Saffold to Cardinals?

[ChrisW]

ccording to Kent Somers, the Cardinals top-two free agent targets are Chiefs LT Branden Albert and Rams OLRodger Saffold.

The fact that Albert is expected to be among the team’s top targets in free agency is hardly surprising given that reports have been saying as much for a number of months now.

Albert and Saffol represent two of the best offensive linemen in this year’s free agent market and Arizona needs to find some long-term answers to their offensive line issues.

Albert, 29, should have plenty of interest from teams in need of a true blindside protector. Some have mentioned that Albert could secure close to $7 million annually in his next contract. The Bears signed LT Jermon Bushrod to a five-year deal worth $35.965 million that included $22.465 million guaranteed last year, which happens to be the most recent comparison for a $7 million annual salary.

Saffold, 25, played left tackle for the Rams during his first few years in the league, but wound up playing both guard and right tackle after they signed Jake Long in free agency last year. Saffold has said that he would prefer to either play left tackle or right guard.

St. Louis reportedly believes Saffold is better suited at guard, so it will be interesting to see what kind of figures are being thrown around regarding an extension. Saffold is widely expected to have an active market.

 

[Ramrasta]

Saffold is definitely more suited to play guard. At tackle, the extra movement required leaves him injured on a regular basis. He is everything you can ask for in a guard but let someone else pick him up if he insists on playing tackle where he tends to be a liability.

 

[Sum1]

Saffold is definitely more suited to play guard. At tackle, the extra movement required leaves him injured on a regular basis. He is everything you can ask for in a guard but let someone else pick him up if he insists on playing tackle where he tends to be a liability.

He has been clear that he is open to playing guard.

 

[Ramrasta]

He has been clear that he is open to playing guard.

Where I see the issue is someone else being willing to pay him tackle money where we obviously will only pay him good guard money.

 

[Sum1]

Where I see the issue is someone else being willing to pay him tackle money where we obviously will only pay him good guard money.

I agree to an extent.

I'd be A-Okay with paying him fairly knowing that he would be a starting guard while also carrying value as a swing tackle.


I honestly don't expect him to re-sign with the Rams unless the market is much cooler on him than expected.

 

[Mojo Ram]

If Saffold wasn't such an injury-liability we would've had him locked up already.

 

[RamBill]

Daryn Colledge says goodbye to Arizona Cardinals

By Chris Wesseling

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap20...bye-to-arizona-cardinals?campaign=Twitter_atl

The Arizona Cardinals have begun the eagerly awaited overhaul of their offensive line.

Veteran left guard Daryn Colledge tweeted Saturday that he's been informed of his pending release.

Colledge told Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic that the combination of his age (32), salary and the drafting of a pair of guards last offseason made him expendable in the desert.

Per Somers, the transaction will be designated a post-June 1 release, allowing the Cardinals to spread the $4.55 salary-cap hit over two years.

Signed away from the Packers on a five-year, $27.5 million contract in 2011, Colledge was often the lone stalwart on an overwhelmed offensive line over the past three seasons.

He will be replaced by 2013 first-round pick Jonathan Cooper, who is returning from a broken leg that kept him off the field all of last season.

Cooper won't be the only addition. NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport has reported the Cardinals are placing a "high priority" on left tackle Branden Albert in free agency.

Somers confirms Albert is the team's No. 1 target, with versatile St. Louis Rams lineman Rodger Saffold as the fallback option.

Coach Bruce Arians emphasized at the NFL Scouting Combine that Carson Palmer can spin the ball with the NFL's best quarterbacks when he's protected. The Cardinals plan to ensure that he gets that extra time to throw in 2014.

 

[The Rammer]

I swear if Saffold goes away to the Cards I pray that due to injuries he has to play LT and Quinn eats him alive the two games we face him!

 

[Yamahopper]

I hope the Cards do sign Safflod for LT. Quinn's gonna eat his lunch twice a year like he did every day in camp.

 

[jap]

Beetlejuice would get injured trying to stay with The Mighty One.

 

[RamFan503]

Y'know... if it were a player that showed he could play at a high level AND stay on the field, I would be thinking, "here we go again". But we have done a pretty good job of retaining our stars while pulling in some other key pieces and then letting players with a serious injury history hit FA. I like Rodger and think he's a very good O-lineman but you can't ignore the time spent rehabbing various injuries. He's going on three straight years with major time losses. He's just not someone you can build around IMO.