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Things to watch throughout Cardinals training camp - Part III
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Matt York / AP
3. The Offensive Line – As has been the case in recent years, you will want to pay close attention to how the offensive line develops throughout training camp. Though there has been massive improvement, there were still too many mistakes made last year and the position is too important a piece of professional football to just overlook it and call it a done deal. I admit, I’m almost splitting hairs here since everyone is coming back from an offensive line that ended up taking the Cardinals to a Super Bowl, but last year’s penalties and missed assignments can’t be bypassed and forgotten because of a few great games.
Let’s take a look at some key statistics for the starting five:
| Started | Penalties | Penalty Yards | Sacks Allowed | |
| LT Levi Brown | 16 games | 8 | 55 | 11 |
| LG Reggie Wells | 16 games | 3 | 35 | 1.75 |
| C Lyle Sendlein | 16 games | 3 | 20 | .5 |
| RG Deuce Lutui | 16 games | 9 | 80 | 2 |
| RT Mike Gandy | 16 games | 4 | 35 | 6.25 |
| Total | 27 | 225 | 21.5 |
First, the good: all five offensive linemen started every single game last year – this is as rare as an OchoCinco touchdown without a celebration…it just doesn’t happen. This is also probably one of the best possible outcomes for the Cardinals since the discussions about the offensive line this time last year weren’t quite as positive. But this is also exactly why watching this group throughout training camp is going to be so interesting.
Will we see the same kind of competition that we saw brewing last year? Will Brandon Keith or Elton Brown sneak their way into the starting line-up, despite the “top 5” having played so many games together? Will rookies Trevor Canfield and Herman Johnson have any impact at all? The last thing we want after a solid year of injury-free football is to have anyone on the line go soft. Funny as it sounds, though, I’m not worried (it still feels weird to say those words as a Cardinals fan...I'm not worried). If Whisenhunt’s track record has shown us anything, it is that he won’t allow anyone to go soft, that every position is open to every player, and that the best player will start on Sundays. Period. Competition shouldn't be a problem.
Now, the not-so-good: 225 yards worth of penalties and almost 22 sacks allowed says a lot. The Cardinals had 233 penalty yards in the postseason alone (obviously not all of it the offensive line). Levi Brown got beat off the edge time and time again for lack of mobility and Deuce Lutui had more brain farts than Paris Hilton. If the Cardinals plan on sustaining the success they had at the end of last year, this unit has got to become more disciplined, clean up the dumb mistakes, and work very hard in training camp.
I can’t believe I’m even saying this, but if told to choose heads or tails, and heads I get the Cardinals o-line and tails I get the Tennessee Titans front five, I’m happy either way the coin falls. To even be able to compare this unit with one of the best in football speaks volumes to the progress they’ve achieved. All that said, let’s see what happens in August before “crowning their…” well, you get the point.
Other things to watch throughout Cardinals training camp:
Part II - Ongoing contract negotiations
Part I - Rookie development
And other Cardinals training camp articles you may want to look into:
Arizona Cardinals 2009 training camp schedule
Will Anquan Boldin report to training camp?
More About:
NFL ·
Arizona Cardinals ·
training camp ·
Offensive Line ·
Levi Brown ·
Deuce Lutui ·
Lyle Sendlein ·
Reggie Wells ·
Mike Gandy
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