Projected 53-Man Roster: Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta Falcons 
Last updated: August 31, 2015 at 8:56 AM

QB (3): Matt Ryan, T.J. Yates, Sean Renfree
RB (4): Devonta Freeman, Tevin Coleman, Antone Smith, Jerome Smith
FB (1): Patrick DiMarco
WR (5): Julio Jones, Roddy White, Devin Hester, Justin Hardy, Leonard Hankerson
TE (3): Jacob Tamme, Levine Toilolo, Tony Moeaki
OT (4): Jake Matthews, Ryan Schraeder, Tyler Polumbus, Jake Rodgers 
C/G (5): Joe Hawley, Jon Asamoah, Chris Chester, Pete Konz, James Stone 
DT (4): Paul Soliai, Ra'Shede Hageman, Jonathan Babineaux, Grady Jarrett
DE (6): Tyson Jackson, Adrian Clayborn, Vic Beasley, Kroy Biermann, O'Brien Schofield, Malliciah Goodman
LB (6): Paul Worrilow, Brooks Reed, Justin Durant, Joplo Bartu, Nathan Stupar, Tyler Starr
CB (6): Desmond Trufant, Robert Alford, Jalen Collins, Phillip Adams, Dezmen Southward, Kevin White
S (4): William Moore, Charles Godfrey, Kemal Ishmael, Ricardo Allen
K (1): Matt Bryant
P (1): Matt Bosher
LS (1): Josh Harris
Physically Unable to Perform: Lamar Holmes
*Courtesy of  Ourlads'

Projected 53-Man Roster: Arizona Cardinals

With the draft behind us and the offseason well under way -- several teams have already placed player(s) on injured-reserve -- I've come with my annual roster projections for all 32 teams. I'm projecting each team's final roster -- a total of 53 players. I'll be releasing practice squad projections later this summer. I take many factors into consideration when I predict the fate of a team's roster, such as the history of each player (on and off the field); player contracts; coaching strategies/tendencies; player-to-scheme fit; positional depth, etc. I use Ourlads' to view every team's depth chart, which is always kept up to date and, personally, I find it to be the most reliable source on the web when it comes to NFL rosters and depth charts. Without further adieu, we start with a certain red-jersey team out west.

Arizona Cardinals 
Last updated: September 1, 2015 at 3:25 PM

QB (3): Carson Palmer, Drew Stanton, Logan Thomas
RB (4): Andre Ellington, Kerwynn Williams, David Johnson, Stepfan Taylor
FB (1): Paul Lasike
WR (5): Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd, John Brown, Jaron Brown, J.J. Nelson
TE (3): Troy Niklas, Darren Fells, Ifeanyi Momah
OT (4): Jared Veldheer, Bradley Sowell, D.J. Humphries, Cameron Bradfield
C/G (5): Lyle Sendlein, Mike Iupati, Jonathan Cooper, Earl Watford, Tyler Larsen
NT (3): Alameda Ta'amu, Rodney Gunter, Ed Stinson
DE (4): Calais Campbell, Cory Redding, Frostee Rucker, Matt Shaughnessy
OLB (5): Alex Okafor, Markus Golden, Kareem Martin, Lamar Woodley, Shaquille Riddick 
ILB (4): Kevin Minter, Sean Weatherspoon, Kenny Demens, Gabe Martin
CB (5): Patrick Peterson, Jerraud Powers, Justin Bethel, Jimmy Legree, Cariel Brooks
S (4): Tyrann Mathieu, Tony Jefferson, Deone Bucannon, Rashad Johnson
K (1): Chandler Catanzaro
P (1): Drew Butler
LS (1): Mike Leach
Suspended: Daryl Washington (Indefinitely); Bobbie Massey (4-games)
Physically Unable to Perform: Jermaine Gresham 
Injured-Reserve: Corey Peters (Achilles)

*Depth chart courtesy of Ourlads'
 

Another blunder by Roger Goodell and the NFL

In case you haven't heard, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced yesterday that New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has been suspended for the first four games of the 2015 regular season for "violating the league's policy on the integrity of the game," according to Gregg Rosenthall. Roger Goodell is the last person to be talking about anyone else integrity. The New England Patriots were also fined $1 million and forfeited their 2016 first-round draft choice and 2017 fourth-round draft choice.

These punishments are based off of the findings released last week by investigator Ted Wells, who Goodell hired to conduct the investigation behind deflate-gate, in which Wells said it was "more probable than not" that Brady was "at least generally aware" of the footballs being deflated. Brady also refused to hand over his cell phone so that investigators could search his texts and emails. So, in other words, Brady was not proven guilty, rather Goodell is playing off a hunch. The punishments handed down to the Patriots organization are totally unnecessary. The league stated that head coach Bill Belichick and the rest of the team's staff were unaware of any wrongdoing, so why are they being forced to forfeit draft picks? What makes the league's decision so appalling is that the punishment doesn't fit the crime. Remember, we're talking about a league that has suspended players who were charged with DUI manslaughter (Donte Stallworth and Josh Brent) for merely 16 games and 10 games, respectively. But, deflating some footballs results in a four games suspension? I would love to know the logic behind that reasoning. I'm not sure how Goodell still has his job as Commissioner, but hopefully he is forced to resign sooner rather than later. For a man who talks so much of integrity, he has very little himself. Practice what you preach, Goodell.

Updated Round 2 Mock draft

Okay, I lied in my last article when I said it would be my final 2015 mock draft. Can you blame me? I mean, who could have seen the first round playing out the way it did? The Rams reaching for Todd Gurley, Washington passing on the best player in the draft, Denver trading up for Shane Ray, Malcolm Brown falling to the Patriots at no. 32, and the plethora of first-round talents that didn't hear their names called (Landon Collins, Randy Gregory, Eddie Goldman, La'el Collins, etc.). I can't sit idly by without updating my mock draft for round two!

33. TEN- Jake Fisher, OT, Oregon
34. TAM- Donovan Smith, OT, Penn St.
35. OAK- Randy Gregory, DE/OLB, Nebraska
36. JAC- Jalen Collins, CB, LSU
37. NYJ- Eric Kendricks, ILB, UCLA
38. WAS- Landon Collins, SS, Alabama
39. CHI- Jordan Phillips, NT, Oklahoma
40. NYG- Eric Rowe, CB, Utah
41. STL- Jaelen Strong, WR, Arizona St.
42. ATL- Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota
43. CLE- Devin Smith, WR, Ohio St.
44. NO- Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Oklahoma
45. MIN- Eli Harold, OLB/DE, Virginia
46. SF- Benardrick McKinney, ILB, Mississippi St.
47. MIA- Ronald Darby, CB, Florida St.
48. SD- Eddie Goldman, NT, Florida St.
49. KC- Carl Davis, DL, Iowa
50. BUF- Denzel Perryman, ILB, Miami
51. HOU- Tre Jackson, OG, Florida St.
52. PHI- Owamagbe Odighizuwa, OLB/DE, UCLA.
53. CIN- Grady Jarrett, DT, Clemson
54. DET- Nate Orchard, DE, Utah
55. ARI- Preston Smith, DE/OLB, Mississippi St.
56. PIT- T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pittsburgh
57. CAR- Jay Ajayi, RB, Boise St.
58. BAL- P.J. Williams, CB, Florida St.
59. DEN- Rashad Greene, WR, Florida St.
60. DAL- T.J. Yeldon, RB, Alabama
61. IND- Quinten Rollins, CB, Miami (OH)
62. GB- Devin Funchess, TE/WR, Michigan
63. SEA- Hroniss Grasu, C, Oregon
64. NE- A.J. Cann, OG, South Carolina