washington as Coach Boone in the movie Remember the Titans when he says “I run six plays, split veer. It’s like Novocain, just give it time, it always works.” We all know the rest of that story. So, maybe it won’t work out like that. But it’s worth noting that Arians went 9-3 with the young Indianapolis Colts after taking over midseason. New general manager Steve Keim and the front office traded for quarterback Carson Palmer, who can still play and put up good numbers (he was 16th in passer rating in 2012 and averaged 8.39 yards per pass attempt in 2011). If Rashard Mendenhall, another free agent pickup, and Ryan Williams can stay healthy they should make a good one-two punch with Andre Ellington and Stepfan Taylor settling in. The Cardinals have depth at running back, and it’s realistic to expect one of the players to break out and carry the ground game. With all of them competing for a roster spot, it’s only going to bring out the best in all of them. We all know about the receiving corps, so I won’t waste any time talking about that area besides the addition of Ryan Swope, who could end up being a more athletic Brandon Stokley. Stokley was rated the best slot receiver in the NFL (via Pro Football Focus, subscription required), so if Swope can perform that well, he will help the Cardinals. Swope will join a receiving corps consisting of Andre Roberts and Larry Fitzgerald, who, despite horrific quarterback play, combined for 135 receptions and nine touchdowns in 2012. When it comes to tight end, I know Bruce Arians wants two that can catch and block, so I’m not sure who the staff is going to keep on board. If Swope can work his way into the regular receiver rotation, the Cardinals will likely use just one tight end. As for the offensive line, the Cardinals could sign Max Starks, move Levi Brown to right guard and Daryn Colledge to right guard (unless some can steal his roster spot. Lyle Sendlein would start at center, and Jonathan Cooper would start at left guard. If they can stay healthy that should be a nice line to open holes and keep Carson Palmer clean and up right. Plus, even with an injury, Bobby Massie could step in. Now for the defense. In the box is Darnell Dockett, Dan Williams, Calais Campbell, Sam Acho, Daryl Washington (not going to play the first month), Karlos Dansby, and O’Brien Schofield. As long as Washington doesn’t do any jail time, they should have good depth to keep everyone fresh. Arizona will likely run a 3-4 defense, which will allow Acho and Alex Okafor to start at outside linebacker and Dansby and Jasper Brinkley to start Week 1 at middle linebacker. Alex Okafor is best as a 4-3 defensive end, but I expect defensive coordinator Todd Bowles to utilize his skillset by sending him on blitzes and not forcing him to play in pass coverage much. Acho is a better fit as a 4-3 defensive end, but he should be fine making the transition as well. For the defensive backs, I’m sure Bruce Arians has a group of guys itching to prove their worth to secure playing time and make their mark on the NFL. Don’t be surprised if you see a no-name in the backfield at the beginning of the season, but also don’t be surprised if someone like Antoine Cason steps up and does a great job complementing Patrick Peterson. With Patrick Peterson, who has returned four punts for 80 yards or more during his two-year career, special teams will be fine. It has always bee

The Arizona Cardinals knew addressing the quarterback position was their top priority this offseason as it was nothing but a disaster during the 2012 season and there’s no question they made the right move by parting ways with Kevin Kolb. However,

Dec 9, 2012, Seattle, WA, USA; Arizona Cardinals tight end Rob Housler (84) breaks a tackle by Seattle Seahawks cornerback Walter Thurmond (28) during the third quarter at CenturyLink Field. Seattle defeated Arizona, 58-0. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports I read a great piece on arizonasports.com about ESPN.com not being too keen on what the Arizona Cardinals have to offer right now at the tight end position.  Why not?  Sure, they didn’t go out and get another veteran at tight end in the off-season but did they need to?  They had two very capable ones on the roster and they drafted another in the seventh round of the NFL Draft. (more…)

Apr. 2, 2013; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians (left) with quarterback quarterback Carson Palmer during a press conference to announce his signing with the team at the Cardinals practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports Carson Palmer is 33 years old, but he’s still a good quarterback. Just ask head coach Bruce Arians. According to NFL.com, Arians praised Palmer and his deep-ball skills. Arians said, “I think the biggest thing is just his experience level. He’s tough as nails. As good a deep-ball thrower as I’ve ever seen. I mean, really accurate on the deep ball. He still has it. What he did last year with the Raiders, in a crazy situation, I thought was very, very impressive.” Palmer has deep threats in Larry Fitzgerald, Ryan Swope and Andre Roberts, which he didn’t have in 2012 with the Oakland Raiders. Despite a depleted receiving corps, Palmer managed to post the 16th-best passer rating in the league. Palmer and Fitzgerald are now in Arizona together, and things are going very well with the two and the team. Swope and Roberts will be able to get open with their speed, and Fitzgerald can bail Palmer out for taking chances. Palmer was intercepted 14 times in 2012, but with a great receiver in Fitzgerald, Palmer’s touchdown total should skyrocket (from 22 in 2012), and his interceptions should decrease. Chemistry hasn’t been a problem for Palmer and the revamped Cardinals, and talent hasn’t been a problem either. Palmer is talented and has talent around him, and he has the potential to take the Cardinals far. Arians has always preached spreading the field, and Palmer has the arm strength and the weapons to be successful in Arizona under Arians. Expect Arizona’s offense to be a lot better than it was in 2012, and expect Palmer to thrive in the desert.

Dec 29, 2012; San Antonio, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns defensive end Alex Okafor (80) sacks Oregon State Beavers quarterback Cody Vaz (14) during the second half of the Alamo Bowl at the Alamodome. Texas beat Oregon State 31-27. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports Alex Okafor has the potential to be a star. So, it’s safe to say that the Cardinals made a great value pick when they took the sack machine in the fourth round. Okafor, who recorded 12.5 sacks in 2012, should do very well in Arizona. For starters, he has former Longhorn teammate Sam Acho (who was also drafted 103rd overall at defensive end) to help show him the ropes and be a mentor. Okafor said Acho told him that he has an extra room for him if need be which could help out with him settling into the valley and feeling more comfortable at home, which would make him more relaxed. That couldn’t hurt with him trying to make the transition from college to the pros. Over his college career, he totaled 178 tackles (92 solo), 22 sacks, 38 tackles for loss, 54 quarterback pressures, eight forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. Mack Brown, Texas’ head coach, said that Okafor was an unselfish player who played anywhere they asked him and he never griped. Because of that, he became a great team leader. Okafor is only 22 years old, so he’s got a few years left to grow and is only going to get bigger and stronger, even after putting up 21 reps at 225 pounds at the NFL Combine. In an interview, Okafor said he was one of the few that get the opportunity to live his childhood dream and has to capitalize on it. It sounds to me that he’s a self-aware man who knows what he wants, and, as we all know, you can do anything you set your mind to. With his track record, I believe he will back up his words. Okafor is best as a 4-3 defensive end, and with his stiff upper body and struggles he has changing directions it makes him a poor candidate to make the change to outside linebacker. However, with his college achievements and his willingness to play any and everywhere and his mindset, who am I to say he can’t play standing up as an outside linebacker. Okafor is almost a spitting image of Sam Acho as a player, except only bigger. With the abundance of players the Arizona Cardinals have at linebacker I’d love to see him do what he does best and strike fear into opponents’ ball-cariers. It’s still too early to say he can’t play outside linebacker but with the need for another play maker on the defensive line, I believe defensive line is the best fit. The Cardinals will likely run a 3-4, but Okafor could still see some time as a five-technique (a 3-4 defensive end). He has the size and the experience on the defensive line to make an impact, as evidenced by his 18 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks in 2012. Okafor was a bit inconsistent, but he has showed that he has the potential to take over a game. In the Alamo Bowl against Oregon State, Okafor registered 4.5 sacks. Bruce Arians and his staff will be the only ones to make that decision, and I’m sure they will him in the packages he fits best in. If they send him after the quarterback a lot, Okafor will be able to make a big impact. Expect Arians to allow Okafor to live up to his full potential, and expect Okafor to help the defensive line right from the get-go.

Bruce Irvin of the Seattle Seahawks was suspended four games under the league's performance enhancing drugs policy. While he has reacted well and said the right things, there is something that makes you think a moment, and that is the culture of PEDs and the Seattle Seahawks. The dots have been connected elsewhere. ESPN's Mike Sando wrote about how four other Seattle players have been suspended under the same policy and a fifth was suspended but successfully appealed it, since 2011. Now, Arizona Cardinals fans can empathize a bit because linebacker Daryl Washington is already suspended for the Cards for the first month, but it was not for PEDs. He was suspended under the substance abuse policy. However, that doesn't mean we can't mock the 'Hawks. So....tell us what you think about another Seahawks player being connected to PEDs? Keep up with Cardinals news and opinions when you are not on the site. Follow Revenge of the Birds on Twitter at @revengeofbirds and "like" us on Facebook. You can follow me individually at @senorjessroot.

May 14, 2013; Tempe, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals defensive end Calais Campbell (93) and defensive tackle Ricky Lumpkin (95) huddle with teammates during organized team activities at the Cardinals Training Facility. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports With OTA’s underway and training camp just around the corner, it’s time to look forward to the 2013 NFL season and the many challenges that will be presented for the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals upgraded multiple positions on the offense side with the selection of Jonathan Cooper and the acquisition of Carson Palmer, and they also will play a more aggressive scheme on defense that will allow Darnell Dockett and Calais Campbell to make plays. Even with all the positive moves in the offseason the Cardinals are not expected to win many games, so which games can the Cardinals use as a measuring stick as they try to build on the 2013 NFL season? Here is a list of Arizona’s three hardest games.

What were we all talking about a year ago? Well, since there isn't a ton of other news, we can do that. Back in May 2012, the team was in the middle of OTAs. However, while Kevin Kolb and John Skelton were splitting the first team snaps, running back Beanie Wells was sitting out. Here is what a pair of articles said from that day: Kolb and Skelton were on even ground: "I think the knee-jerk reaction would be to say that it is Kevin's job to lose. But then you have to look at what John Skelton did last year in winning those games when he was in there. So I think you have to give John a lot of credit for winning those games. I certainly have a lot of respect for Kevin and what he's done in this league and we made the commitment to bring him in to our football team. So it's going to start out as even as it possibly can, and we're going to let the best player take it from there. We did that many years ago when we had Kurt Warner and Matt Leinart, and it worked out pretty good for us. So hopefully we'll have that same kind of magic." We have tried to erase the memories, but 2012 magic did not happen. Correction. There was magic for the first four weeks. After that, crap. It turned out that Whisenhunt was true to his word that the contract wouldn't matter, but Skelton had a terrible year. This year, there is no "competition" for the starter's job. Not everyone on the site thinks this is great. Airwave: I want an open competition anyways. Jesse Reynolds: I want to believe him but I think it's Kolbs to lose in reality As for Beanie,it was starting off the offseason with knee problems. It would be unwise of the Cardinals to force both Williams and Wells to come back at this juncture. Yes, OTAs do help, but health is far more important. If they can both be ready by the time training camp rolls around, that will benefit them more anyhow.