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2009 Offensive Line Analysis - Arizona Cardinals

2009 Projected Starters:
Left Tackle: Mike Gandy
Left Guard: Reggie Wells
Center: Lyle Sendlein
Right Guard: Deuce Lutui
Right Tackle: Levi Brown

2008 Injuries:
None

2008 Statistics:

ALY (Adjusted Line Yards): It is an alternate measure for yards per carry developed by Football Outsiders that takes into account various factors including down, distance, situation and opponent.
Source: www.footballoutsiders.com

Overview:
The Cardinals surprised everyone in 2008 with a trip to the Super Bowl and coming extremely close to defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, the Cardinals were unable to establish a rushing attack all year long ranking 31st in the NFL with only 3.5 yards per carry. Things were much better in pass protection as they allowed only 28 sacks despite attempting 630 passes which ranked them seventh in the NFL in sacks allowed per pass attempts.

The Cardinals added two new tackles in the 2007 off-season, both of whom will return as starters for a third consecutive season. On the left side is Mike Gandy, a 6’4” 310 lbs tackle who can also play guard and was signed as a free agent from the Buffalo Bills. He is not particularly strong or quick on his feet but is very intelligent and has an excellent technique. Gandy remains a better pass protector than a run blocker. Although he will never be a Pro Bowl caliber tackle, Gandy is someone the Cardinals can count on to make very few mistakes. He ranked 20th amongst left tackles with 6.25 sacks allowed which is pretty good for a left tackle in such a pass-heavy offense. On the right side is 2007 fifth overall pick Levi Brown who was drafted to protect Matt Leinart’s blindside but both players have been disappointing thus far. Brown is extremely strong at 6’5” and 325 lbs and was an excellent run blocker from day one. He is however not very quick on his feet and has been very inconsistent in pass protection. Last season he finished last amongst right tackles with 11.0 sacks allowed. Brown will continue to develop and improve his technique but it remains to be seen if he can be effective enough to one day protect the quarterback’s blindside. The top backup at tackle is Brandon Keith, a seventh round pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, who has been very impressive so far. The Cardinals knew that Keith was very strong and agile for a 6’5” and 345 lbs lineman but he has surprised them with his work ethic and has shown great improvements to his technique. With Mike Gandy becoming a free agent next off-season, Keith could hold the most important position on the line a year from now. 2009 fifth round pick Herman Johnson adds depth at the tackle position.

At left guard, the Cardinals will once again be able to count on Reggie Wells. Wells was a sixth round pick by the Cardinals in 2003 and will start for the sixth consecutive season. Wells is the most athletic lineman on the line and also has the ability to play the tackle position because of his quick feet. For a guard, Wells is not very big at only 310 lbs but the coaching staff likes to have him pull to the outside to run block. He has great technique which makes him a very good pass protector but unfortunately it will remain difficult for the Cardinals to run behind him because of his lack of strength. At right guard is 2006 second round pick Deuce Lutui out of USC. He is a big lineman at 6’4” and 330 lbs and a very good run blocker. The Cardinals were most successful when running to the right side in 2008 and he is one of the reasons for that success. Lutui also played at the tackle position in college and showed good mobility for a man his size but he would likely struggle at that position in the NFL. Lutui improved his technique in the past year and became much better in pass protection. Providing depth at guard is 6’5” and 330 lbs Elton Brown. Brown was selected in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Cardinals as a guard. He started nine games at right guard in his rookie season but played at tackle in 2007 when Levi Brown went down with an injury. Brown has poor technique but his strength and intensity make him a force as a run blocker. He has the versatility to play most positions on the line but he is a much better fit at guard because of his size and slower feet. 2009 seventh round pick Trevor Canfield also adds depth.

Lyle Sendlein will return as the starting center for a second consecutive season. Sendlein earned the job after Al Johnson underwent knee surgery in the 2008 off-season and was released later in the year. The 6’2” and 300 lbs lineman was an undrafted free agent in 2007 and was very impressive in pass protection in his first season as a starter allowing only 0.5 sacks. However, the Cardinals were ineffective all year long when running inside and Sendlein will need to get stronger for that to change.

2009 Outlook:
The Cardinals had an impressive season in 2008 but they will need to develop a running attack in order to improve in 2009. They have not averaged above 3.6 yards per carry since 2003 and averaged only 3.3 yards per carry against non-divisional opponents in 2008. The Cardinals selected Chris “Beanie” Wells with their first round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft but they might have been better off improving their offensive line. They will bring back the same group of five as last season and we find it very hard to believe that they could improve even with a new running back. In terms of depth they are in decent shape with Elton Brown at guard and Brandon Keith at tackle. Overall we expect the Cardinals line to be one of the worst at opening holes for the running game once again but they should still be above average in pass protection.

See all of our 2009 Offensive Line Analysis Articles