Roster

The Arizona Cardinals have named their Week 3 inactives for their game in Washington. They are as follows: RB J.J. Arrington, WR Early Doucet, QB Brian St. Pierre (emergency QB), DB Oliver Celestin, TE Jerame Tuman, LB Ali Highsmith and DL Gabe Watson.

NFL.com reports that the Cardinals aren't interested in agreeing to a new deal with DL Darnell Dockett. A trade demand might come next from the versatile defensive lineman. "We've made a proposal to the Cardinals for Darnell and if that's something they're not interested in doing with him being one of the top defensive tackles, then he would like for them to look at trades as well," said agent Drew Rosenhaus.

The Cardinals signed the following players to Reserve/Futures contracts: WR Onrea Jones, WR Lance Long, DT Keilen Dykes, CB Wilrey Fontenot, S Dennis Keyes and FB Justin Green.

Cardinals WR Jerheme Urban caught four passes for 43 yards in Week 17 against Seattle, including a 16-yard touchdown catch. He had 34 catches for 448 yards and four touchdowns this season.

The Arizona Cardinals signed linebacker Victor Hobson and released tight end Jerame Tuman on Wednesday. Hobson started the season with New England but was released at the end of training camp. He signed with the Cincinnati Bengals on Dec. 3 and played in two games before being released Dec. 16. Tuman, a 10-year NFL veteran, appeared in three games for Arizona, two as a starter, but has been inactive the last seven weeks. He caught three passes for 41 yards.

Cardinals LB Chike Okeafor, who hadn't recorded a sack since Oct. 12, picked up half of one Week 13 at Philadelphia. He finished with seven tackles, including six solo.

The Cardinals signed cornerback Bryant McFadden to a two-year contract Sunday. McFadden made eight regular-season starts last season while helping lead the Steelers to a Super Bowl victory over the Cardinals. He had 54 tackles and one sack despite missing six games due to an arm injury. McFadden returned from his injury and started the final three regular-season games and also all three of the Steelers' postseason games. He also had three tackles in the Super Bowl.

Agent Tom Condon has not confirmed multiple reports he was hired by Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin, but team GM Rod Graves ended any doubt with his comments after the Cardinals practiced on Monday. Graves said he's already had contact with Condon. "I anticipate a meeting with him sometime later this month," Graves said "We've had a history of being able to get deals done with Tom Condon." Boldin, embroiled in a long contract fight with the Cardinals, fired Drew Rosenhaus, who had represented him since 2003. Boldin sat out minicamp last month, citing a sore hamstring. He has been a no-show in the subsequent voluntary workouts. Graves said the Cardinals are working on new contracts for safety Adrian Wilson and linebacker Karlos Dansby before turning their attention to Boldin.

The Arizona Republic reports Cardinals QB Brian St. Pierre asked coach Ken Whisenhunt for a legitimate shot to become Kurt Warner's backup. "All I want is an honest chance to compete for the No. 2, so I'm looking forward to that, whenever it will happen, because it hasn't yet," St. Pierre said. St. Pierre assumes he's been running with the third team in voluntary practices because a bad back forced him to miss minicamp earlier this month. St. Pierre has never risen above third on the depth chart in his NFL career, which has included stints in Pittsburgh and Baltimore. He turns 30 in November and has played in only one game, throwing one pass (incomplete). He's eager for a chance to prove himself and wants to beat out Matt Leinart for the No. 2 job.

On Tuesday, RB Darius Walker and LB Kelly Poppinga were signed to the Rams' practice squad and S David Roach and FB Russ Weil were released from the Rams' practice squad.

The Cardinals selected St. Paul's CB Greg Toler with a fourth-round pick in the 2009 draft. An aggressive player, Toler had 14 interceptions in 40 games for the Division-II program. Toler is very raw, but exceptionally fast, timed in the low 4.4s and even sub-4.4 in his 40-yard dashes prior to the draft.

The Arizona Cardinals have signed free agent safety Keith Lewis to a two-year contract. The team also announced Monday it had re-signed backup quarterback Brian St. Pierre to a one-year deal. Terms weren't disclosed. Lewis was waived by San Francisco last month. A sixth-round draft pick out of Oregon in 2004, he played mostly on special teams for the 49ers. St. Pierre was the Cardinals' third quarterback, coming to Arizona from Pittsburgh in 2006.

The Arizona Cardinals have signed free agent fullback Dan Kreider to a one-year deal. Kreider played in 11 games for the St. Louis Rams last season before being released on Nov. 26. He spent the previous eight seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, appearing in 113 games, including 10 postseason games and starting in the 2006 Super Bowl. Kreider entered the NFL in 2000 as an undrafted rookie free agent out of New Hampshire.

The New Orleans Saints placed CB Greg Fassitt (knee) on Reserve/Injured. The Saints have waived LB Jo-Lonn Dunbar, WR Skyler Green, RB Lynell Hamilton, DT Orien Harris, LB William Kershaw, K Taylor Mehlhaff, TE Buck Ortega, QB Tyler Palko, DE Josh Savage, FB Olaniyi Sobomehein and WR Joe West.

The Arizona Cardinals declared RB Diamond Ferri, LB Gerald Hayes, DL Jonathan Lewis, QB John Navarre, FB A.J. Schable and CB Robert Tate inactive for Week 15 at San Francisco.

Cardinals K Neil Rackers kicked the Cardinals to a 24-6 lead over the Eagles in Sunday's NFC Championship Game with a 49-yarder just before halftime. Rackers also converted on all three extra points he tried.

The Arizona Republic reports Cardinals TE Anthony Becht wants to start for the team this year. There are five tight ends on the roster: Ben Patrick, Leonard Pope, Stephen Spach, Alex Schor and Becht, a 10-year veteran who joined the team as a free agent. Patrick and Pope split time as the starter for much of the season, though they battled through injuries and inconsistency. Spach joined the team late in the year and became the starter, only to suffer torn knee ligaments in a Jan. 10 playoff win over Carolina. Schor spent the year on the practice squad. But now there is Becht, who at 6-feet-5, 280 pounds, is a big target and a strong blocker. "I can still catch, I can still run, but my view is Coach (Whisenhunt) wants to get the running game going," said Becht. "For whatever reason, they didn't run the ball that well last year and it still worked out all right, but you definitely need a balance and I'm hoping I can help with that."

NewOrleansSaints.com reports that the team has released veteran LB Dhani Jones and waived the following players: OLs Ben Archibald, Brian Ferentz and Rob Petitti, WR Derrick Doyle, TE Ronnie Ghent, and DLs Rodney Leisle, Scott Scharff and Brandon Villarreal.

The Arizona Republic reports Cardinals TE Anthony Becht wants to start for the team this year. There are five tight ends on the roster: Ben Patrick, Leonard Pope, Stephen Spach, Alex Schor and Becht, a 10-year veteran who joined the team as a free agent. Patrick and Pope split time as the starter for much of the season, though they battled through injuries and inconsistency. Spach joined the team late in the year and became the starter, only to suffer torn knee ligaments in a Jan. 10 playoff win over Carolina. Schor spent the year on the practice squad. But now there is Becht, who at 6-feet-5, 280 pounds, is a big target and a strong blocker. "I can still catch, I can still run, but my view is Coach (Whisenhunt) wants to get the running game going," said Becht. "For whatever reason, they didn't run the ball that well last year and it still worked out all right, but you definitely need a balance and I'm hoping I can help with that."

A benign, baseball-size tumor has been removed from the chest of Arizona Cardinals defensive end Kenny Iwebema. Coach Ken Whisenhunt says the surgery was performed on Monday. The tumor was discovered during routine X-rays on April 30, the day before the start of minicamp. Iwebema showed no symptoms and that the condition could have been life-threatening had it gone undetected, Whisenhunt said after the team's voluntary workout on Wednesday. Iwebema, a fourth-round draft pick out of Iowa in 2008, can begin some rehabilitation work in two to three weeks but isn't expected to resume football activity for six to eight weeks. Doctors were able to use a minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure to remove the tumor through Iwebema's side. "It was very close," Whisenhunt said. "Had it (the tumor) been a little bit bigger, they would have had to crack his chest, which would have put him out for the year."

Chest - Questionable for the start of training camp

According to the team web site, Cardinals QB Kurt Warner said he still feels a little pain in his surgically-repaired hip but that it doesn't affect his play on the field. "I am waiting for that day when I am completely pain-free," he said.

Left hip - Probable for start of training camp

According to The Sports Xchange, the Cardinals could take a look at WR Lance Long. The report says Long "was impressive this offseason, catching nearly everything thrown his way." Last year, Long earned a spot on the practice squad.

TE Dominique Byrd was released by the Rams, according to StLouisRams.com. He caught four passes for 44 yards in 2007, playing in only nine games.

The Cardinals got a scare when their Pro Bowl receiver, Larry Fitzgerald, landed awkwardly while stretching to make a catch in Monday's practice, hurting his groin. After a few moments, he got up and rejoined the practice. He walked past reporters as he left the field, saying he needed to get treatment. "It was a little something," Fitzgerald said. "I'll be OK."

According to The Sports Xchange, Cardinals RB Beanie Wells could be behind when training camp starts. Wells missed OTAs because classes at Ohio State didn't end until mid-June. Wells tried to keep up with everything mentally but most of the offense has been installed, and he missed valuable time, the report says. Wells is competing with Tim Hightower for the starting job.

The Cardinals listed the following players as inactive for Week 13 against Seattle: Brian St. Pierre (3rd QB), DL Matt Ware, DL Travis LaBoy, OL Elliot Vallejo, OL Brandon Keith, WR Anquan Boldin, DL Kenny Iwebema and DL Gabe Watson.

The Browns selected Cody Brown with their second-round pick, and their plan is expected to involve him as a situational pass rusher in his first year. Brown is a 3-4 linebacker and a 4-3 end, and since the Cardinals use a hybrid defense, it's not known how exactly they'll use him in the long run. The UConn defensive player of the year last season, Brown had 11 sacks, 56 tackles, five forced fumbles and eight passes defensed.

The Cardinals signed the following players to Reserve/Futures contracts: WR Onrea Jones, WR Lance Long, DT Keilen Dykes, CB Wilrey Fontenot, S Dennis Keyes and FB Justin Green.

The Cardinals signed the following players to Reserve/Futures contracts: WR Onrea Jones, WR Lance Long, DT Keilen Dykes, CB Wilrey Fontenot, S Dennis Keyes and FB Justin Green.

Cardinals DB Aaron Francisco started in place of the injured Adrian Wilson (hamstring) during a Week 4 loss to the Jets. He totaled nine tackles (eight solo) and one tackle for loss in the game.

Cardinals TE Stephen Spach, TE Leonard Pope and WR Sean Morey did not record an offensive statistic in Week 16 at New England.

The Arizona Cardinals announced Saturday that the team has released the following 20 players: RB Damien Anderson, T Jeremy Bridges, FB John Bronson, LB Mark Brown, DT Tim Bulman, CB Dyshod Carter, TE Eric Edwards, S Chris Harrell, FB James Hodgins, WR Carlyle Holiday, CB Darrell Hunter, LB Isaac Keys, DE Tyler King, WR Greg Lee, C Shawn Lynch, S Jay McCareins, T Alan Reuber, WR Micheal Spurlock, WR Todd Watkins, and CB Justin Wyatt.

The Arizona Republic reports Cardinals RB Jason Wright wants to be more than the No. 3 rusher in Arizona. He is currently behind rookie Chris Wells and Tim Hightower and is expected to replace the departed J.J. Arrington, who signed in Denver. "I think the mindset with all the guys is we're here to push each other and based on our performance, it'll sort out the way it's supposed to sort out," Wright said. "And I think there's such a team mentality here that guys are really OK with that."

The Cardinals signed the following players to Reserve/Futures contracts: WR Onrea Jones, WR Lance Long, DT Keilen Dykes, CB Wilrey Fontenot, S Dennis Keyes and FB Justin Green.

As Anquan Boldin stays away in a contract dispute, Steve Breaston has confidently moved up to the No. 2 wide receiver spot for the Cardinals. Breaston knows how important these spring and summer practices can be. It was a year ago that Breaston opened the eyes of coaches with his talent and effort. The speedy receiver went on to become Arizona's third 1,000-yard receiver in 2008, catching 77 passes for 1,006 yards, an average of 13.1 yards per catch. Breaston has worked with the first-team offense so far this offseason and is glad to have his coaches' trust and to prove the naysayers wrong. "I told a lot of people that once I left my school there was a big cloud lifted," Breaston said. "What they said back in college or what I did in college, it doesn't determine where I'm going or what I'm going to do in this league. When I got here, I had a chip on my shoulder but the cloud was gone. No matter what people say, they can't determine the outcome I will have in the NFL."

The Arizona Republic reports Cardinals TE Anthony Becht wants to start for the team this year. There are five tight ends on the roster: Ben Patrick, Leonard Pope, Stephen Spach, Alex Schor and Becht, a 10-year veteran who joined the team as a free agent. Patrick and Pope split time as the starter for much of the season, though they battled through injuries and inconsistency. Spach joined the team late in the year and became the starter, only to suffer torn knee ligaments in a Jan. 10 playoff win over Carolina. Schor spent the year on the practice squad. But now there is Becht, who at 6-feet-5, 280 pounds, is a big target and a strong blocker. "I can still catch, I can still run, but my view is Coach (Whisenhunt) wants to get the running game going," said Becht. "For whatever reason, they didn't run the ball that well last year and it still worked out all right, but you definitely need a balance and I'm hoping I can help with that."

The Cardinals took care of their top offseason priority on Thursday by signing two-time Pro Bowl safety Adrian Wilson to a new five-year, $39 million contract, with $18.5 million guaranteed. The deal puts Wilson under contract through the 2013 season. Wilson is the hard-hitting leader of the Cardinals' defense and was a Pro Bowl selection in the 2006 and 2008 seasons. Wilson has been with the Cardinals longer than any other player on their roster, experiencing some rough years of losing before the team's unexpected run to the Super Bowl last season.

The Arizona Cardinals have re-signed free agent linebacker Clark Haggans to a three-year contract. Haggans played in 11 games for Arizona last season, with 27 tackles, one sack and a fumble recovery. He missed the final three games of the regular season and all four postseason contests with a foot injury. The 6-foot-4, 243-pound linebacker is entering his 10th NFL season. He signed with Arizona as a free agent in 2008 after spending his first eight pro seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Cardinals inactives for Week 16 at New England include QB Brian St. Pierre (3rd), DE Travis LaBoy, DT Alan Branch and TE Jerame Tuman.

Cardinals DB Antrel Rolle scooped up a Matt Ryan fumble and returned it 27 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter of Saturday's Wild Card playoff game against the Falcons. He finished with three tackles, including two solo.

Cardinals signed DB Michael Adams before Week 13 at Philadelphia.

Cardinals LB Karlos Dansby led all Arizona defenders with eight tackles in a Week 2 win over the Dolphins. Also chipping in with nice games were DB Roderick Hood (six tackles), DB Adrian Wilson (four tackles, one for loss), DL Bertrand Berry (four tackles, sack) and DL Bryan Robinson (sack).

The Arizona Republic reports with Cardinals WR Anquan Boldin skipping all three days of workouts during OTAs in May, the door was opened for second-year WR Early Doucet to get more reps in practices. "I think it definitely helps," Doucet said of Boldin's absence. "As a young player trying to make a name for yourself, you want to take advantage of those opportunities. It's all part of the game, too, because you never know when somebody is going to go down. You've got to be ready to step up whenever that time may be." If the situation with Boldin continues, the Cardinals and Doucet will be better off. In fact, he has shown so much improvement, some coaches and players are suggesting he can have the type of breakout season as teammate Steve Breaston did last year.

Veteran linebackers Brandon Moore, Matt Stewart, and Joe Tafoya were among the 22 players released by the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday, as the team pared its roster to the 53-player maximum. Also cut on Saturday were cornerback Michael Adams, cornerback Travarous Bain, defensive end Jason Banks, running back Steve Baylark, offensive lineman Kelly Butler, offensive lineman Peter Clifford, defensive tackle Keilen Dykes, linebacker Chris Harrington, offensive lineman Jasper Harvey, safety Dennis Keyes, wide receiver Lance Long, offensive lineman Carlton Medder, tight end Brent Miller, cornerback DeMario Minter, quarterback Anthony Morelli, wide receiver Jamaica Rector, center Pat Ross, tight end Alex Shor and running back Chris Vincent.

At the NFL Rookie Symposium in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., Cardinals rookie RB Beanie Wells told CBSSports.com in an exclusive interview that even though he wasn't at most of the OTA sessions this offseason because classes at Ohio State didn't end until mid-June, he still feels ready to step in and compete for the starting job with Tim Hightower once training camp starts. "I made sure that I stayed up with the players and the coaches so when I went there I wasn't behind in learning the plays," Wells said. "I'm pretty up to speed on everything." Wells said his goal is to be the starter this year. "That's definitely my plan from Day 1 is to get in there and learn as much as I can and eventually take over that starting job and become very productive," he said. Wells also realizes for him to play every down with the Cardinals, who are a passing team, he has to improve as a receiver. "It's going to be a big part of playing with the Cardinals since we throw the ball a lot," Wells said. "It's something I feel that I can do. I just didn't do it a lot in college, but I'm excited about it."

The Cardinals have put a non-exclusive franchise tag on linebacker Karlos Dansby. The move guarantees Dansby a salary of at least $9.7 million next season, the average salary of the five highest-paid players at his position. It also represents a 20 percent raise over what he made last year. The non-exclusive tag allows Dansby to field offers from other teams, but the Cardinals may match it or receive two first-round picks as compensation. The Cardinals can continue to negotiate a long-term contract with Dansby through July 15.

The Cardinals drafted Alabama safety Rashad Johnson with a third-round pick in the 2009 draft. Johnson is a bright, savvy, experienced safety. So why did he slip to Round 3? He's 5-foot-11, and teams aren't big on safeties that aren't tailor-made. He also could stand to add more muscle to his frame.

Cardinals tight end Ben Patrick has been suspended for four games for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy. Patrick tested positive for the drug Adderall, an amphetamine, his agent Kevin Omell said on Monday. "He literally took one pill one time driving back from Flagstaff to keep him awake," Omell said. According to Omell, Patrick got the pill from a friend who had used the drug to stay up late studying. "It was a completely honest mistake and he's really remorseful," Omell said.

Suspension - Suspended. Out until at least Week 6 at Seattle

The Cardinals signed second-round pick Calais Campbell on Monday. Campbell, a defensive end out of Miami, signed a four-year deal. Terms weren't disclosed. The 6-foot-8, 280-pound Campbell was the 50th overall pick after skipping his senior season to come to the NFL. As a junior last season, he had 50 tackles, six sacks, 19 quarterback pressures, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and an interception.

The Cardinals listed the following players as inactive for Week 15 vs. Minnesota: QB Brian St. Pierre (third QB), DB Eric Green, RB Terrelle Smith, LB Pago Togafau, LB Clark Haggans, OL Brandon Keith, DL Alan Branch and TE Jerame Tuman.

Short, shifty RB LaRod Stephens-Howling from Pitt was taken by the Cardinals with a seventh-round pick in the 2009 draft. The rusher reminds a lot of people of a poor man's Darren Sproles -- minimal size but maximum ability with good quickness.

The Cardinals signed the following players to Reserve/Futures contracts: WR Onrea Jones, WR Lance Long, DT Keilen Dykes, CB Wilrey Fontenot, S Dennis Keyes and FB Justin Green.

The following Broncos players did not record an offensive statistic in Week 16 against Buffalo: QB Darrell Hackney, TE/LS Mike Leach, TE Chad Mustard and TE Jeb Putzier.

Free-agent cornerback Ralph Brown re-signed with the Arizona Cardinals on Wednesday, agreeing to a one-year deal. Brown played in all 16 games for Arizona last season, with 23 tackles - 17 solo - and one interception. The eight-year NFL veteran has also played for the New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings and Cleveland Browns. Terms weren't disclosed.

Cardinals RB Tim Castille had one catch for minus-2 yards Sunday at New England

The Cardinals listed the following players as inactive for Week 13 against Seattle: Brian St. Pierre (3rd QB), DL Matt Ware, DL Travis LaBoy, OL Elliot Vallejo, OL Brandon Keith, WR Anquan Boldin, DL Kenny Iwebema and DL Gabe Watson.

Arizona LB Gerald Hayes had five tackles Sunday at New England.

The Cardinals selected Illinois DE Will Davis with a sixth-round pick in the 2009 draft. Davis is coming off a sour senior year with the Illini but has some athleticism.

The Arizona Republic reports Cardinals QB Matt Leinart worked out a few times with Patriots QB Tom Brady at UCLA this offseason. Brady worked with Leinart on his footwork, release and other fundamentals.

The Arizona Republic reports Cardinals TE Anthony Becht wants to start for the team this year. There are five tight ends on the roster: Ben Patrick, Leonard Pope, Stephen Spach, Alex Schor and Becht, a 10-year veteran who joined the team as a free agent. Patrick and Pope split time as the starter for much of the season, though they battled through injuries and inconsistency. Spach joined the team late in the year and became the starter, only to suffer torn knee ligaments in a Jan. 10 playoff win over Carolina. Schor spent the year on the practice squad. But now there is Becht, who at 6-feet-5, 280 pounds, is a big target and a strong blocker. "I can still catch, I can still run, but my view is Coach (Whisenhunt) wants to get the running game going," said Becht. "For whatever reason, they didn't run the ball that well last year and it still worked out all right, but you definitely need a balance and I'm hoping I can help with that."

Veteran linebackers Brandon Moore, Matt Stewart, and Joe Tafoya were among the 22 players released by the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday, as the team pared its roster to the 53-player maximum. Also cut on Saturday were cornerback Michael Adams, cornerback Travarous Bain, defensive end Jason Banks, running back Steve Baylark, offensive lineman Kelly Butler, offensive lineman Peter Clifford, defensive tackle Keilen Dykes, linebacker Chris Harrington, offensive lineman Jasper Harvey, safety Dennis Keyes, wide receiver Lance Long, offensive lineman Carlton Medder, tight end Brent Miller, cornerback DeMario Minter, quarterback Anthony Morelli, wide receiver Jamaica Rector, center Pat Ross, tight end Alex Shor and running back Chris Vincent.

Defensive end Bertrand Berry has agreed to a one-year contract with the Cardinals, keeping the veteran with the NFC Champs. Berry rejoins the Cardinals after playing 14 regular-season games and getting a team-high five sacks to go along with 31 tackles, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in 2008. Berry played all four of the Cardinals postseason games. He started three of them and had two sacks and a fumble recovery.

Cardinals DB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie intercepted a Rams QB Marc Bulger pass and took it 99 yards the other way for a touchdown that put the game completely out of reach.