Signs of life in the desert
Reshuffled Cards expect a better deal
Upon entering the NFL as a rookie free agent out of the University of Massachusetts in 2001, running back Marcel Shipp's first instinct was survival. He simply hoped to make the Arizona Cardinals' 53-man roster.
Shipp has bucked the odds and now enters his seventh season in the desert, which remarkably ties him for the longest tenure of any non-punter on the team. It also means he has a unique perspective on a franchise that hasn't posted a winning season since 1998, has been ripped by some former players for its penny-pinching ways, and seemingly leads the league in only one category: fresh starts.
But the 28-year-old Shipp has reason to believe that the team's most recent fresh start -- the firing of coach Dennis Green and the hiring of former Steelers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt -- is a legitimate turnaround.
"Just judging by the offseason, it's like night and day," he said. "I look around the weight room and about 85 percent of the guys are training, doing stuff that is going to help us on the field. Usually, in the past, guys would come in, work out, then go work out somewhere else after. Now, we have guys coming in, working out, and you're going to sleep after these workouts."
Shipp said the offseason program under new strength coach John Lott has set a tone for what he believes is a new smashmouth attitude on the team. He also points to the first-round draft choice, 6-foot-5-inch, 323-pound offensive tackle Levi Brown, as a reflection of where things are headed.
"We're trying to build an identity right now," said Shipp, who was an unrestricted free agent this offseason but earned a vote of confidence from the new coaching staff and re-signed for three years. "We want to be a team that runs the ball, and even if you know we're going to run it, we're not changing our approach. It's downhill running. Run first, pass second."
It's an approach the 45-year-old Whisenhunt knows well from his six years as an assistant with the grind-it-out Steelers. It's also one the Cardinals desperately need after averaging a league-worst 3.2 yards per carry in both the 2005 and 2006 seasons, with last year's lack of production coming despite the high-priced addition of running back Edgerrin James.
Some of the Cardinals' most severe problems have come along the offensive line, an area Whisenhunt and top assistant Russ Grimm, who also came over from Pittsburgh, have made a top priority. Hence using the fifth selection in the draft on Brown, the mammoth Penn State product who projects to be an anchor at right tackle, where he'll protect the blind side of lefthanded quarterback Matt Leinart.
The idea is to build from the inside out, providing a foundation to better take advantage of talented skill-position players such as Leinart, James, and big-play receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin.
Meanwhile, the Cardinals have other issues defensively, where they ranked 29th in points allowed last season. Coordinator Clancy Pendergast was one of two holdovers on the coaching staff, and the team may mix elements of the 4-3 alignment that Pendergast runs with some 3-4 principles Whisenhunt is familiar with.
That mixture figures to lead to some initial growing pains as the Cardinals, who finished 5-11 last season and couldn't capitalize on the buzz from opening a new stadium, find the right players to fit their system.
The top defensive player is seven-year veteran Adrian Wilson, who earned his first Pro Bowl berth last season at strong safety.
Terrence Holt (Lions) was a top free agent acquisition at free safety, while Michigan defensive lineman Alan Branch was drafted at the top of the second round and could be a long-term run-stuffer, although some NFL clubs were reluctant to draft him because of questions regarding his desire.
As for Shipp's role, he's veteran insurance for James and also projects to be a regular contributor on special teams, another area in which the Cardinals must improve. Shipp's prowess on special teams helped him earn a roster spot as an unheralded rookie, and that is something he's passed on to former UMass running back Steve Baylark, who is also attempting to make the roster as a rookie free agent.
"I'm helping him out as much as I can," said the 5-foot-11-inch, 232-pound Shipp. "We both came down the same road, so there's an understanding of what the other is feeling. I see a lot of myself in him."
Shipp also sees things moving in a positive direction for the Cardinals. The team has set an initial goal of winning the NFC West, which would be its first division title since moving to Arizona.
Smith is playing for keeps
The bar is high in San Diego, where the Chargers posted a league-best 14-2 record last year but have undergone significant coaching turnover. General manager A.J. Smith hears chatter that the Chargers are a top AFC team, but he believes nothing will matter until the team gets it done in January and February.
"We need to do something here postseason-wise," he said. "We appreciate all the accolades, and it's all great, but we're 0-2 in postseason play [in Smith's GM tenure]. I don't like it. So we'll see if we can get in the tournament and we'll see what happens."
The straight-forward Smith has also spoken freely regarding running back Michael Turner's situation. Turner, a four-year veteran who as a restricted free agent drew interest from a few teams, was dangled in trade talks.
But Smith didn't receive the compensation he desired and pulled Turner -- who totaled 502 yards on 80 carries in backup duty to LaDainian Tomlinson -- off the market.
If a team suddenly has a need for a running back, would Smith consider reopening trade talks?
"No, we're done," he fired back last week. "A lot of people don't believe me. It was hot and heavy there for a while, there's no question about it, but we made the decision that we're taking him off the market through October.
"I made it clear that if a team loses a running back during the preseason or in September or October, do not call the Chargers about Michael Turner. I wanted our mind-set to be clear: He's a member of the Chargers as a kickoff returner and backup to LT."
But why would Smith close the door if a team were willing to meet his prior demands?
"I don't want to fool around on a day-to-day basis," he said. "If someone met the demands before, we got together as an organization and said we would be willing to get a couple of draft picks and not have the services of Michael Turner.
"The price was high, but it didn't work out. Now we're not turning back."
Theismann won't pass on QB question: He'll take Brady
Former Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann, who was in town for this weekend's
"One of the top qualities I'm looking for in a quarterback is how he handles pressure -- close games, road games, the fourth quarter, playoff competition," answered Theismann, who was at the golf tournament promoting prostate care.
Theismann's rankings: 1. Tom Brady; 2. Peyton Manning; 3. Drew Brees; 4. Carson Palmer; 5. Donovan McNabb.
"I believe Tom is the best in the game, closely followed by Peyton, and you can debate which one is better until you're blue in the face and probably wouldn't be wrong either way.
"My choice is mainly because I think the talent Tom has played with is not at the same caliber that Peyton has played with. With Brees, he takes the theory that you have to have a big guy and blows it out the window. He's quick, efficient, smart, and knows what he wants to do with the football. In Carson, I like his intelligence and accuracy, as well as his ability to deliver in crunch time. And Donovan, to me, the only thing that has held him back the last two years is his inability to stay healthy. He is a tough quarterback, mentally and physically.
" I think all have at least five good years left. When you're building a team, you can't have a one-year guy. The process of quarterbacking, to me, takes about four years. You get in, understand the game, then understand the offense and what defenses are trying to do. By the fourth year, everything comes together. That's why, to me, this is a big year for Eli Manning in New York."
Etc.
Keep in mind . . .
Four nuggets not to forget from last week: 1. The league held a concussion summit in Rosemont, Ill., officially implementing a "whistle-blower" system in which players and other team personnel will have their identity protected should they report situations they feel put players who have sustained concussions at risk; 2. His Titans teammates did not throw their support behind cornerback Pacman Jones, who is serving a one-year suspension, after Jones was allegedly involved in another brush with the law at an Atlanta strip club. "We love him a whole lot, but we feel like he don't care about us right now," quarterback Vince Young said; 3. The Raiders, under first-year coach Lane Kiffin, lost a week of their offseason program when the Players Association lodged a complaint that the team was violating rules regarding contact at offseason practices; 4. Free agent running back Chris Brown, who had drawn interest from the Patriots and other clubs, signed a one-year deal with the Titans and will compete with second-year player LenDale White and rookie Chris Henry for the starting job.
Cash and carries
Some of the first rumblings were heard last week from Chiefs running back Larry Johnson regarding a potential training camp holdout. Technically, Johnson has three years left on his contract, but the final two years could be voided after the 2007 season, and he told the Kansas City Star that a holdout is an option if he doesn't sign an extension over the next month. Johnson, who is scheduled to make just shy of $2 million next season, ranked second in the NFL with 1,789 rushing yards last season. Playing a position that takes more hits than any other -- and after totaling a league-high 416 carries last season and 752 over the last two years -- Johnson is smart to push the envelope in hopes of consummating a deal while his health is good and his value is high.
Fashion statement?
When the Chicago Bears held the final practice of their mandatory offseason minicamp, linebacker Brian Urlacher traded in his No. 54 for Lance Briggs's 55, which had some media observers wondering whether Urlacher was making a not-so-subtle statement to management. A standout weak-side linebacker, Briggs has been assigned the franchise tag, and there have been no negotiations on a long-term contract. Like Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel, Briggs has said he is willing to sit out until the 10th week of the season if he doesn't get a long-term deal. Urlacher didn't stick around after practice to explain why he was wearing No. 55.
Mike Reiss can be reached at mreiss@globe.com; material from personal interviews, wire services, other beat writers, and league and team sources was used in this report. 
