How The Cardinals Can Progress Or Digress In Loss Of Dansby

Dec 9, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Dallas Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Ware (94) shakes hands after the game at Soldier Field. Chicago defeats Dallas 45-28. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

Now that the frenzy has begun and the teams are battling for supremacy and power ranking for next years season, the Arizona Cardinals have begun the same style of process in free agency as they did last year.

This team is close to being a stable legit contender and need to be a better team than last year, and the question is; Does getting rid of the best line backer on the team make them better? the answer is, it depends on what you replace him with.

Fact is, with Dansby the Cardinals defense at one point could have been the number one defense in the league for a stretch of weeks during last year and need to make the moves that would progress them and not set them back.

The team may not be in the business of big spending but after the moves so far in freeing up cap space, I think its time to kick the tires on a vet guy that instantly makes your defense better regardless of losing a player like Karlos Dansby and easily that player is Damarcus Ware.

Ware has had his name involved in a few landing spots but this is a guy that will make an immediate impact in pressure on the opposing  offense and here is why, Damarcus Ware and a few other pass rushers are players that play in a position that does not require them to rely on another players position to make them successful on the field . The outside defensive ends job is simply beat the guy in front of you and get to the passer, it doesn’t require scheme and help from others its just simply one on one. Who better than Damarcus Ware when healthy to supply pressure for your defense.

The other skilled positions require a team concept and when moved from one team to the next they may decline in production because of the time it takes to get use to teammates and scheme, this is exactly why getting a Ware in free agency trumps the loss of Dansby and would make the team better.

Other big names that will satisfy the need at pass rusher would be Jared Allen and Julius Peppers, guys that have set a mark and have made some noise in disrupting backfields and have their names in the top 10 in rushing. Pair one or even two of these guys with John Abraham (who happens to be on that sack list himself) will make for a very disruptive defense, a defense that would be set up for at least one season to make a hard run at the big dance trying to win it on the defensive side of the ball.

Sitting back and waiting is not good and you may miss the opportunity to progress and perhaps digress, having freed up about 18 mil in cap space so far, now is the time to make a move this big and if they don’t may cost the Cardinals a better chance to catch their division foes and cement themselves as a contender in the NFC.

The method of one year “prove it” deals was the Cardinals staple last year and could work just as effective this year but with bigger names, this team is not that far away from making it reality to play in the big game in February in their own house. I hope management can see the urgency and watch closely the moves the division foes will be making and counter them with aggressive moves like this scenario.