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Arizona Cardinals: 5 position battles to watch

By Scott Allen

ATLANTA, GA - NOVEMBER 27: Eric Weems #14 of the Atlanta Falcons returns a kick off against Brandon Williams #26 of the Arizona Cardinals during the first half at the Georgia Dome on November 27, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - NOVEMBER 27: Eric Weems #14 of the Atlanta Falcons returns a kick off against Brandon Williams #26 of the Arizona Cardinals during the first half at the Georgia Dome on November 27, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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LANDOVER, MD – DECEMBER 17: Phil Dawson #4 of the Arizona Cardinals kicks a field goal in the second quarter against the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field on December 17, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
LANDOVER, MD – DECEMBER 17: Phil Dawson #4 of the Arizona Cardinals kicks a field goal in the second quarter against the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field on December 17, 2017 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

Kicker

It seems crazy that a rookie kicker could come in a supplant a 20-year veteran.  These days, you never know what a team is thinking when it comes to its kickers?

The Cardinals could be caught in such a quandary during training camp this summer.  They have their veteran, Phil Dawson, who is entering his second season with the team.

They also brought in undrafted free agent Matt McCrane out of Kansas State.  Don’t be surprised if McCrane gives the Cardinals something more than a training camp body.

McCrane was a semifinalist for the Lou Groza award last season.  That award goes to the nation’s top college football kicker.

Dawson had his moments last season, both good and bad.  Would the Cardinals replace a veteran like Dawson with a younger kicker?  Well, it happened four years ago.

The Cardinals surprisingly elected to keep undrafted kicker Chandler Catanzaro over veteran Jay Feely.  The point is, nothing is a sure thing, even in kicking.

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