Buffalo Bills Battles: Arizona Cardinals
As the 2012 NFL Draft is now behind us, its time to take an in depth look at the Buffalo Bills 2012 opponents. In this series I will examine each of our 13 opponents off season moves as well as take a look at what their team looks like heading into the 2012 season.
Week 6: At Arizona Cardinals
Off Season Free Agent Signings and Losses
Signed:
CB William Gay
G/OT Adam Snyder
S James Sanders
DE/OLB Quentin Groves
Re-signed:
DE/DT Vonnie Holliday
DE/OLB Clark Haggans
S Rashad Johnson
RB/KR LaRod Stephens-Howling
P Dave Zastudil
CB Greg Toler
ILB Reggie Walker
K Jay Feely
OT D’Anthony Batiste
WR Early Doucet
OT Levi Brown
Lost:
Ravens sign S Sean Considine
Dolphins sign CB Richard Marshall
Seahawks sign G Deuce Lutui
Released QB Max Hall
Cut G Rex Hadnot
Cut WR Chansi Stuckey
Remaining UFA’s:
DE/OLB Joey Porter
RB Chester Taylor
WR Chansi Stuckey
S Hamza Abdullah
OT Brandon Keith
Franchise Tag: DE Calais Campbell
2012 Draft Selections
13. Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame
80. Jamell Fleming, CB, Oklahoma
112. Bobby Massie, OT, Ole Miss
151. Senio Kelemete, G, Washington
177. Justin Bethel, S, Presbyterian
185. Ryan Lindley, QB, San Diego State
221. Nate Potter, OT/G
Summery
Week 6 brings us to the second game in row on the west coast. It will be interesting to see if Buffalo stays out west during this road trip or makes the long flights from Buffalo to San Francisco to Buffalo to Arizona then finally back home to Buffalo. The travel alone could be tiresome to this unit let alone playing two physical games.
Last years Cardinals traded for Kevin Kolb, but some Cardinal fans feel that John Skelton is actually the answer at the QB position. Skelton did lead the Cardinals on five game winning drives last year. A possible problem for Arizona with starting Skelton is that they paid Kolb a $7 million roster bonus after loosing out on the Payton Manning sweepstakes, and still owe plenty on his 6 year $65 million contract.
Patrick Peterson who is entering his second season in the league showed vast improvement in the second half of the season as a cover corner. He has already become one of the most dangerous return men in the league after returning four punts for touchdowns a season ago.
As for Arizona, it seems that you never know what Cardinal team you will get. After a very slow start the Cardinals finished strong going 7-2 over their last nine games to end the season with an 8-8 record. Beanie Wells has really started to come into is own rushing for over 10 touchdowns on a 1047 yard performance. Lets not forget the receiver they drafted to play opposite of thee Larry Fitzgerald in one Michael Floyd. If Kolb or Skelton have time, this could again be a very potent offense.
The Arizona Cardinals are a team that I enjoyed watching from a far as I was a Kurt Warner fan. This fan though, will never forget the hit that Adrian Wilson put on Trent Edwards in 2008 that seemed to not only derail a fast start to the Bills season that year, but also seemed to ruin Edwards career as he was never quite the same player again.