Arizona Cardinals: Week 17 Stock Report

Oct 17, 2013; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals defensive end Calais Campbell against the Seattle Seahawks at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

BUY

Jay Feely: It’s late to acquire his stock as I feel he may be gone from the game or at least the Cardinals next season. Regardless of that and the fact he may have a little blame in last week’s loss, he is a solid leader on special teams and had a solid career. This last season was his fifth or sixth best in the thirteen seasons he has played. I enjoyed watching him line Patrick Peterson up on kick returns in order to coach him and cheer him on as he ran back kicks for touchdowns a season ago but I’m not opposed to acquiring a new kicker this off-season.

Calias Campbell Motivation: I’m not sure how many saw this moment during the game but it deserved mentioning as it attributes to the defense and Calias Campbell. Colin Kapernick rolled out of the pocket to be tackled a few yards later. Trash talked ensued between him and some Cardinals players to include Campbell and the broadcast caught Kaepernick cussing out Campbell. The very next play was a sack by Campbell who didn’t say anything back but only stared at the floored quarterback and then did his signature walk off home run celebration. I’m hoping more opponents say the wrong thing to Campbell next year to bring him to his full potential.

The 2013 Season: In the end the season was success, not just because I predicted a 8-8 and received a 10-6 but the team had more character, grit and football I.Q than years before.

SELL

Spread Offense: Let me be clear here, I like the spread offense but not with the line we had this season. The stats in this formation were bad, no need to recite them.  If the off-season goes as planned, the line will be dramatically better. When that happens, one must jump all over this stock.

No Deja-vu in 2014: The notion the Cardinals can’t be 10-6 and out of the playoffs again is absurd. The Rams are primed for a solid off-season and the other two opponents in our division are consistent playoff teams.

Paul Fanaika: The left side of the line was pretty bad this season but due to good schemes and coaching they were able to salvage a better performance than expected. I noticed in many games though that when Bradley Sowell and Fanaika were left to isolation assignments they got beat. In almost every play against the 49ers the center had to help left as well as the blocking back. Bobby Massie and Nate Potter would have been better guards and Sowell is needed for depth. The odd man out is Fanaika.

HOLD

Michael Floyd: He was dramatically better in his sophomore year. If he has peaked, he’s still a solid number two receiver.

Andre Roberts: He did regress this season but it was likely to allow Michael Floyd to blossom some more. Now that Floyd has come into his own Roberts can be utilized as the streaky slot receiver.