Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
We look at the specialists for the Arizona Cardinals in 2020 and what could be coming in 2021.
The Arizona Cardinals are in the offseason and are evaluating what to do to improve and address the roster in 2021.
As we have done previously with the quarterback, running back, wide receiver, offensive line, defensive line positions, as well as inside and outside linebackers, cornerbacks and safeties we will look at each position group, how it did in 2020, who is on the roster moving forward, and what the Cardinals need at the position moving forward.
Next up are the specialists.
Their kickers, punter and seven of their top special teams players are all scheduled to be free agents this offseason.
The Arizona Cardinals have had stability in their special teams unit over the last couple of seasons. That could change this offseason.
Almost all their top special teams players are free agents.
Kicker Zane Gonzalez and punter Andy Lee are scheduled to be free agents. There is question as to whether the Cardinals want Gonzalez back, but his late-season replacement, Mike Nugent, is also a free agent.
Trent Sherfield, Dennis Gardeck, Ezekiel Turner, Chris Banjo, D.J. Foster and Charles Washington, all of whom have been core special teams in almost all their special teams units, are all scheduled to hit free agency.
Sherfield, Gardeck and Turner are restricted free agents. Gardeck is also recovering from a torn ACL.
If you also add Tanner Vallejo, who also will be a free agent, all their field goals, punts and 67 of their special teams tackles this season are all going to be free agents.
Aside from Gonzalez’ struggles last year in the kicking game, special teams has been pretty strong. That might change if they lose too many of these key contributors this offseason.
[vertical-gallery id=448145]
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
Latest show:
Previous shows:
and
Lee completes a pass to Ezekiel Turner for a 26-yard play on fourth down.
[sendtonews_embed video_id=”M8xdS0ApEv-1079747-7498″]
The Arizona Cardinals defeated the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday afternoon 33-26 at State Farm Stadium. One of the biggest plays of the game was a fake punt in the fourth quarter. Punter Andy Lee threw the ball to linebacker Ezekiel Turner for 26 yards on fourth-and-2 to extend the drive. The Cardinals did not score on the drive, eventually turning the ball over on downs, but it was one of the best plays of the game.
Watch it unfold in the above video.
[listicle id=447282]
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
Latest show:
Previous shows:
and
If the Cardinals want to add even more cap space this offseason, these are players who could be cut or traded.
The Arizona Cardinals will have as much as $74 million in salary cap space when the new league year begins, depending on what moves they make with their own pending free agents before then.
They can increase that cap space by curring or trading players.
Who are potential salary-cap casualties?
Johnson’s cap hit in 2020 is more than $14 million. However, the Cardinals can’t simply cut him or they will lose more than $4 million in cap space because it would generate more than $18 million in dead money because his 2020 salary is fully guaranteed.
Cutting him is not an option, but trading him is. In a trade, they would save more than $8 million in cap space, although it would generate $6 million in dead money.
His future with the team is perhaps the most pressing question of the offseason.
[protected-iframe id=”5a077b6c80e43549964e9cb25d81401e-112738498-106269283″ info=”https://api.spreaker.com/v2/episodes/21468690/download.mp3″ ]
Tyson Fury posted on Instagram a photo of himself, SugarHill Steward and Andy Lee. and said: “Getting the old team back up and running.’’
It looks as if Tyson Fury’s new trainer is SugarHill Steward, a nephew of the late Emanuel Steward.
Hours after news broke Sunday that Fury had split with Ben Davison, Fury posted a photo on Instagram of him, SugarHill Steward and former middleweight champion Andy Lee. It included a caption that said: “Getting the old team back up and running.’’
Davison confirmed early Sunday that he would no longer be in Fury’s corner. With only 10 weeks before a February heavyweight rematch with Deontay Wilder, Fury moved quickly to find a new trainer.
Fury, who is scheduled to fight Wilder on Feb. 22, got to know SugarHill Steward while training in Detroit at the Kronk Gym in 2009. His name then was Javan “Sugar’’ Hill. He formally changed it last year, in honor of Steward, the Hall of Fame trainer who died in 2012.
SugarHill Steward worked with former light heavyweight champion Adonis Stevenson after his mentor’s death. He also has been in the corner for super middleweight Anthony Dirrell and heavyweight Charles Martin.
Lamar Jackson, Todd Gurley, Jameis Winston and Ryan Tannehill led the way in Week 14 of the NFL season.
Week 14 saw special performances and some memorable cleats, none more than those of Cardinals punter Andy Lee. Bravo.
The Cardinals’ punter hit three boots for a 55-yard average. More importantly, he wore some cleats that were special to him and others. Lee, kicker Zane Gonzalez and long snapper Aaron Brewer all wore cleats for Madelyn’s Fund, a non-profit started by Andy Lee and his wife, Rachel, in November 2016. Madelyn’s Fund provides support to infant and pediatric patients in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and their families, particularly those who experience the trauma of infant loss. It is named in honor of Madelyn Lee, Andy and Rachel’s late daughter, who passed away in February 2015 at just 8 days old. “Doing this and going through all this, it’s just really helped us kind of heal from that loss,” Lee told the Arizona Republic. “I mean, obviously, it is still … I mean it sucks. It’s horrible. There’s not a day goes by — I still sleep with her blanket, her baby blanket, every night. “She’ll always be there, but doing this, it’s just helped us to be able to turn the worst thing that’s ever happened to us into something positive for other people.”
Cardinals’ punter Andy Lee will wear cleats Sunday for Madelyn's Fund, a non-profit started by Lee and his wife, Rachel, in Nov. 2016. It is named in honor of Madelyn Lee, Andy and Rachel's late daughter, who passed away in Feb. 2015 at just 8 days old.https://t.co/Be5vJCnBKI
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 7, 2019
Andy Lee was the only stud. The rest were duds.
The Arizona Cardinals lost 34-7 to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. Who were the players to stand out for good and not so good?
Check out our studs and duds from the game.
It’s pretty bad when the punter makes this list. He punted seven times averaging 44.4 yards per kick. However, his net average was 43.6 yards, which is fantastic. Four of his punts were downed inside the 20.
[protected-iframe id=”7c5e8594ce7da58c26fdaf8b0a9bcd70-112738498-106269283″ info=”https://api.spreaker.com/v2/episodes/20312310/download.mp3″ ]
Gonzalez has made more field goals than anyone else in the league.
The Arizona Cardinals have not had a great season but do have some players who deserve recognition for their fine seasons. Defensively, there are three players who should get Pro Bowl consideration, even when the defensive unit, on the whole, is bad.
Two others also should be in the mix — kicker Zane Gonzalez and punter Andy Lee.
Gonzalez leads the NFL with 26 made field goals. He has hit 26-of-29, including 2-for-2 from 50 yards and beyond.
Lee is second in the NFL with a 48.8-yard punting average. He is eighth in net average.
If one of the two were more deserving, it would have to be Gonzalez. He has been fantastic. Aside from two missed field goals when Andy Lee was hurt, he has been nearly automatic. He has looked like the kicker he was at Arizona State when he won the Lou Groza award as the best kicker in the country.
Without many wins, they likely won’t get the attention they might merit, but they certainly are worthy of a Pro Bow nod.
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.
[protected-iframe id=”dc9401a9946bd6d695c8bc6452e2c715-112738498-106269283″ info=”https://api.spreaker.com/v2/episodes/20138538/download.mp3″ ]
Cassius Marsh, Andy Lee and Tramaine Brock are all former 49ers.
When the Arizona Cardinals face their opponents, almost always there are players on both teams who spent time with the other at some point in their career. This is almost the case in Week 11 as the Cardinals take on the San Francisco 49ers.
The Cardinals have three players who used to play for the Niners, but San Francisco has no former Cardinals at all on its roster.
Who are the three former 49ers?
Brock played for the 49ers from 2010-2016. He played 80 games for them after making the team as an undrafted rookie out of Long Beach Senior. He started 40 games and had 11 interceptions for them. Since leaving the 49ers, he has been on three teams in three years.
[protected-iframe id=”e1d0fe3745adff805885f9c1789909c9-112738498-106269283″ info=”https://api.spreaker.com/v2/episodes/20006504/download.mp3″ ]
It was a direct-snap, reverse, pitch-back deep throw that went for 26 yards.
[sendtonews_embed video_id=”AvRbsEghLI-650418-7498″]
The Arizona Cardinals lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday 30-27 but they had some highlight plays. One play in particular was a fake punt that extended a drive in the fourth quarter.
After the Bucs took at 23-20 lead, the Cardinals had a drive stall after three straight incompletions and lined up to punt.
They dialed up one of the most complex fake punt plays ever run.
Dennis Gardeck took the direct snap, ran left, pitch the ball on a reverse and the receiver tossed the ball back to punter Andy Lee, who threw the ball deep down the left sideline to Pharoh Cooper, who made the catch for a 26-yard gain and first down. Had the catch not been made, it still would not have mattered, as the Bucs were flagged for pass interference on the play.
It might be the trick play of the year. Watch it for the first time or again in the above video.
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Stitcher Radio.
[protected-iframe id=”a204a11f801568b3e0792ce96f9d7e48-112738498-106269283″ info=”https://api.spreaker.com/v2/episodes/19884698/download.mp3″ ]
